Timing

It's been said "what a difference a day makes"! This has proven true over and over in the past couple of weeks. I'll tell you about one major thing in this post and then update you on another in a couple of days.

There are so many things about this journey for Chad and I that are difficult to explain on paper. For example, I thought about posting a list of "impossible hurdles" (from our perspective) that would have to be overcome for us to travel to Uganda. As we considered them we realized the list would create more questions than be the witness it was intended to be as we watched how God made a way through or around or over the hurdles. We wondered though how to express that part of the journey. To give you an idea of what I mean, as in most ventures of this kind, financing (or lack thereof) is often a perceived obstacle. We calculate that it will take in the vicinity of $12,000 to go to Uganda for the month. I know, I know, it seems like an exorbitant amount of cash for one month. We struggle with that thought ourselves from time to time. This is how it breaks down: because we will have no income that month, there are still things that need to be covered at home - that's about 25%; the cost to cover accommodation, food and our transportation while we are in Uganda in addition to a donation we would like to leave takes about 31% of the total; preparations to go like medications/vaccinations, Visa, and such is about 13% and of course the cost of getting there is a major piece so it all adds up. So God, are you SURE you want us to go? How come? Can't that money be used here just as effectively? Some of the toughest things to understand in my life have brought me to a place where I couldn't trust logic or well meaning advice or common sense. Have you been there? It seemed and now seems that we must trust God for the next step and then the next step and so I come to the reason for the title of this post... Timing.

We were to have paid the full amount of our airfare 30 days prior to our flight. That would have been about Aug 2. Our travel agent was going on vacation a few days before that date and asked if we could settle things up early. We had wondered from time to time what we would do if it came time to pay for our tickets but there was only enough there for the flight but not enough to cover the costs of the rest of the trip. Would that mean that we were pay for the tickets and trust God for the rest to come when we needed it or that we were not to go just yet? I'm quite certain God has a sense of humor. When we checked out the bank account the day we were to send the cheque, we were about $38 short of the amount for our flight... hmmm. And then that same morning my sister comes dashing into the house with a wad of $20's in her hand! She later told me she didn't really have time to stop by that day. She needed to get to town for an appointment but for some reason she believed she was to stop and drop off this money on her way. So, that affirmed our understanding that we would have what we needed when we needed it... that we were in fact to trust God for the rest. As we trusted He would remind us that He is trustworthy. It is not blind trust. We already have learned in our lives that He is good. I think it might be like being a passenger in the car when someone we know well is driving, or maybe you can equate it to flying in a plane with an experienced pilot, or climbing a rock face with your best buddy on the other end of the belay anchor. At some point you make a decision to trust in what you know about them.

So, as this goes to you to day, our flights are paid for and our tickets are on the way to us! Over the next day or so after my sister stopped by we received an unexpected but totally delightful email money transfer from dear young friends in Winnipeg reminding us that God would indeed provide; not necessarily how I would like it (all covered before I commit!) but that I commit what I have (willingness to trust) and then He does the whole loaves and fishes thing!

His timing. Always perfect. Always with the purpose to remind me that I need not spend time worrying or wondering... He's got it covered.