Slithering down the rain-soaked trail with cleats digging into the mud, I struggle to keep my balance as my wet skirt slaps my calves. The trails are a good workout on dry days, but on wet ones, they’re a whole new experience. I glance ahead at the locals hiking confidently. They are as accustomed to these trails as we are to sidewalks. Mud and rain have little effect on their sure-footed strides.

Called from my bed in the middle of the night, I find a mother with a baby girl suffering from malaria—with high fever, dripping sweat and crying uncontrollably. In the light of my headlamp, I push an IV needle blindly into the dusky brown little arm, hoping I will hit a vein. When the quinine is finally flowing, we are able to quiet her crying with cool clothes and a fever-reducing injection.

It is four in the afternoon on a Sabbath, and I am visiting a branch Sabbath School at the base of the mountains. Sitting cross-legged on a bamboo floor, I struggle to find the words I need. By far the hardest thing for me to do in a new language is tell a Bible story and bring out meaningful lessons. There are so many words I don’t know. Before arriving here, I had already told children’s story and given a sermonette at church and had done another branch Sabbath School. Looking at the kids before me, I try to summon a few more ounces of enthusiasm despite my tiredness. I stumble my way through the story of the three Hebrews in Daniel 3, frequently turning to Naphtali (a fellow missionary) for key words not yet in my vocabulary. Drawing the story to a close, I sit back and let Naphtali tie up my straggling conclusion with a few questions. Oh, to be fluent in Palawano!

While he speaks, I reflect on the story I have just told. “Be it known, O king, the God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and He will deliver us out of thine hand. But if not, be it known unto thee O king that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up” (Dan 3:17, 18 emphasis mine).

But if not . . .

He could make me fluent in Palawan in a heartbeat. He could take away my homesickness. He could steady my feet on the slippery trails. He could make the future known to me so I would stop guessing about my next steps. He could heal people of sickness instantly and relieve their pain and suffering.

But if not, yet will I serve Him.

As Naphtali finishes speaking and we prepare to leave, I smile to myself at the new lesson I have learned from a Bible story I have heard for years. God is always near, and I am well aware of that. But the test comes when we ask Him to do something, and His answer seems to be no. My God can do anything, and it is His will that I should have every good and perfect gift (James 1:17). But if not, if He decides not to do it in the ways I want, let it be known that I still will not worship any other god, because I know the God of the Universe!

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