The recent events of the volcanic ash’s effect on airline travel have reminded us that, contrary to popular belief, we are NOT in control of our lives. This ‘act of God’ has made it clear that God is not asleep and He can change the picture in a twinkling of an eye. This fact was also evident in the events which unfolded in our own lives.
We have been back in the UK on furlough since October 2009, with plans for Michael to return to Sierra Leone by April 2010 and rest of us later in June 2010. In that time we had hoped to welcome a new member of the family; sort out any outstanding business here in the UK; go to Jamaica to visit family and attend to the internment of my father’s remains. Well, these plans were just that - plans. Our beautiful second daughter Janelle, came 5 weeks early after an eventful third trimester. I was admitted in hospital with ‘severe’ symptoms of Preeclampsia and she was delivered by emergency caesarean section after my waters broke prematurely. She was (and still is) healthy and beautiful and I eventually weaned myself off the medication for high blood pressure after making changes to my diet. We are still amazed at God’s mercy and grace (hence Janelle which means gracious), when we look on her and also witness the bonding that takes place between sisters. Joelle has become the big sister we always knew she was, and it’s beautiful to behold. God knows how to give beautiful gifts.
After settling into life with two daughters -one who is always on the move- the plans were to go to Jamaica whist Michael goes back to work in Sierra Leone. God decided it was best to stop, listen and reassess. That is when God stepped in. I received a very bad report from the head and neck team at Guy’s hospital which not only stopped us dead in our tracks but also forced us onto our knees. We held on to God with ‘one hand in His Omnipotence and the other on His Wisdom’. Our faith and total dependence on Him grew as we seriously questioned whether going back to the mission field was what He wanted us to do. I had to question whether teaching was the career path to take as the suggested ‘treatment’ would have changed all of this. We were forced to postpone our trip to Jamaica, start a watch and wait management with the doctors, pray and listen to God, all this to be done as calmly as possible for the girls’ sake. So far, we tentatively plan to return to the mission field later in the year.
And so dealing with the event that overtook us in March, the death of my father, has fallen down the list but still cries out for attention as, at the rate that things have been going, it seems the first anniversary of his death will come before we get to Jamaica. Whatever the case, we all need to come face to face with the loss. It’s still a work in progress.
As we continue to walk in the journey with our God we pray to remain open to His leading knowing He will ‘never leave us nor forsake us’ and ‘never give us more than we can bear’. We have learnt to make short term plans with the openness of mind to whatever changes which may arise. Our insurance is knowing our God is in control and that this will never change. We have also learned that friends and family are precious assets as we were strengthened by the support of many with prayers and words of encouragement and were reminded that family is not necessarily blood bound. We are a part of a greater spiritual family which gives a higher, purer gift of love.
Our blogging has reduced considerably but we hope you realise it is not intentional. The mission field that is Sierra Leone is very much on our hearts and we hope that God will see it wise to keep it in our plans. We remain His instruments and are open to the direction He wants us to go. He is our Shepherd.
