A Slight Detour

Plans, most of you know what plans are. We plan for this and that to happen and we are often upset if things do not go as we originally planned. Over the last few years, I have learned to be flexible with my plans, knowing things could change at any moment. Why all this talk about plans? Well, I want you to know some of my plans are changing; I am taking a slight detour. In December, I was signed up to go on an optional trip to the Dominican Republic with the Gateway crew for a short Mercy Ministry Outreach before returning to Africa. When I was blessed with a second episode of kidney stones, I thought to myself, “What in the world am I doing? I am running around too much! I will be completely exhausted by the time I return to Africa and I will not have anything left to give!” I also thought, “My goodness, I cannot spread myself too thin. I still love the Spanish culture and language and what if I go to the Dominican and don’t want to leave and go back to Africa? And oh dear, I need to let go of Spanish and start focusing on French!” I discussed my concerns with trusted friends and family and decided to pull out of the trip. I emailed the Gateway leaders and told them to remove my name from the outreach list. I felt 100% at peace with my decision and was pleased with my decision until last week. Last week, the Outreach leader announced the group size to the Dominican was extremely small, there were still a few reserved tickets on the airplane, and there was one last chance to join the group. My heart fluttered inside and I began to wonder if I should join the team. I was feeling pulled in two directions. I knew if I went to the Dominican Republic, I would miss screening day in Benin. Screening is the official beginning to the Benin 2009 Outreach and it is the day when the multitudes come meet the Mercy Ships medical doctors and crew in hopes of getting a surgical appointment. It is an incredible day, so I am told. But, despite how amazing screening day is, I felt God was possibly telling me to go to the Dominican instead. I did not want to make this decision on my own, so I asked God to clearly show me what His will was. The day after the announcement was made in class, we had a scheduled 6 hour silent retreat. I decided I would seek God’s direction during the silent retreat. Our entire Gateway class left early in the morning and headed to a local national park. We set off in silence, agreeing to meet again in about 6 hours. The thought of being completely silent (and awake during that silence) for 6 hours freaked me out. I was frightened by the concept of silence. We were encouraged to leave all religious books and music behind. We could bring a notebook and our Bible, but that was it. Many of us in society and the church today report we cannot hear God and we have come to believe that he doesn’t talk to us anymore. But, in reality often there is so much NOISE around, even positive noise such as music and faith-based books that we cannot hear God speak, therefore a silent retreat. I walked around a beautiful lake and reflected on the beauty surrounding me. My head was full of thoughts and I kept saying, “Where are you God? I cannot hear you!” Then I realized that I needed to just be silent and wait. To make a long story short, I believe God confirmed in my heart that I should go to the Dominican. When I was praying and contemplating sticking to my original plan and going directly to Africa after Gateway, a scripture verse jumped into my head directing me otherwise. My main objection to going to the Dominican was my belief that I would not have the physical strength to handle another adventure before heading back to Africa. During the silent retreat, God assured me over and over that “when I am weak, He is strong” and “I can do all things through His strength!” Okay, so you may think I am a freak, but we already know that! Either way, I met God in a special way during the silent retreat and I am going to the Dominican Republic! I will be in Texas until February 14th. Then I fly to the Dominican Republic to share God’s love with the people living in Aguas Negras. We have the exciting opportunity to work with local churches, play with kids, hug babies, work on community developmental projects, and spend extended periods of time in the local schools teaching whatever we feel God lays on our hearts! I will return from the Dominican earlyMarch and fly to Benin, West Africa via Paris, mid-March ! Am I disappointed or frustrated that my plans have changed? No way! My main desire and plan in life is to be in the center of God’s will and for the time being, I believe His will is taking me on a trip to the Dominican Republic to love His people there and I am excited that I just might get the chance to hug and kiss some caramel babies on this detour.