We were at one of the largest churches of our deputation experience. I can't speak for other missionaries but for me, the larger the church the more nervous I am. I know I shouldn't be but ... well, I'll leave that for another time.
Anyway, I had left Kristie with Charissa (about 4 years old) and Emily (maybe not two years old) in the church's house for guests and had crossed a rather large campus that included a school, dedicated gymnasium, etc. to reach the church's main building which included the auditorium. I was busy setting up my slide projector when Charissa came trotting into the auditorium without Kristie and quite early.
"What are you doing here," I asked, "And where is mom?"
"Mom is locked in the bathroom," she responded in her little four year old voice. "She says she can't get out."
The campus was big enough that traveling across it and back to the auditorium would take some time. So I picked up Charissa and hurried back to the guest house. Sure enough, the handle and somehow broken on the inside so that turning the handle no longer opened the door. Of course, Kristie had locked the door upon entering, and the door required unlocking. It must have been one of those bathroom doors with a small hole on the outside to unlock it because I don't remember it requiring much time to unlock.
I do remember two things clearly. The delay had caused us to be running right on time, and both of us felt the pressure to get out the door. Second, to this day I wonder at Charissa finding her way across the campus to the auditorium by herself.
What happened was this: as soon as Kristie realized that she was locked in she called loudly for Charissa. When Charissa came to the door but couldn't open it, Kristie instructed her to find the big building and daddy would be inside. Somehow, Charissa wandered to where I was (guided providentially, of course). Sometimes having a bold, independent four year old is a good thing.
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