“Jolene! You need to wake up. You have to leave the country in a few minutes!” In the distance, I heard someone yelling my name.
This newest twist in a series of unforeseen circumstances jarred me wide awake from an otherwise peaceful dream, complete with refreshing water, a warm setting sun and my family and I talking and laughing together. Rudely, that scene shattered. There was no family, no sunset—just snails gliding across concrete walls and a fan blowing hot air around. My brain thought it was night, but it was not dark at all. It was 10:00 a.m. Waking out of a dream can be disorienting.
The night before, I had been in Phnom Penh, trying to sort out a visa problem that had not gone the way I had hoped. After confirming I would have to leave Cambodia to fix the issue, I took the night bus back to Banlung. I arrived at 5:30 in the morning, exhausted. After waiting for my room to be unlocked, I finally lay down around 8:30 a.m.
Less than two hours later, I was being awakened again. Too soon. Unexpected.
My mind was still caught somewhere in the dream as I slowly sat up on my top bunk, staring at the daylight peeking through the curtains. I tried to make sense of the new and sudden information: I was supposed to pack up and leave the country within the hour. This was not how I had thought the day would go. I knew I would have to leave Cambodia at some point, but I did not think it would be so soon. I needed to unpack, wash and somehow dry my clothes, eat, repack, and be ready to go—all in about an hour.
Dressed again, I was soon on the road with a local Cambodian family, heading toward Laos to stay with relatives of theirs, whom I had never met. The plan was very simple: cross the border, get the correct visa and return the next day. But plans do not always go as expected, especially overseas.
At the government office in Laos, the plan hit a wall. I could not get the visa that day after all. Because I could not get some specific documents, I had to apply online and wait at least four days. What was supposed to be a quick overnight trip turned into something much longer. Who would have seen that?
As I worked through the details of the delay, I experienced the raw importance of flexibility—the kind I knew would be required in the mission field, even if I had not foreseen it on this particular trip. Though I felt discouraged at first, the trip’s purpose slowly shifted from focusing on the delay to recognizing opportunities.
In Laos, I met new friends, shared everyday experiences, and learned in unforeseen ways, such as realizing that the best adventures often come through unexpected hindrances. Eating sticky rice with locals, playing with the children and visiting many beautiful places turned the week into a memory instead of a setback.
In hindsight, that week was not really a delay. Rather, it was a reminder that even when plans fall apart, or when things feel rushed and uncertain, God is working in every detail. Those moments are another chance to let go and watch God’s plan play out. What feels unplanned and overwhelming often turns into something beautiful and unexpectedly meaningful; complete in ways different but equally beautiful to those from my dream.
After a week in Laos, I returned to Cambodia—with the correct visa in hand, and a deeper trust that even unforeseen moments are never wasted when God is leading you.
