Once that was done, Roxana vetoed the trip to the cemetery, and wanted to head home, but she was hungry, so we stopped by Gators for a bite to eat. After our brief meal, Roxana wanted to immediately head home. So we went out to the car, with the intent of leaving, but as we got in the car, I asked if I could just swing by the Tabernacle parking lot for a moment. The exact reason for that I didn't understand until a few minutes later.
As I entered into the Tabernacle's parking lot, I noted a hearse parked in front of the entrance to the building, so I thought, "Oh, oh, looks like a funeral might be about to start." I pulled forward a bit, I saw a young lady exiting the building, and as she passed in front of me, something urged me to speak to her. Rolling down my window, I gently called to her and asked if I could speak to her for a minute. She was willing. I asked if a funeral was underway, and she confirmed there would be one shortly.
Concerned that it might be someone I knew or perhaps a McKinnon, I asked for the name of the deceased. I do not remember the name, but I was relieved that it was not a McKinnon, and I told her why I looked relieved. I said, "I have come to Randolph today with the hope of meeting a McKinnon I could talk to." After a moment of seemingly stunned silence she said, "Well, if you came to Randolph hoping to meet a McKinnon, you have done so,... my name is Debra McKinnon Kennedy."
I was stunned as I took her hand and greeted her warmly! I asked for contact information, and she invited us back to stay at their ranch. Promising her that we would do so, we headed home. I was very much amazed, and grateful all the way home.
Roxana and I did return in 2014, and in some ways, that trip was maybe not as miraculous, but definitely just as incredible. You'll see what I mean in my next post.
Below are the pictures of the house and other things around it while we were there. These were taken with my iPad, but the quality is not bad. You can click on each image to view a larger size.
