Wait on Him
“The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not willing for any to perish, but for all to come to repentance." – 2 Peter 3:9
“God, I don’t know what else to do. Please stop me if I am faithlessly running out in front of you." This was my prayer last Monday as I sailed up the road in search of AF, hoping she might come to her rendezvous at the hospital. This young lady had shown up at our hospital about 5 weeks beforehand, looking to talk with someone. This had led to a private conversation in which she shared her reality of an unwanted pregnancy and search for an abortion. The day after that private conversation included a meeting with my OB nurse practitioner and chaplain friends, in which we talked, prayed, and encouraged AF to keep her baby. In one meeting, this dear one went from begging on her knees for an abortion to assuring us that she had no plans to terminate her pregnancy. Praise the Lord! The difficult journey continues, and our prayer remains that AF grows to love and desire to care well for this baby. From my perspective, it took much effort to get her to come for prenatal care, but we are thankful that AF did come in for her rendezvous last Monday, her first one at 31 weeks of pregnancy! The clinic visit included her first full ultrasound which shows that the baby seems to be a she! I share this story to introduce a current theme in life here, that of waiting on the Lord and not running ahead of Him out of a lack of trust. One can advocate for a person's health, but the patient or family member also has to take responsibility. This is an ever-present challenge, especially here, when a lack of money, knowledge, or transportation adds barriers to an already unpopular idea of early health treatment, or even less popular, preventative care. But more importantly, the wait for signs of softened hearts to the Gospel can become quite frustrating if I forget God's timeline, awesome power, and my puniness (Puniness: the trait of being laughably small, considering how much we try to take control of a situation when we have no authority at all, Theresa's English Dictionary, 2023).
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Little A, who was under concern of neglect, is still doing well as of
May! Another reminder of God's kindness that helps me to trust Him |
God reminded me of
the importance of waiting for Him in the life of a woman named M. M had lost
her niece a few months ago at our hospital after a long battle with a severe
infection from the complications of Typhoid fever. One of the chaplains
connected well with her and had even gone in after her work hours to sit with M
when it seemed that her niece would not survive the night. The chaplain and I
went to visit the little girl's family after she died, but M was not there that
day due to lack of phone network and inability to communicate the news of our visit.
It was a sweet time with the family, but I had hoped to see M specifically.
Several weeks later, passing by the men's intensive care unit, a man who looked
slightly familiar started talking to me. It was the same girl's family member,
now there with her cousin who was suffering from the same original illness! The
boy's hospital stay was long, but toward the end, we learned that M was coming
to visit her nephew. When she arrived, the chaplain and I took M aside, and
explained we had news of eternal life that we wanted to share with her. M noted
that it wasn't the right time; she would prefer that we come to her village at
a later time. Her husband was not well, and she thought it better to wait until
we could come to her. 'Not a good time?' I thought. 'What if Jesus comes back, or something
happens to M, or the unpredictable rains cancel our plans to go see her?' My
chaplain friend, however, had a much better perspective. "Theresa, let's
pray about this. We don't want to force our way in, but wait for God's leading
and timing. He will do what He wants." So we did, asking God for
direction, and for Him to work in M's heart. Her village has a high degree of
fetish use (items used to try to control spiritual forces, ward off evil, or bring about desired outcomes) with Muslim influence, so already an invitation to her neighborhood
was exciting. God reminded me once again not to run out ahead, but to be
patient, trust Him, and be still. It has been two weeks since our visit to M's
village. It was a sweet time, in which M showed us such honor in preparing a
meal for us. After eating, my chaplain friend went straight to the point of why
we were there: Jesus. She shared her testimony, the Gospel, and how to be
saved. M responded with the acknowledgment that she could see God working and
pursuing her, even before she came to the hospital with her niece. She also
shared that her husband could see the love of Jesus through people he had met.
Tears filled my eyes as I considered God's work far beyond and before what I
could see. Once again, God reminded me that He's ever on the move, and so we
can share our message, but not worry about the timing or results.
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| This pretty plant was near M's house. We went on a walk while waiting for her to finish preparing the food and explored the village a bit. Keep praying that God, the creator of beautiful things, would bring to fruition what He has started in M's life and family. Also, please pray that the chaplain would be able to get an audio Bible device to them so they can be listening to more of God's Word. |
There are so many other stories I could share that relate to waiting on God's timing, but I don't want to drown you in anecdotes. The main thought that I do want to convey and ask for prayer, though, is for God to continue to be glorified in His timeline of work here, and for a patient trust in His plans. Here are some pictures with prayer requests. Thank you so much for your continued support, this ministry would not be the same without you! Praise the Lord we can wait on His timing together.
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| Praise the Lord for my sweet mom who got to come visit! We had many adventures together. Pray for her as she returns to her normal, full schedule in the U.S. |
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Nouroudine, our heart surgery buddy, turned 4 yesterday and is coming
home this week! Pray for his host family as they say hard goodbyes, for his
family as they welcome him, and for God to get the glory for this huge answer
to prayer! |
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| Bible Club with the kids continues to be a highlight of the week when it occurs. Please pray for these kids to keep growing in their knowledge of God's Word and for a new study that a couple of the teen girls and I hope to start this week in the book of John. Pray for good preparation for both activities, and for reliance on the Lord to illuminate our hearts as we read. |
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| Praise the Lord for our neighborhood kids! They definitely add spice and giggles to life, whether in offering me rice and beans they have made from mud and stones when I’m coming home from work, or when they come over to play. Pray for them to see the love of Christ each time my roommate and I get together with them. |
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Praise God for my friend P, and her mom who also came to visit while my mom was visiting me! It was so fun to have our moms meet each other. Pray for God to direct our study of Proverbs together along with our other friend, and for God to use it as an encouragement as He desires. |
Other Praises/Prayer Requests:
- Praise the Lord
for answered prayer in the lives of former hospital patients, as we
continue to hear stories of individuals coming to know Christ as Savior.
- Pray for our
blood bank, that we would receive the blood we need to give our patients
and use wisdom with our current stores.
- Praise the Lord
with me for giving Sekina and Issa another little one! She will be due in
the fall, we believe. (This is the couple who lost their son Ahad in the
U.S. last November).
- Pray for one of
our team members who is recovering from a concussion, that God would
restore her health and give her peace and patience as she serves when not
feeling well.
- Praise the Lord
for the many audio devices going to various individuals and families! Keep
praying that God would distribute even more and that the recipient would
have an open heart to hear.
- Pray for
follow-up conversations from Tabaski, the Muslim holiday commemorating
Abraham's sacrifice of Ishmael according to the Quran. Pray that the truth
shared would have an effect in God's timing.
- Praise the Lord
for some downtime while picking up and dropping off my mom from the
airport in the south of Togo. Praise Him for time to evaluate my use of
time and give each ministry opportunity to Him. Pray for continued trust
in each activity and disciplined use of time to live each day to the
fullest without overcommitting.
- Pray for A, the
Togolese Grandmother of some of my friends and I here, who recently lost
her oldest daughter. Pray for her comfort and for conversations with her,
that God would work in her to help her see who He truly is and His love
for her.
Love,
Theresa
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