A waitress in New Orleans who prayed to God for a miracle received one shortly thereafter.
A Louisiana waitress at the HoShun Restaurant on St. Charles Avenue in New Orleans had dropped by the Olive C. Church in Metairie right before her night shift on Saturday. Ava Guan, a 45 year old devout Christian prayed that God would send them the financial help they required to repair the church building and air conditioning system. Her prayers were almost immediately answered.
On that very same night, a patron gave a generous tip of $777 after a meal that cost just $63, Fox 8 Live reported. Shocked, Guan said that she believed "it was God [who] gave me the gift."
Alice Ho, the restaurant owner and manager, was also shocked. She said it gve her "goosebumps" to know that the Louisiana waitress "prayed that day and it came true." Ho concluded that it means "somebody listened."
Louisiana Waitress Receives Note to 'Take the Night Off' with a Generous Tip
On top of providing a generous tip of $777, the restaurant patron included a note on the receipt to "take the night off." Guan was surprised at the generosity, saying that "everybody needs an angel" and that the patron's act of generosity was proof that "God listens and will help you."
Guan then donated the generous tip amounting to $777 to Olive C. Church for its repairs. She remarked that church members had begun donating their own money and that she had donated $300 herself.
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Generous Patron Identified as Another Restaurateur
The generous patron, who Guan called a "gentleman" and an "angel," was eventually identified by NOLA.com as 31-year-old businessman Abdul Hamideh, who owns a franchise of IHOP and Popeyes. Hamideh shared that he had just opened a new IHOP store in Thibodaux earlier that day and decided to tip $777 because it was a lucky number for him and that he was thankful for his new restaurant.
"I had something good happen to me in this world [and] I wanted to pay it forward," Hamideh told the publication.
According to the Christian Post, the young restaurateur said he only went to Hoshun Restaurant because of its close proximity to his home and because he enjoyed sampling menus. He initially thought he ordered too much food, but assured Guan that he would take home his leftovers.
When Hamideh found out that Guan donated her entire $777 tip to the local church, the restaurateur pledged to ensure that the church's air conditioning system would be repaired. Olive C. Church's leader Alex Yang expressed gratitude for Hamideh's kind efforts, agreeing with Guan that the generous tip was simply an act of divine intervention.
Yang said it was "God doing miracles" and expressed gratitude for Hamideh, who was sent by God to tell Guan that "Christ is here and in control."
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