An Unexpected Adventure of Trust

Sometimes God works in mysterious ways! He does not always use the methods or timing that we as humans would expect.  He often wants us to remember that His ways are higher than ours and He is in control-not us! The story I am about to tell you demonstrates these truths.

It all started when my father and mother-in-law, Ralph and Debbie, planned a 5 week trip to visit their son, who is a teacher in eastern Europe. The goal was to spend time with his family and to help during Ben’s recovery from knee surgery. The surgery went well, but less than a week later COVID-19 struck the world. This affected the United States, as well as all of Europe. It shut down airports and international borders, potentially stranding my in-laws away from their home in western Pennsylvania.

As the original return date approached, Ralph and Debbie stayed in contact with the U.S. Embassy in the country who were working out options for stranded Americans to return home to the States. These flights would pop up quickly, and decisions had to be made fast in order to make all the necessary trip arrangements. A flight was announced on April 4, which would leave the country for London, England on April 6. Plans began to be made and this is where we see the hand of our Heavenly Father at work. I will attempt to give a summary of all that transpired from the time Ben helped Ralph and Debbie book the flights on April 4, to the completion of their travels home to PA.

Ben (the son they were visiting in Europe) was key in booking the flights home via two airlines. The flight out of the country was just that and nothing else. It would get Ralph and Debbie to the London Stansted airport on the northside of the city. The rest of the trip was up to them. A flight to the U.S. (one of few due to COVID-19) was found, but it departed from the London Heathrow airport, which was about an hour and half southwest of Stansted. Once they landed in England, Ralph and Debbie would need to figure out transportation to the other airport on their own. At this point, God began a series of events that utilized His people around the world! 

As these plans were being put into motion, We (Ralph and Debbie’s kids in Pennsylvania, USA) began calling family in the States and Canada, asking prayer for their trip. Brad and Becky (Debbie’s brother and sister-in-law, PA) and Matt and Kim (their son and daughter-in-law, PA)  “happened to have” a friend in London, England who told them that because of the COVID-19 restrictions, all of the normal public transportation that would usually be used for travelers between airports had virtually been shut down. Denise (Debbie’s sister, Manitoba,Canada) also had contacts connected with England, who were instrumental in helping book a taxi for Ralph and Debbie. After making several calls to England, Denise found out that the only transportation option available was to prepay a British taxi service, who had contracted with independent drivers. The driver would pick Ralph and Debbie up at the Stansted airport and take them to Heathrow. Ben was able to reserve a taxi for them online- they didn’t have to worry about needing a different currency or making arrangements once they landed. 

 Another one of the relatives we called, Mardelle (Ralph’s sister, PA), had a friend from her church who has much experience traveling internationally. She agreed that a taxi was the best way to get between airports and was able to give good insight into how Ralph and Debbie could connect with their taxi in London. Finally,  we (Tim and Beth) reserved a rental car for the final 4 ½ hour leg of the journey home from Washington DC Dulles airport to PA.

A couple of fun highlights from the trip:

Ralph Made the news during the trip!

• When Ralph and Debbie arrived at the Stansted airport, they had to make phone calls to connect with the taxi driver. This required them to connect with WiFi. Unfortunately, Debbie’s phone would not cooperate. After almost an hour of several individuals attempting to connect her phone to the internet, a young lady behind the information counter graciously connected it to her personal phone’s hotspot. Within a couple of minutes after making that connection, the taxi driver called! God’s timing is perfect and amazing!
• The flight that Ralph and Debbie took to London was the last flight out of the country to England, and the second to last one out of the country at all due to further shut down because of COVID-19.

The planning phase of the trip happened in less than 24 hours, utilizing at least 10 families or individuals from 4 different countries that were in 4 different time zones. God uses us in ways that we cannot imagine in order to accomplish His plan! We may never know all of the reasons He had for this unique adventure, but we can draw a few conclusions from it:

1. God is at work and will accomplish what He started (Philippians 1:6)
2. We can have confidence that, no matter how crazy life feels, He is in control.
3. All is accomplished so we can say, “For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen.” (Romans 11:36)

Deputation on Pause

In March of 2020, things got a bit crazy for deputation. COVID-19 struck the United States. As the knowledge of the virus spread throughout the country our meetings began to be canceled. To date, we have lost 5 of our springtime meetings. This is not what a missionary on deputation wants to experience! Not what we signed up for! Once again, a situation out of our control to force us to completely trust God. We had been so convinced that He would fill our support and allow us to move to the field and start our ministry at Syracuse University this year! Will that still happen? How will this virus shut down affect churches? Will we lose support? Will we get the virus?

As I think about all the possible scenarios that could happen because of COVID-19, God has reminded me over and over that this is not all about me, it's all about Him. He is working. He knows what He is doing. He wants to teach me something through this. So what are some of those lessons I am learning? Two verses come to mind.

Psalm 46:10 - "Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth." - We are all terrible at being still. I am no exception. I have been learning that I need to learn to be still in my heart and mind instead of freaking out and trying to fix all the disastrous things happening to my deputation world. Why? So I can Know God better. If I begin to be discouraged, fearful or angry about the virus, I can't know my Father better. I can't focus on Him. I won't be able to trust Him fully.

2 Corinthians 12:9 - "And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me." - No matter what God allows in my life, This is true. I seemed to be on the verge of getting the issue in my leg resolved until COVID-19 stopped the progress. God's grace is sufficient for me. Deputation has come the a grinding stop for now. His grace will provide for me. My whole family goes crazy with cabin fever. His grace will be enough to calm our hearts as we focus on Him. His grace will (and is) sustain me!

Blessings of COVID-19 shutdown:

- More time with my family.

- Seeing God's people learn to be more creative in order to fellowship.

- People hearing the Gospel (ans being saved!) because they are watching live stream church services even though they have never been to a church.

- Several projects around home have been accomplished

- More opportunity to interact with our neighbors (whom we have been witnessing to)

Be still and know that God's grace will sustain us no matter what this world can throw at us!