After field forum was over, I was
fortunate that I was able to go to the country where Jesus spent His
life and where He did ministry. It was an amazing experience, but I
didn't just experience history while I was there, I was traveling
alone. This took on an element of trust that once again was not
expected.
After Field Forum, I stayed at some
friends house for a day relaxing and hanging out with their family.
The next morning, they dropped me off at the boarder, where I walked
across into the country I have been eagerly wanting to visit for a
long time. I was a little nervous about this because I am traveling
alone, and I have stamps in my passport that could raise question as
to why I am here and traveling alone. It took at least 10 minutes to
get through all the questioning, but thankfully the worse I had
prepared myself for did not happen, and I got through just fine.
The bus I wanted to take didn't leave
till 6 hours later than I hoped, so I emailed the guest house I
would be staying at to let them know that I would be quite a bit
later than I had expected and about the time I would be arriving. I
checked my email multiple times that day and I never heard back from
them.
The bus ride went smoothly, getting a
taxi was easy, but once I got to the place where I was staying, it
looked like no one was there, so I thought I had the wrong place. I
walked up and down that street and asked a lot of people if they knew
anything about it, but no one was any help. I called and called the
numbers I had, but nothing went through. I found a hostel and used
their internet to try and get ahold of the guest house, but still
nothing. I planned on just staying in the hostel that night, but
there was no room, so I went out in a city that I know nothing about
around 1030 at night and I tried to find a place to stay.
I came across the city train system
and asked an old lady named Rosie if she knew where a hostel was. She
knew barely any English, but understood that I did not have a
place to stay. She tried to help me call, and ask others that might
speak better English for help, but really she just insisted that I
stay with her for the night. Man, I was praying hard. I felt okay
going with her, but I didn't want the guest house to worry, so I
prayed that they wouldn’t and went with this lonely old lady who
didn't speak English to her house. She was so welcoming. She knew
French, but not English. Her son lives in America, so she called him
and had him speak to me in English to let me know that I could take a
shower and stay as long as I needed to. I told her I was a Christian,
which I think was obvious to her because I was clutching my bible and
reading it every free chance I had.
This whole time, I wasn't comfortable,
thats forsure. But I remembered stories of friends who had done work
overseas before and lived on so little money that they had to trust
almost daily that God was going to provide for them. When I was comforted while reading Isaiah 40:11 as well as that days
Jesus Calling.
“Whisper my name in recognition that I am still with
you”
“Accept each day as it comes to you. Do not waste your time
and energy wishing for a different set
of circumstances. Instead,
trust me enough to yield to me design and purposes. Remember that
nothing can separate you from my loving presence; you are mine.”
Rosie was a sweet lady, and even
though the next morning I felt terrible and was pretty upset when I
called home, I think it was a good thing I stayed with her that
night. She seemed so lonely. She seemed so happy to have a guest stay
at her house. She kept asking me to stay longer and pointed to her
self saying “I be your mamma, I be your mamma.” I pray somehow,
even though that night is not something I hope to relive, that she is
blessed by our time together, because she did bless me.
Isaiah 43:1 “Do not fear for I have
redeemed you; I have summoned you by name. You are
mine.”
