When Faith Falters

So, we made it through the first week of school!  Throughout the week, Naomy continued to have a pretty hard time with the fact that she and I were not together each morning.  There is a Haitian aide, Julie, who is assigned to Naomy at school.  Julie is kind and gentle with Naomy, but Naomy keeps pushing her away.  Through a translator, Julie told me that she isn't sure what to do.  "She doesn't want me," she said.  She was right, but it didn't have anything to do with Julie.  Naomy is a smart girl and she knows where my classroom is.  She knows that I'm there at the school, and she wants me.  Not Julie. She wants her momma. And so, she cries and carries on because she can't have what she really wants.

Aren't we all a little like 2-year-olds when we can't have what we really want?  We make our plans and set out to get what we want, and then when it doesn't work out, we get all upset.  What we forget time and time again is that God's plan and our plans don't always coincide.

Jeremiah 29:11 "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

Now, I don't think that means that we shouldn't make plans at all.  I think it just means that when things don't go according to our plan, we should stop and think about how and why we are being redirected, instead of throwing a fit.

So many things haven't gone according to plan since we arrived in Haiti.  And we continue to run up against new challenges and roadblocks.  We were blessed by church family with a truck to use while we serve here and that truck sailed the ocean blue down to a port here in Cap Haitien, and now we can't get it out of customs.  We planned for the taxes we'd have to pay.  We planned for the cost of the shipping.  

What we DIDN'T plan on was the corruption of the customs office here and the $6000 they're demanding that we pay so that they'll release the truck to us.  Seriously.  So, now what?

We've thrown a few fits.  We're angry.  We're disappointed.  We're SO frustrated.

I don't think their corruption is part of God's plan, either.  But, I bet He knew this would happen.  So, I'm asking myself tonight, "What does He want me to learn in this? I know it's His will for us to be able to use that truck... How is He going to make it happen?  What's His plan?"

I don't think I'll have it figured out before I go to sleep tonight.  I'm going to trust that He will reveal a solution--a plan.  Jesus Calling for today: "'I trust you, Jesus'...You need to voice this trust in me frequently.  This simple act of faith will keep you walking along straight paths with Me.  Trust in Me with all your heart, and I will make your paths straight." I'm going to just keep repeating that in my head: I trust you, Jesus.... I trust you, Jesus....

Friends, please pray with us that God will provide what is needed for the release of the truck.  Pray that He will move in powerful ways among the customs agents.  Pray that we will be open to the lessons God wants us to learn as we work through this.

And, pray for little Naomy--that she will continue to adjust to her new environment at school and that she will be comforted and feel safe even when her momma is not right by her side.

Amen? Amen!