Mama, what would Sheriff Labrador say about this?”
I blinked, grasping for words, as my 7-year old asked what her favorite police dog cartoon who teaches them about living right would do.
For months, we’d prayed every day for our kids to start the school year on time in Tanzania. For that to happen, our work permits had to get approved first, a process we started a year ago.
So when we met “Mr T,” known to help foreigners expedite their work permits, we knew this would be a gamechanger. Surely, it was our good fortune to cross paths with him. Surely, God was helping us.
Our faces beamed to present this good news to our kids.
But the more we prayed, the less peace we had. The more we found out, the more questionable Mr T’s methods appeared.
Our 7-year old quizzed us, “So what is Corruption, Mama? Would Sheriff Labrador say it’s OK?”
Today, many local and missionary children have started school without us.💔
I feel sad. I shed tears. It feels like our faith failed, like our prayers weren’t answered. I feel let down for doing the right thing. How long more, Lord?
Yet, it seemed like no coincidence that the desks we’d ordered from our ‘fundi seremala’ (local carpenter) weeks ago would choose to arrive early today in our homeschooling room, as if they were God’s special message that He knew. And He cared.
Many had warned us that local “fundis” were famous for delivering furniture weeks late. But there the desks were, perfectly done, 3 days early. The fundi even left them at our doorstep when we weren’t home and even though we hadn’t paid— a miracle on its own.
Truth be told, had we, like Sarah and Abraham who were anxious to “help” God fulfill His plans, tried to help God by using Mr T, there’d be a good chance we’d start school this week.
Yet God reminded me— while they got what they thought they wanted earlier, God had a better way, even if it was past their timeline.
Friend, our faith may not always bear the success story we wished for. But we can trust- that it will bear the witness of God’s goodness in the end.
“This delay is God’s gift to our family, Mama.”
I’m trusting that this delay indeed will be His best gift yet. 🎁