My name is Gita and I am from Indonesia. My story takes place during the Tawaf in Mecca. Tawaf involves walking around the Kaaba seven times, symbolizing how our lives should revolve around remembering and reflecting on God. I was performing Tawaf with one of my groupmates, walking hand in hand through the vast sea of people. My friend is tall, but I'm quite short, which made it challenging for me to navigate through the crowd. We were both exhausted and it was almost Fajr prayer. At that time, many men were standing among the people performing Tawaf, trying to secure a spot as close to the Kaaba as possible for their prayer.

For someone my height, it was particularly difficult to see and maneuver through the crowd. Tall men were stopping and standing still, making it even harder to pass through. As we approached our final two turns, an elderly lady appeared. She was alone, which was unusual because most people travel in groups of at least two. She couldn’t speak English, so I’m not sure where she was from, but she reached out and took my hand, gently clearing a path for me to walk more easily. I signaled to my friend to follow, and she was initially confused, thinking the lady needed assistance. In reality, it was the other way around.

As I completed my last turn, the old lady looked at me and smiled. I thanked her and kissed her hand, and she returned the gesture before disappearing into the crowd. It was a poignant moment, almost as if she knew that it was the end of our Tawaf. To this day, my friend and I are still amazed with the encounter. She believes the lady might have been an angel sent to help us through the crowd, and I like to think of it that way too.

Oh, and may I also add how magical it was to pray so close to the Kaaba after that last turn, while watching the birds above us performing their own Tawaf as we paused for the Fajr prayer. It was an incredibly beautiful and serene experience.