The Mailman Who Changed My Life

It was my lifelong dream to study in America. A dream my dad once had before he suddenly passed away two days before my 13th birthday.

Years later, when it was finally my turn, I could not afford the $50 application fees to most U.S. schools, let alone tuition.

Then I discovered Berea College. They didn't charge an application fee and provided full tuition scholarships for every admitted student.

But there was still one big hurdle: mailing my application packet. This was almost 20 years ago, when applications had to be mailed.

FedEx and UPS quoted more than we could afford. My only option was the local mailman.

The same one who often asked me for lunch money whenever he delivered the brochures I had requested from schools. Sometimes I could buy him a Coke, sometimes not.

I explained my situation. He said, "I'll send it for half of what they quoted you." That was exactly what I had.

So in January, I handed him my entire future in one envelope and prayed he would actually send it.

Berea was supposed to send a confirmation letter by February but nothing came.

February passed, March passed, April passed and nothing from Berea. I was convinced he had pocketed the money.

Then in May, a letter arrived. Berea had received my packet.

They had even emailed me earlier, but I had stopped checking my emails because I couldn't afford to pay for the hourly fees to use the internet at the cyber café.

By the time I logged in, I saw that I had been admitted. My heart soared, then sank, because the acceptance deadline had already passed.

I emailed Berea, explained what happened, and begged them to still honor my spot. A day later, they said yes.

That mailman, who I was convinced would fail me, kept his word. That single envelope changed the course of my life.

Your breakthrough will not always come from the people you expect. Sometimes it comes from the most unlikely places.

I wish I could find him today to not only to buy him a bottle of Coke, but cases of any drink of his choice and to say thank you!