One thing which I have
learned over the years is that God will guide me no matter what the
situation. Sometimes I misunderstand what He wants from me, and I
have to refine the plan and try again.
The day after I submitted
the last newsletter article, I received news that the house where I
had been planning on living would only be available to me for 4
months (but rent free). A couple days later, I found that the cost
of moving would be 2 months-worth of my current rent. So, I weighed
and measured the situation, and decided on August 30th to
stay where I am living. A few days later, one of the few neighbors
who knew I was moving saw me in the street. And on September 8th,
the daughter (Mari) of that neighbor showed up at my door. It seems
that her brother is quite ill and may die. Her mother has gone to
care for her brother (who lives in another town), and Mari's two sons
have had to care for themselves during the day. The two boys are
aged 2.5 and 6 years. The older one attends school in the morning
meaning that the younger one was left alone in the house. The
God-part in all of this is the date that the boys started this:
August 30th. So, for the past week, I've been a nanny;
end date is undetermined and based on whenever their uncle gets
better or dies.
When you look at this, it's
easy to see the hand of God in it all. He knew that this family
would need me, and He knew that I didn't have obligations in Los
Encuentros until October. He gave me a reason to not move...and then
He showed me why.
So, while the move has been
called off and I'm temporarily doing something else, plans to help in
Los Encuentros have not been canceled. The new plan is to commute out
to Los Encuentros every other week and spend 2-3 days in the
community at a time. It will result in a slightly modified plan
involving less English classes for the kids, but other than that, it
remains the same. I would like
to
live
closer
to
the
community
which
I
am
serving,
but
it
seems
that
for
now
that's
not
in
God's
plans
for
me.
Right
now
He
needs
me
to
serve
where
I
am
to
a
family
which
is
hurting
and
in
need.
For
now,
I'm
delegating
some
work
in
Los
Encuentros
seeing
about
school
costs
in
the
area
as
well
as
looking
at
the
costs
of
building
a
house
for
Maria
and
her
children
Elena
and
Juan
who
I
wrote
about
in
August.
Additionally,
Guatemala
dealt
with
a
fairly
strong
earthquake
on
September
6th.
I
already
had
some
houses
on
my
list
which
were
damaged.
I
need
to
make
sure
that
those
houses
are
still
standing.
If
they
aren't,
houses
need
to
be
planned
for
them
as
well;
in
fact,
if
they
aren't,
the
money
which
was
proportioned
for
a
house
for
Maria
and
her
children
may
need
to
be
redirected
to
other
families
with
more
urgent
needs.
I
don't
like
to
do
that
with
money
that
was
given
for
a
specific
family
or
purpose,
but
sometimes
it
is
a
necessary
reality
of
the
work
here.
The
care and keeping of a missionary
This
month,
I'd
just
like
to
ask
for
a
lot
of
prayer.
I'd
like
you
to
be
praying
for
the
families
whose
homes
were
in
poor
repair
that
the
houses
keep
holding
together.
I'd
like
you
to
be
praying
for
the
family
of
Mari
as
they
deal
with
the
financial
and
medical
needs
of
her
brother
and
the
possibility
that
they
might
lose
him.
(He
is
29
years
old.)
I'd
like
you
to
pray
for
Mari's
two
sons—Jonotan
and
Otto—as
they
deal
with
spending
time
with
me.
I'd
also
like
you
to
pray
for
Mari's
two
daughters
who
are
2
of
the
top
6
students
in
their
7th
grade
class
(in
a
public
school
which
has
more
than
200
7th
graders)
but
who
may
have
to
drop
out
of
school
if
their
family
can't
find
the
money
to
send
them
to
school.
I'd
like
you
to
pray
for
all
of
the
families
which
I
work
with
in
Los
Encuentros
as
they
deal
with
the
confusion
of
me
not
moving
out
there
like
we
all
had
planned
on.
Finally,
I'd
like
you
to
pray
for
some
patience
in
all
of
this
for
me.
I
know
God
has
a
plan;
sometimes
I
wish
He'd
just
spell
it
out
a
bit
clearer
for
all
of
us.
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