As I prepared to leave Ama, I remembered the many visa trips I had made into the mountains of our neighboring country—the fresh cool breezes and the beauty of God’s creation, with time to contemplate and pray. My heart ached with the desire to see these places just one more time.
Immediately I had a thought. I need to tell God how much I love that place. Dear God, I know that You keep all sorts of records. Please, can you write in mine that I would like to return to that beautiful country and see the mountains again someday in my lifetime?
I knew that regardless of whether I ever visited there again, God would hold my request safely in His hands and remember. Forever. I resumed my packing at total peace.
About a week later, I overheard one of our new student missionaries (SMs) talking with our principal: “I was told to ask you when and how I should go to the mountains for my visa renewal.”
You were almost there during your holiday vacation travel. You didn’t get it renewed then?” the principal replied.
“I didn’t think about it,” said the student missionary.
“I don’t know. Let me try to figure this out,” came the principal’s reply. This was the first time they had ever needed to resolve this type of issue, and they were unsure what to do.
After the student missionary left, I went next door. “What was that?” I asked.
“Our SM needs to get her visas renewed, and I have never dealt with this problem before,” stated the Principal.
“Would you like me to take her to the mountains for you?” I asked.
“Yes! And do it as soon as possible so that neither of you misses very many school days,” she replied.
That afternoon I bought our tickets. Two days later, I stood in the mountains, breathing the cool fresh air and admiring God’s creation. I was in total awe at God’s orchestration of fitting something from my “someday” list right into those crowded few weeks.
God can be trusted with my needs . . . and my wants. I learned that without question on my trip into the mountains.
Now, when I face challenges and slow-downs in PNG, I remember that I serve a God who plans things very well, and He always remembers.
