Today’s guest blogger is Mysterious Ways assistant editor Daniel Kessel.
Often when I post something on social media, my friends and family “like” it. But I wonder who else is looking.
A friend might share my post with someone, that person might repost it elsewhere—who knows where it will end up? Maybe, through God’s grace, the post will reach someone who needs it at just the right time… like two recent Instagram photos did.
Linley Sullivan, a college student volunteering at the Lighthouse in Action ministry in Chiang Mai, Thailand, was assisting the organization with community outreach programs to slums and red-light districts, two pressing issues in the northern Thai city. Her previous volunteer work had been with the Shelter City Christian Youth Hostel in Amsterdam, a city with similar woes. She wished she could see her old friends there and show them what she was doing now.
That’s when she logged onto Instagram and noticed a string of photos from Chiang Mai, sights she had recently visited. They’d been posted by her friend Taylor, one of the people she met working in Amsterdam! Linley had had no idea he was in Thailand, much less in the same city.
Linley and Taylor met for dinner with Emmi, the leader of Lighthouse in Action, and the trio got to talking. As it turned out, Emmi’s ministry had been inspired by the Shelter City Christian Youth Hostel, and she was eager to learn more about it. Together, Linley and Taylor had plenty of insights to share.
Jason Ho, a Minneapolis photographer, was touring Los Angeles when he stumbled down a quiet side street and came upon a brown plush bunny lying on the ground. He snapped a photo of the forlorn stuffed animal and posted it on Instagram, writing about his “childhood memories” in the caption.
Meanwhile L.A. residents Matt and Frances Page were frantic. Their 2-year-old, Max, had lost his beloved brown bunny and was inconsolable. The family put up posters around the community, with no results. Then they had the idea of uploading their Lost Bunny poster to Instagram.
Before long, a fellow Instagrammer who had seen Ho’s post pointed the family in the right direction. The family exchanged messages with Ho, who sent information about exactly where he’d photographed the missing toy. Max and his cherished bunny were soon reunited.
Maybe your next social media post won’t go viral or trend worldwide, but it might just rekindle an old connection—or spark a new one.
Check out the inspiring images on our Mysterious Ways Instagram and follow us @mysteriouswaysmagazine!
