December 11, 2009

I no longer try to anticipate what the Lord will do. It so is far beyond my realm of understanding, expectation, or even hope that I don’t presume to imagine what God is up to in a particular situation. I am indeed just along for the ride, and what a wild ride it has become.

For the moment, His favor seems to be resting on our orphanage project. Since about the end of October, there has been one little miracle after another. These things were going on all the time, in the hearts and lives of different individuals, but I didn’t know about them, and I wasn’t receiving the encouragement from knowing. So at each turn, with the dawn of each new day, I wonder to myself, “I wonder will happen today?” because I just know something will.

Have a look at the complex tapestry of people and events JUST SINCE THANKSGIVING that God has woven:

Sat., Nov. 28, 2009

Met a young man while decorating the church for Christmas who owns a small computer repair business…this led to him taking my old laptop and refurbishing it for Pastor Val for free!

Wednesday, December 2, 2009

Got confirmation that two ladies are going with me to Haiti…need to make sure there is room at the guest houses for all of us!

Thursday, December 3, 2009

At the dentist today, and as I talked about my upcoming trip and our project in Haiti, she offered to load us up with rubber gloves, and anything else we could use! Picking it up on Tuesday.

Friday, December 4, 2009

My dentist called first thing this morning and wanted to know if I was serious when I had asked her the day before if she’d like to go with me (on my trip to Haiti in January). We could really use her services and skills there!

Saturday, December 5, 2009

Found out from a friend, Karen that her son is running a 5K in FL in early January and he wanted to raise money for Pastor Val. This young man is currently enrolled in a boarding school program and has recently given his life to the Lord in a radical way.

Sunday, December 6, 2009

A friend, Ron, handed me a $100 bill at church for the trip.

Monday, December 7, 2009

A donor, who wishes to remain anonymous, called and said they were putting a check in the mail for $11K. I’m speechless.

Tuesday, December 8, 2009

Got an email first thing from Jenn Gash from Sweet Sleep, a non-profit that provides good beds, bedding and mosquito nets to orphanages. Again, I didn’t seek her out; someone gave her my name. She was looking for a small group of children to bless in Haiti. Looks like our kids are going to have a decent place to put their heads at night.


Wednesday, December 9, 2009

Two things today: First thing this morning when I opened my email…Richelle, who is a young woman who lived with us for two years in the 1990s, wrote and said that there was a group of 20 cadets from Westpoint’s Officers Christian Fellowship group that want to spend their spring break in March serving our orphans! Her husband is a professor there and they work with this campus ministry.

Then, I met a man at The Shoe Repair (a shop in Chapel Hill that, you guessed it, repairs shoes) from Rwanda, a doctor. He cannot practice in the US so he travels to developing nations (that’s a euphemism for poor) and provides medical services. He gave me his number after we talked about Haiti for a while. He’s never been there, but I could tell he was intrigued.


Thursday, December 10, 2009

Again, two things: got an email this morning from Josh C., a young man in his thirties who has known a measure of success. He is a friend, not close, but a comfortable relationship. I had contacted him when I first started thinking about taking a trip this winter, because he had started a non-profit a few years ago to help with the worldwide orphan crisis. I knew he’d be interested in what we were doing. He wrote to me in early October (hadn’t corresponded with him in over a year) and had heard that we were collecting supplies for an orphanage in Haiti. I responded that we were, and specifically asked him if he’d be interested in donating laptops. Didn’t hear back until this morning. This time he was asking very specific questions about what we needed.

Secondly, made a connection with a professor at NCSU who is working with Christianville Foundation in Gressier, Haiti in their goat program. This program has been benefiting our children nearby. I had NO idea that there was someone at NCSU connected with this effort! We are having lunch next week.

________________________________________________

I am so excited, Lord to see what will happen today! Even the way all that stuff for the orphanage fit so nicely into one of my suitcases and weighed less that 50 pounds. Thank you for demonstrating Your great love for the world, and for me through all the Divine activity I see around me. In this, I know you care for me...