“You trashed my place.”
When our family had to move out suddenly from our living quarters, panic set in.
We didn’t expect the landlord to accuse us of wrecking his house. After all, the door, kitchen tap and toilets were already broken when we arrived. Then, there was no water.
I cringed at the money we’d paid upfront for a 1-month stay, flushed down. I shuddered at the thought of being unjustly forced to pay compensation.
Then, I received news- having been a key leader of a Masters course at the University in Singapore, I’d been offered to be paid to be flown back yearly to teach Masters students. But an email shook me- the subtext read- I wasn’t needed anymore.
Amidst this all, Cliff’s 15-day visa in Tanzania was expiring. We had no news from Immigration.
As I staggered under the domino of setbacks, I felt God say, “Trust Me.” I looked at my children, reveling in the simplest pleasures of trying new African foods, without anxiety about tomorrow, and felt faith arise.
God would provide, a day at a time. Would I trust Him?
A day after I lost my paid role back home, I received an email enclosing a financial gift— the Board of an entity I used to oversee but had now closed had allocated it to me for my contributions. It was larger than the sum I would’ve earned had I slogged in that paid role.😭
On the morning we moved, I prayed, “God, even if that landlord runs with our money, change his heart. Bless him.”
But that very evening, Airbnb refunded us the remaining cost of our stay. 😭 After a harrowing search, who’d have thought that an empty house we’d hoped to move into longterm belonged to the director of the mission hospital who’d himself invited us to Tanzania. When we felt homeless, his wife expedited our moving in.
Then, we received news that Cliff’s passport, denied to us repeatedly, gained approval.
I’m learning- that perhaps, the best place to be is that of surrender. To trust God today for what we cannot yet see, tomorrow.
Because only when we stop holding onto what we think we need for ourselves, can God release the storehouse of His goodness to us, day by day. (Like 9:24-25)