"Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus."
1 Thessalonians 5:18
I remember a toy I had as a kid. It was a Stretch Armstrong. It was a toy that was all the rage for boys my age at the time. You could take Stretch Armstrong and pull his arms or legs in all sorts of ridiculous directions and lengths and he would eventually go back into place. Or at least he was supposed to. It seemed that most kids I knew who had Stretch Armstrong finally found a length in which he wouldn't snap back into place.
Mission organizations like to remind short and long term missionaries that one of the most important characteristics for a missionary is "Flexibility". At times I get tired of hearing that. Sometimes I feel like I am that Stretch Armstrong that was pulled a little too hard and far in a particular direction and now I won't go back to my original shape.
This past month has sort of been like that. We have been stretched and pulled and asked to be flexible. And some of that has been uncomfortable. For instance, the progress for the training program at the hospital where I currently work has stalled somewhat as the leadership there has focused on a few other training programs in nursing and dentistry.
Also "stretching" us this month was our "non-trip". We were asked to participate in an earthquake relief effort; I was to be the team leader. After 12 long days of planning and preparation, the trip was cancelled 24 hours before we were to leave Nairobi.
However, we are once again learning to be thankful in all circumstances. Because of the stalled progress in the training program, we have made contact with another hospital in Nairobi that is also doing Residency Training. Our initial contacts have been very promising and even later today I will be attending a key meeting there that will most likely determine whether we pursue that relationship or not.
And, despite the relief trip being cancelled we learned some valuable lessons. We learned that it is good to have an assessment team on the ground in a relief effort to determine the actual needs versus the perceived needs. We also learned to trust our authority and not just our instincts and emotions. And the upside is that because we had already packed the kids clothes and school materials over to the Grandparents, Marti and I took a few days to get away by ourselves which has really helped re-energize our marriage.
So, we agree with Paul's words to the Thessalonicans - "We give thanks in all circumstances." We don't always understand the initial disappointments but we can rely on a Sovereign God to do the right thing for His glory.
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