Thursday, June 02, 2005

God always provides exactly what we need

On previoius mission trips to Romania, Haiti, and to Pine Ridge, I've been able to experience God's provision in ways I might not have been able to otherwise. That's one of the cool things about going on a mission trip - you learn, really learn, about how God provides.

I mentioned in a previous post about getting a letter from Ella Spotted Elk. Ella is one of the young ladies that we see each year on the Pine Ridge trips. Well, that letter came at just the right time for me. Planning and oragainizing a trip like this always has challenges and this year has been no exception. I've often commented that this year's trip looks like a disaster waiting to happen and that if I had any sense at all, I'd can the whole thing. Of course, I know things will work out - they always do, so the trip will go on. Maybe not as we planned, but it will happen as God sees fit.

Well anyway, I had really hit a brick wall of frustration in trying to pull this trip together and was wondering whether or not this was all really worth it for just a week on the rez. When I picked up my mail that day I noticed a big manilla envelope with Ella's return address. Tearing into it I pulled out a beautiful painting of a Lakota angel along with a letter. I had not heard from Ells in several months and her letter could not have come at a better time. I remember getting home from the trip last year and getting a letter from Ella saying, "you were the best part of my summer". Yeah, it's all worth it. No matter how frustrating or challenging it is to pull a trip together, in the end it really is worth it. And what a reminder that God really does provide. OK, sometimes, many times in fact, I think He's a bit late, but He is faithful to give us exactly what we need at just the time we need it.

What is, is.
Amber