How can I tell what God’s will is? How could I know when to pick Laurence up from quarantine?  These were two questions running through my head as I was trying to work out the logistics of how to pick my field director up in Phnom Penh. 

Our team was planning to have a full week with Laurence for team building and strategic planning. He had come to Cambodia and spent two weeks in quarantine and now was ready to get out and spend a week with us. But the hotel could not release him until he received his COVID-19 test results back and the Ministry of Health gave the go-ahead to the hotel. Unfortunately, there was a problem with the lab and there was no telling how long it would take to get the results.

Knowing Laurence was due to be released from quarantine on Friday, I had come down on Thursday to get some work done on our truck and run some errands. Cara was taking a taxi down Friday morning with the intent that we would pick Laurence up early that afternoon and take him up to the project site. Now Cara was almost here, and there was no word on when Laurence would get released. I was doing my best, but I could not figure out why God was not answering our prayers. Laurence called and suggested we pray, which I gladly did, surrendering everything to God. 

Before long, Cara showed up and we went to buy flowers to plant at the school. When Laurence asked the hotel if they knew when he would be released, the people told him that sometimes guests are released as late as 6:00 pm. So Cara and I decided to wait a few hours longer before heading back to Mondulkiri for the night. We had left the children home with the anticipation of being back that evening. After enjoying a meal at one of our favorite restaurants, we called and talked with Laurence again. By this time, I was chomping at the bit to get going, whether Laurence was with us or not. We did not have anyone watching the children and needed to get home. Cara encouraged me to wait where we were for just a few minutes longer. I really had to pray for God to help me submit my will, especially when I did not want to. We talked some more with Laurence on the best way to move forward if he was not released that day and decided that we would go to his hotel and try to get his bags released so that he would not have to take them with him in the taxi if he was released the next day.

As we headed to the hotel, we received a text message from a teammate who said they could watch the children for us if we wanted to stay the night in Phnom Penh. By this time, the sun was almost down and the Sabbath was drawing near. We quickly called the ADRA director and he assured us that he had a room we could stay in that night. As Cara was making the necessary arrangements for our colleagues in Mondulkiri to look after the children, it dawned on me what had just happened. God knew that Cara and I needed some time together and He was providing it in the most amazing way. The following weekend would be our 17th anniversary and this was a special way of showing us that He cared! The next morning, after we had finished our breakfast and were washing the dishes, we received a text from Laurence saying that he was free to go. Praise God! We gathered our things, picked Laurence up, and were on our way home. I am so thankful for the amazing way that God works. He provided the break that Cara and I needed and would not have gotten any other way. Thank you so much for keeping the Pnong project lifted up in prayer. God hears your prayers and He answers! 

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