Moving should be hard.
And yes, more often than not, it is stressful, tiring and frustrating.
Some months ago, someone encouraged us with a vision she received, of us standing in the midst of dry, barren ground, in an oasis of peace and tranquil. Upon sharing it with us, she said God wanted us to know that when we moved to Baltimore, we need not fear.
It was hard not to.
Being our first move to the States with a trailer and baby, we didn’t know what to expect. The thought of applying for visas, finding a home, packing, loading, driving two days from Canada to the States, budgeting, getting orientated and starting an intense school program amidst caring for our baby, just a few months after we had moved from Singapore to Canada (our 5th move in 4 years) seemed a bit much for our plate.
Would we cope? Would Baby adjust?
Yet, God’s grace continued to pursue us.
Just weeks before we moved, we received shocking news of a third scholarship which would cover not only the remainder of my tuition fees, but provide for our family of three in our year abroad. (So great was my shock that I immediately wrote back to the scholarship board to ask if there had been a typo error in their offer letter!)
The day before we left Canada, three friends offered to clean our car and home, making what should have been a frenzied move peaceful and easy; With an endless checklist, Cliff was a champion of a husband, ticking the items off one by one; During our two day drive, instead of being fussy and clingy as most books had dictated, Baby was a trooper, triumphing over sudden changes in schedules, assuring us with her bright smiles and undisturbed sleep routine.
Upon arrival after hours of a long drive and a series of errands, during an overwhelming moment of not having enough hands to unload and unpack our home in a trailer, soothe a crying baby, change an explosive diaper and clean a new home, a couple we had known only very recently and very serendipitously took us by surprise as they drove over and swooped in in perfect timing to lend us a hand, without us asking them to. With a pot of flowers and a hot meal for dinner, they arrived at our doorstep just moments after we arrived, chirping, “Welcome to Baltimore!”
Within 24 hours, with yet another 2 friends’ help and a lot of driving in a towering 16-foot truck by an amazing husband, a mattress, sofa set and beautiful dining set, all bought second-hand for a steal, were acquired.
And when we had run out of steam and energy to move any more furniture, a new neighbor we had just met in the parking lot came to help, lending a hand to make our house a home.
As I organized our home, I found “treats” all over our house, such as a baby stroller, toys, utensils, bedsheets, toiletries etc, all left behind for us for free by a graduate student from Hopkins who refused to charge us for them. We had never even met before.
Looking back, truly, His angels went before us.
There were hiccups- a truck rental gone awry, a sofa that wouldn’t fit in through the door, lots of perspiration and hard work in coordination and heavy lifting. But with every hurdle, came a generous portion of God’s grace, in the shape of His people caring and loving on us- helping us unhinge our doors, cook for us, entertain our baby- things we could not have done alone.
Within a record timing of a day of settling into an empty home in a new land, we now have a fully furnished home in the midst of a tranquil forest, reminding us of the vision our friend had shared with us months ago, amidst a city filled with poverty, crime, inequity and strife.
How we were connected to so many newfound friends even before we arrived, boggles us. How our home was set up within such a short time when we should have been stressed out, short-handed and overwhelmed continues to amaze and bewilder us.
But we know, deep in our hearts, that God is the one who has gone before us to prepare this home ahead of us. He does not disappoint when we obey Him.
Whether the mission field is in rural Africa or developed America, He knows our challenges and needs, and provides for them all.
To all the wonderful angels who prayed, encouraged us and lent a hand
to make our move so smooth and memorable,
here’s saying a big Thank You from Team Tam, from our home in the woods.
from our home in the woods.
Our hearts are full.
Thank you.
