Haiti — My Introduction to Poverty
March 2002 — I was finally on my way to Haiti, where I would meet my beloved sponsored child, Josue. He was no longer a child, actually, since I had sponsored him for 16 years. We arrived in Port-au-Prince and were taken to a beautiful, tropical hotel at the top of a hill. Our hotel rooms had mosquito nets, but we never once saw any mosquitoes. I met several other volunteers like myself, and discovered we all had much in common. But the one that I bonded most with was my dear friend, Jane Gillis. 
She and I roomed together and shared devotions with each other every morning. They seemed to coincide so much, not only with what the other was reading, but with the events of each day. We became fast friends, and it all started right there in Haiti! Jane is the one I will be rooming with in the Dominican Republic next week!
We visited some very special Compassion Projects. On the way, we noticed that the general population of Haiti is missing several things we take for granted — electricity, running water, good road systems, grocery stores and sewers. We could really see the need, but in the midst of every community was a church. We stopped at some of these churches that Compassion partners with to visit the children. It was so exciting to see hundreds of children waiting to see us! 
They took us into their churches and sang to us, as though we were celebrities! They showed us some of the crafts they make. We toured the projects. Then we went outside to play with them. It feels good to be surrounded by precious children such as these — all wanting to have their picture taken, or to hold my hand or just be near. They didn’t beg for anything, and some actually took their hand out of mine and placed another child’s hand in it, as though they wanted to share “me” with others.
I was impressed with the Compassion Country Staff I met, and with each Pastor, Project Director and Teacher. I’ll never forget asking one teacher for her name so I could write it down and remember to pray for her. Instantly, all other conversation stopped and the Pastor and other teachers and the Project Director all said, “Give her my name too…” I was stunned to realize they believed in prayer that strongly, and were desperate to have others praying for them. I still pray for those precious saints to this day for, to me, they represent all the Teachers, Directors and Pastors of our Projects around the world.
The highlight of the trip, of course, was meeting Josue. Although I was a bit nervous to meet him, I shouldn’t have been, for we immediately fell into each others’ arms in a hug, and it seemed like we had known each other our whole lives (we nearly had, through our letters). I did learn some new things I had never known in those 16 years. He attended the same church denomination I did. His father was a Pastor that walked 4 1/2 hours every Saturday to get to his church, and back home again on Sunday. He gave me the names of his siblings, of which there were several. He was delighted with the little key chain light that I gave him, along with other gifts. We played with the frisbee I had brought him. Most of all, we just sat and talked, with the help of our wonderful translator.
When it was time to go, we both cried, and he said to me something I will never forget: “I wish I could see you every day of my life!” I told him I would continue praying for him always. I’ll never forget a day (many years before this visit) when I was sad about something, and asked God to come to me in some special way. That very day, I received a letter from Josue saying, “I put your photo on my bed so I can remember to pray for you every day.” What more can a sponsor ask for? There’s no gift greater than the relationship and support we have with God and others. I’m so thankful I met Josue before he completed his education with Compassion.
If you do not sponsor a child at this time, please take a look at these children who are in need of sponsors. Children in Haiti do not have a free education, and their options in life are very limited. Many mothers are giving mud cookies to their children, as there is no other food available. The hurricanes have wrecked havoc upon this country recently. There are many, many children in need of sponsors today!
Afraid to Travel to a Third World Country?
I was terrified the first time I prepared to visit a child I sponsored through Compassion International. These are the types of (petty) things I was afraid of:
- Bugs
- Heat
- Bathroom Facilities
- Sleeping Quarters
- Mosquitoes
- Germs
- Flights
- Food
- Being with people I didn’t know
- Leaving my own family behind [would I be able to return to them?]
The morning I was to leave, I happened to be at a Family Church Camp in Rapid City, South Dakota. God graciously gave me a wonderful promise in my morning devotions:
I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go, and I will bring you back to this land. I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you. Genesis 28:15 (NIV)
I was thrilled with this promise! After my devotions, I went to join some elderly women for prayer. I told them about my trip, and one of the ladies said, “I have a scripture to share with you today.” She then proceeded to read the same exact verse to me! Needless to say, I was no longer afraid to travel to Haiti to visit my precious child, Josue! I have never been afraid since. I know that God takes care of us, and that these special opportunities to visit sponsored children are gifts from His hand.
Tomorrow I will tell you about that first trip to Haiti and the Dominican Republic. And by the way — none of the things listed above were a problem at all! Not even close (to see follow-up comments, click here)! We were treated royally by the Compassion staff in each of the countries, and were blessed far beyond anything you can imagine. I look forward to sharing more with you tomorrow.
Blogging Live from the Dominican Republic
Hey, guess what? In one week, I will be traveling to the Dominican Republic for Compassion’s first Global Advocate’s Conference! Two of us will be writing posts on a new website while we’re there — Compassion Dave and myself. The dates of the trip are October 5-11, but we will also be posting some stories before we go. I’m sure you will not want to miss out on the news from this great country!
Woohoo! Kansas Wordle!
It’s Wordle Wednesday! I just returned from a week in Kansas, so thought I would share a Wordle and a few great pics. I know — when you think of Kansas, you think of Dorothy, Toto and the Yellow Brick Road.
Well, I actually did see them, but I also saw a lot of other awesome sites as well. A couple of years ago they did a computer study on Kansas, and discovered that it really is “Flatter than a Pancake!” Here is the Wordle that shows some of the things I saw:
I also wanted to share some of the photos I took. There really are some beautiful places in Kansas, including lots of fields of sunflowers, all bending toward the light, as we all should do. How can we make sure our lives are turned towards Jesus at all times?
Every town has its grain elevators, but they also have churches in the center of town, as well as railroad crossings and other interesting buildings. Is Christ placed right in the center of your life? Do you realize how lovingly He longs to oversee every single aspect of your life?
Most of the old buildings are made of stone, because there weren’t many trees in Kansas in the early days of settlement. I will soon be writing a post about the rocks I saw, and about the scriptures God shared with me on the same day.
Notice that this farm has both the old and the new styles of windmills. God is always working in my life in areas of my past and future. He always seems to blend the old and the new just perfectly in the lessons of life.
The sun never looked as big as it did this day as I headed out of Kansas toward Denver. Our God is a great and mighty Creator! He not only controls the weather, but gives special (and personal) attention to the needs of each of our lives. He’s far greater and more glorious than we can ever imagine!
Babies and Mothers
Here are some great photos of Compassion’s Child Survival Program. Do you know about this great ministry? It’s fantastic, and I’ve seen it for myself.
Here is the opening statement on the website about the Child Survival Program (which we refer to as “CSP”):
The best medicine, it’s been said, is prevention. That’s why Compassion sometimes starts care before a child is born: our prenatal program helps mothers give their babies a better chance to be healthy. And once a child comes into the world, we’re there with our Child Survival Program to get critical child development off to a running start.
My first introduction to this program was in the Dominican Republic five years ago. We got to visit one of the CSP’s and play with some adorable toddlers. This is my friend Jane with some of the kids:
We got to visit two different Child Survival Programs in the Dominican Republic just this past January. One of these ministers to 75 pregnant women — can you imagine having this kind of outreach in your own church? The mothers come to the Compassion project for prenatal health and nutrition classes; they are visited in their homes for overall assessment, and they participate in activities with their babies and toddlers after the birth. What a tremendous ministry! I think this is something we should support financially, as well as ask our friends, churches and MOPS groups to do the same. Enjoy the wonderful photos!
Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these. Matthew 19:14 [NIV SB]
I’ll Steal You Away
What happens when we’re sad and discouraged, and we cry out to God? I think His desire is to “steal us away” to a quiet place where He can speak words of encouragement, hope and provision, but unfortunately we don’t always follow that lead.
This Wordle is based on a song by Cisco & Ripplefx called I Hear You. I love this song! I first heard it at a Compassion International Advocate’s Conference, where this group ministered so mightily to us in praise and worship! These are wonderful young musicians who not only want to praise the Lord with their music, but also to speak up for children in poverty! They represent Compassion’s ministry of Child Sponsorship.
Here is the Wordle based on their song, I Hear You [please click to enlarge the image below]:
The powerful words of the chorus are as follows:
I hear you. I feel you I know your pain; I see you trembling again. I feel you, I hear you crying again; I see the teardrop rolling down your face. So tonight I’ll stel you away.
I realize this song may be about those He is calling home to Heaven, but I think there is a “stealing away” by His Spirit that can happen to us on an earthly, but spiritual level as well. This is crucial in our walk with Jesus.
Sometimes I need to let Him steal me away from the cares, worries, and busy-ness of this life. I often feel Him calling me away to the mountains, to a city park or even just to a turn-out along the highway. When I’m willing to spend this time with Him, He speaks to me through the Bible, through nature or just quietly in my spirit. He speaks words of encouragement, comfort, guidance, forgiveness, healing or insight — in fact, whatever it is that I need at the moment. Here is one of my favorite places to spend a day with the Lord – the Big Horn Mountains, which are only five minutes away from our town:
Ok, so I know what you’re thinking — I set this up. Actually — yes, I did — I went to the top of our street and asked the deer to pose for this photo! lol
It just goes to prove — you never know what God has in store for you when you allow Him to “Steal You Away!” Surely you have mountains, beaches, woods, farmlands, lakes or city parks where you can connect with God as well. Not that it has to happen in nature, but it sure helps me to leave the ordinary and get away with my lover — my God — in special times of need.
Compassion Sunday — Click This
Here are some of the best clicks lately, in my opinion:
Called and Chosen — this is a new blog that I look forward to reading regularly!
Wondering which country to choose in sponsoring a child? Take this fun quiz!
Rivers of Hope — The Haitian Hurricane Crisis
Three children and three dolls!
Girls Just Want to Have Fun — Jill shares her heart with us
Ever heard of Courtyard Christians? Check out this excellent post!
John Piper writes about Child Slavery in Haiti
I’ve been interviewed! Watch this blog for future interviews of Compassion Advocates.
The Rutting Season is in Full Swing
What is it with the male gender? When I left Alaska last week, the airplanes were full of men on fishing trips with their buddies. As we flew back into Wyoming, I was the only female passenger — all the others were men arriving in our state to hunt. How much do they spend on fishing/hunting trips with their buddies?
Thankfully, my husband doesn’t fish and hasn’t been hunting for years. However, when I walked into the house, there he was sitting in front of the TV watching football–a hobby that will continue now until the first of the year. By the way, according to Forbes.com, FOX Network charged between 2.7 million to 3 million dollars per 30-second advertisement for the last Superbowl. Imagine that! Why has America come to this kind of extravagance?
I have to admit that the women are not without fault. The other reason the flights out of Alaska were full was because of all the people returning from cruises. I picture a lot of women coercing their husbands into going on expensive cruises ranging from $2,000.00 to $6,000.00 apiece. Why? So they can be pampered and eat too much rich food, shop in exotic places and live a “rich” life for a few days. Perhaps this mostly relates to my generation (and older) — but what do the younger women spend money on. Shopping sprees? Electronic gadgets? Exercise equipment? Maybe music and books [that's my downfall -- music and books].
Well, before I continue this scathing opinion, I do want to say this: There’s nothing wrong with fishing and hunting trips. There’s nothing wrong with shopping or going on cruises. The question is, Are we keeping things in balance, in the proper perspective? Are we doing what we can to help a child in need?
Take a look at these facts from Compassion International:
- 246 million children are employed in some type of child labor. [Would they be doing this if they had enough money to spend on football tickets?]
- Malaria kills a million children per year — one every 30 seconds. [What could you give up in order to make a donation to Compassion's Bite Back Campaign?]
- 1.1 billion people do not have access to clean water. [What if the expenses of just one of those 30-second ads during the Superbowl was put towards Healing Waters, a ministry that partners with Compassion?]
- Every day, 16,000 children die from hunger-related causes. That’s one every 5 seconds. [How long would it take you to write a check for the Global Food Crisis?]
I’ve noticed during the news reports of hurricanes, that men and women are dropping all these fall activities — football, hunting, fishing, shopping, eating — in order to run to the rescue of those in harm’s way of the storms. It’s encouraging to see National Guard troops standing guard over homes that have been evacuated. Others are helping with sandbags and medical needs. Some are overseeing the levees and shipyards to be sure they will not be compromised.
Let’s roll up our sleeves now and come to the aid of our neighbors who are in need.
I Couldn’t Believe It
Leave it up to an 18-year-old to come up with a really deep question. I couldn’t believe he asked me this. My internet friend, Zach Younkin asked if he could feature an interview of me on two blogs here and here. I agreed, and then proceeded to look through the questions he sent back to me. They looked pretty simple to answer until I got to #10:
If you could share one message with the world, what would it be?
Honestly, how would you answer this question? There are so many things I’d like to say! So let me say it now, while I have a chance. Here goes:
God is real* [see note, below]. This life is all about Him, not about us. We were not created for this world alone, but for Heaven, where God dwells. He’s too holy and pure for us to approach, but He provided a way for us to be united with Him in Jesus Christ. Jesus did two things for us:
- Lived the perfect life we can’t live
- Died in our place, so we don’t have to die
As you realize you need a Savior (only He can make this clear to you), you must look to Him, for He is the only way to Heaven. Admit your need. Repent of your sins and failings. Tell Him you need Him as your Savior, for you cannot get to Him on your own. Ask his Spirit to come into you and dwell within.
Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved. Acts 4:12
We need to be saved from sin, from suffering, from selfishness, and from hopelessness and despair. Is anyone completely satisfied, happy and fulfilled in this world? Not completely, but we can be in the next world — and we can walk with Him and learn from Him in the present one. He’s a real and personal God — not a collection of several different gods and ideas. He has a distinct personality that is characterized by love, righteousness and justice. He’s involved and present in our lives, and wants the best for us. “The best” will be a matter of setting aside our own selfish interests, plans and schemes; and letting Him change us from the inside out. It’s a matter of letting Him be God; letting Him rule in our life. Sometimes He accomplishes this by allowing trials, loss and difficulties to surround us. It helps us realize we’re not God, not in control, and we need a Savior.
All that He does is good, right and just — so everything He allows in our lives has a purpose — to draw us closer to Him, and to develop character, trust and security in us. We can be secure because His love for us is unconditional. This is where so many religions and “religious” Christians get it wrong — they think it’s about trying to please him, measure up, be “good Christians,” or do the “right thing.” We cannot do this. We fail time and time again. It’s not about us; it’s about Him. The goodness in me comes as a result of being close to Him, and as a result of His Spirit in me, never as something I do to try to please Him. That is the difference.
It’s not about me; it’s all about Him. It’s all about Jesus — Savior, Friend, Creator, All-knowing, Always Present, Forgiving, All-Sufficient, Sovereign Lord, Comforter, Lover, Friend, Guide, Counselor, Provider, Holy, Just, Perfect, Good, Loving, Pure, Enough
*How do I know God is real? Several reasons — three times He has healed me instantly of various physical conditions. I felt it happen. I will be glad to share about these situations in future posts. I have experienced other miracles as well as humorous situations with my Lord. Many times — daily, in fact — He speaks to me in His Word. I don’t go looking for scriptures to match my mood or situation. I just read the next devotion, scripture, or chapter in the book I’m reading. He always has specific words, instructions and encouragement for me that fit exactly what I’m experiencing. He’s real; I’m certain of it. I’ve been healed, rescued from perilous situations, instructed specifically in matters I’ve asked Him about, comforted and encouraged in my deepest sorrows. He answers questions, gives wisdom, and does the things that only He can do. No doubt about it — He’s real! These are the very things I write about in my blog, because I want all of you to understand that He is real, not my imagination! He is enough for me because I can’t add anything to His works on my behalf. There is nothing in this world I need more than I need Him. There is nothing that satisfies or fulfills as much as He does. This is why we Child Advocates for Compassion International want so badly to share these truths with children and their parents around the world–children in need, not only of meals, immunizations and education, but of hope, purpose and security — in others words, they need a Savior. Will you sponsor a child today? This is God’s heartbeat, for He cares about each and every one.
Neighbors in Crisis: Haiti and the Dominican Republic
Let’s not forget our neighbors — Haiti and the Dominican Republic. Both countries are in a major state of emergency right now. Let me ask you a simple question. If you were sitting out a hurricane, which house would you rather sit it out in?
Housing in Greenville, NC
Housing in the Dominican Republic
Housing in Charleston, SC
I don’t place these photos here to make you feel sorry for these people. I place them here to make the point that these countries are in a very serious crisis right now. They have weathered not just one tropical storm, but three — Tropical Storm Fay, Hurricane Gustav, and Tropical Storm Hanna. Meanwhile, Hurricane Ike is on its way this weekend. In addition, the world is in a severe Global Food Crisis as well, and Haiti is one of the hardest hit areas of all.
When we were in the Dominican Republic in January, we met a family whose children had not eaten all day. What would have happened to Oscar’s family if Mindy had not sponsored him on the spot? His letters to her now tell about good meals at the project, support for the family, a tutor who works with him on his studies (this teenager had never attended school until now), and the fact that his baby brother (whom we felt would die shortly) was “doing better.”
We were also in homes and Compassion projects near the border of Haiti, and then met some unsponsored children on the street. When we asked our guides what theses children eat, we were told that when supplies are low, the mothers make mud cookies for their children. Mud cookies are made of dirt, grass, salt and water, and are one of the worst items a desperate mother can feed her children.
I can’t help but think that these are some of our neighbors that Jesus spoke about in Luke 10:27: “He answered: ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind,’ and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’”
How do we love our neighbors? By coming to their aid when they are in crisis, in suffering and in desperation. Here are several things you and I can do through the trustworthy ministry of Compassion International:
- Give to the Global Food Crisis Fund
- Donate to the Haiti Hurricane Response Fund
- Pray for the Projects and Country Office Staff in Haiti and the Dominican Republic
- Support the Unsponsored Childrens’ Fund
- Give to the Disaster Relief Fund
With that said, I do want to point out something that Ephraim Lindor (of the country staff in Haiti) said in a recent interview on the Compassion Blog. This is what he was asked: “How has the global food crisis affected children in Haiti? Which would be the most important option for sponsors who want to help – to sponsor an additional child, to send a family gift to our child, or to send a donation to Compassion specifically for the food crisis?” Here was his answer:
“The food crisis has affected most of the Haitian families especially the lower class with low income. Considering the unemployment rate (75 percent) and the lack of government capacity to respond to the crisis, we can assume that the children are the most vulnerable as many of them can no longer go to school and find food to eat as they should.
With that in mind, my personal opinion is that the best option would be to sponsor an additional child. The advantage of such a decision is that the child will have both, the opportunity to go to school and also to find food through the Compassion response to the food crisis program.”
So there you have it. The best response on our part is still to make that commitment to sponsor a child – support them financially, provide for their education, develop a relationship with them, and keep in touch through personal letters. If you haven’t sponsored a child yet, you need to begin with this crucial step. If you do sponsor children already, you might consider giving to the funds listed above, or sponsoring another child in need.
Finally, I would be glad to entertain any questions you might have about this ministry, so please let me know if you have questions. I have sponsored children since 1988, and have been a volunteer Child Advocate since 1994. I am convinced that this ministry is working with integrity, and that it works.
A Wordle about Alaska and Perseverance
Here is a Wordle about my recent trip to Alaska — note some of our activities, adventures, sightings, and sweet lessons from the Lord. [See previous Part 1, Part 2, Part 3 and Part 4]
In particular, this is what I learned as I persevered in faith when unable to get on six successive standby flights out of Anchorage across the space of 26 hours. God is the one that caused me to persevere, as I did not have the strength within myself.
Why didn’t I just purchase a ticket istead of waiting on standby? First and foremost, I realized I would rather wait in the airport and donate to the Global Food Crisis or Sponsor Another Child through Compassion International than pay $506.00 for a ticket I didn’t need to purchase! But there were many other lessons and blessings of the Lord in this trial.
Here is a list of flights missed (because no standby seats were available), and why I believe God allowed me to miss them:
August 28 — Anchorage to Denver — 11:25 pm — Blessed to have spent an extra night in Anchorage with our son, Chris
August 29 — Anchorage to Chicago — 7:10 am — Learned to trust God rather than my own plans and schemes, and to rest in Him without fears or anxieties
August 29 — Anchorage to San Francisco — 2:07 pm — Learned to trust He is Present even when I can’t see Him (just like Denali)
August 29 — Anchorage to Chicago — 8:06 pm — Learned how to handle situations when God seems to be hurting us rather than helping
August 29 — Anchorage to Dallas — 8:55 pm — Blessed by a surprise encounter with our friend, Jim
August 30 — Anchorage to Denver — 11:25 pm — Reminded that I’m not God; and cetainly not in control
August 31 — Anchorage to Phoenix — 12:30 am [This is the one that finally had a seat for me] — Blessed by the surprise visit with our other son, Jeremy!
What was the overall conclusion of this experience? I believe every incident of life is significant, whether it’s not being able to get on flights, being snowed in, playing a lousy game of golf, watching a child fail in an athletic event, or more serious matters such as cancer, injury and loss. God is speaking to us in every situation — through trials and suffering especially — if we will only persevere in faith and continue trusting Him. We can learn from Him and from each other as we keep thanking Him and keep resting in His sufficiency and sovereignty. There is a reason for all we undergo.
To quote one of the statements I made in the previous posts: “He is always Good, Just and Present! He balances everything out in our lives, between trials and blessings, questions and answers, wrongs and rights, revelation and mystery.” He’s truly a great God and Savior!
I’ve Been “Blain Brogging” Lately
Blain Brogging — that’s a great (borrowed) phrase from David Ker to describe what my very tired brain was doing in the 63 hours that I was trying to fly home from Alaska (See Part 1, Part 2 and Part 3).
I’d been trying to get on a standby flight for more than 25 hours, and was following my list of flights out of Anchorage in chronological order, just trying to get anywhere in the “lower 48.” What was the next flight option? Phoenix, Arizona! Amazing. That’s where our oldest son, Jeremy lives. Now I was pretty sure this was the next blessing God had for me, and I was right (from my viewpoint, a much better option than Las Vegas, which would’ve been next on the list).
Sure enough, I finally flew out of Anchorage on the 12:30 am flight and landed in Phoenix at 7:00 am, with very little sleep due to a baby that cried the entire 6 hours (as I prayed for strength for the Mother). Guess who was on the flight with us? Former Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor! I spoke to her briefly and told her that my husband is an Attorney and Judge in Wyoming. She squeezed my hand, patted my shoulder and spoke to me a short time. I don’t know if I was over-emotionalizing things at this point in my fatigue, but for me, seeing her on board told me that Justice would prevail — God would make things right; He is always Good, Just and Present! He balances everything out in our lives, between trials and blessings, questions and answers, wrongs and rights, revelation and mystery.
After arriving in Phoenix, getting some breakfast, checking e-mail and securing a hotel and rental car, I drove to Jeremy’s new home, which is in a community south of Phoenix about 30 minutes. We had a wonderful time together — great meals, a tour of the new home he is renting, a drive around town to see all the sights, including the school where he will be teaching music classes. We also shared lots of laughter, hugs and photos. And I thought, Well, well — so this was the surprise God had in store for me, and the reason I couldn’t get out on any of the six previous flights. Icing on the cake.
Last of all, we shared a great mealtime at a restaurant and experienced a wonderful, deep discussion about the new events in his life, about God, about weather patterns (such as the monsoon that had just landed in Phoenix a couple days before), about politics and family. We were both so touched by this time that God had given us together, especially in conversation. Then I returned to Phoenix for a motel room near the airport.
In keeping with the previous three days, my devotions on the morning of my flight out of Phoenix to Denver were perfect. One of the things Jeremy had mentioned to me was the various names of God, and this is exactly what my devotion was about: “It is remarkable how many names and titles are associated with Jesus Christ (meaning ‘anointed Savior’) in the first chapter of John’s gospel” (Days of Praise, August 31, 2008). It then mentioned various names of Jesus — “the true Light,” “the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth,” “the Lord,” “the Lamb of God,” “the Son of God,” “Master,” “Messiah,” “Jesus of Nazareth,” “King of Israel,” “the Son of Man” and “The Word.” Why only names of Jesus? “He is always the One who reveals, speaks for, manifests, explains and incarnates the Heavenly Father.” I agree, although I love the Old Testament names of God as well — which we also spoke about the night before — “Yahweh,” “El Shaddai,” “Jehovah-Rophe” and others. Each of these also point to Jesus, as does every story in the Old Testament.
It’s interesting that along the way I was also reading the novel The Shack, by William P. Young, which has a wonderful depiction of the Lord in a way that bridges gender, race and color — something Jeremy and I had also talked about the night before, previous to the morning’s reading when I reached the particular surprise chapter which reveals the start of an amazing story of God.
What was in my daily devotional from John Piper? The title was “What Did Christ Purchase for Your Children with His Blood? (#124 in his book Taste and See). He asks several questions, such as “Did the blood of Christ not unite families across generations?” and “Do all the children of believers love God and keep covenant with him by faith in Christ?” and “Did the blood of Christ purchase no privileges for the children of believers?” Then he explains: “Yes. Christ did purchase privileges for the children of believers. But he did not guarantee their salvation…a parent’s faith does not secure a child’s…A Christian parent may face this choice: allegiance to Christ or allegiance to child? But I say again, yes, Christ did purchase privileges for the children of believers…There is a good that comes to the children of believers…This ‘good’ is not the guarantee of faith, but the gift of God’s Word (Deuteronomy 6:6-7), the restraint of God’s discipline (Ephesians 6:4), the demonstration of God’s love (Colossians 3:21), and the power of prayer (Job 1:5)…Christian parents honor the blood of Jesus when they follow his ways for the sake of their children.”
I think it goes both ways — I am definitely blessed by the faith of our children. I gain new truths through their struggles, questions and failings as well as from the insights, joys and victories they share with us. I was blessed to have met up with Chris in Alaska, Jeremy in Arizona (unexpectedly) and will soon have time again with Sarah in Kansas.
Did I have any trouble getting on flights from Phoenix to Denver and on to Wyoming? Not one bit — in fact, both flights had 20+ seats available on them! I realized the reason the flights out of Anchorage had been so full was because of all the men traveling to and from Alaska for fishing trips, as well as the final summer cruise passengers. My flight into Wyoming had nothing but men on it (other than the flight attendant and me) — about a dozen men — and every one of them were arriving in Wyoming for the hunting season. I couldn’t help but think, It’s the rutting season, for man and beast. When I walked in the house, my husband was sitting in front of the TV watching football (which is what Jeremy was doing when I arrived at his house, and what Chris was doing when I called him). The “rutting season” is a time when men (and yes — women) participate in all the traditionally male/macho activities of the season — fishing, hunting, watching football, etc. — but that will be the subject of another story in the near future. In the meantime, I had an opportunity to hop on the mortorcycle for a nice afternoon ride with my husband. I wasn’t sure if I could even hold on well enough in my exhausted state, but sure didn’t want to miss the opportunity to enjoy a pleasant afternoon together. I will post a conclusion to the story of my return from Alaska later.
I Played the Part of Tom Hanks in “Terminal”
OK, so I didn’t get on the 2pm flight to San Francisco out of Anchorage (see the previous post here), so I started playing Tom Hanks (as in the movie “Terminal,” where he gets trapped in the JFK airport terminal for days on end — when his country is in revolution and he can’t return, nor can he enter the U.S. without a valid passport). So — to pass the time — I toured the building, walked from one terminal to another rather than taking the shuttle, checked out the top level of the parking garage (where I could see the mountains best), got acquainted with security personnel after going in and out of security a dozen times, bought an Alaskan t-shirt, found cozy corners where I could use my laptop, and checked out special areas of the Anchorage terminal — such as the display of stuffed wildlife (which I took ridiculous photos of) and tried to find the Northern Lights tunnel to the parking garage that has special lighting effects on the ceiling. My next flight option was an 8:55pm to Dallas, which I also was not able to board. I was the last and only standby passenger left standing! What are the chances of that happening again and again? And why didn’t I just buy a ticket to the lower 48? For three reasons:
- Even if I got to San Francisco, Seattle or Denver, I wouldn’t have been able to move on at this point anyway. Why not continue trying to get on a free flight overnight?
- When the airline offices opened in the morning, we felt it was possible they could help me (through Chris’ Pilot position) to purchase a discount ticket from Alaska Airlines.
- Most importantly – there is a Global Food Crisis in our world right now, and I would rather give more money to Compassion’s Food Crisis fund than purchase a $500+ ticket. Think of the children that could receive meals! [I will give to the fund again later in the week].
But here is the most amazing thing of all — I did not grumble, complain, or become anxious, angry or resentful towards God — which may be the first time in my life I faced a 26 hour trial without going one or more of these directions. I must admit, I became very fatigued and did shed a few tears when I didn’t get on the 2pm “wide open” seating of the flight to San Francisco. But I thought of the clouds that had covered Mt. Denali/McKinley while we were there. We had seen the entire mountain as we approached it, and felt so blessed to be one of the 20% or less to see it. But by the second day, the mountain was surrounded by clouds and we could see only the base at times, the summits other times (there are two on Denali), and occasionally both base and summits with the middle part obstructed. We also saw the mountains in the misty fog & clouds when we went to the Kenai Peninsula. Often, we would see fixed telescopes set up for tourists at turn-outs, and we realized there were huge mountains all around us, though we couldn’t see them for the clouds. We talked about the fact that we don’t always see God, but we know He is powerful and present. He reveals Himself in little bits and pieces, and occasionally we see a good deal of His workings. Other times He is silent.
When I cried after the 5th and 6th missed flights, I said to Him, “Lord, it’s hard to trust You when I can’t see you. It doesn’t feel like you’re doing anything to help me, but I still choose to trust and believe You are here,” and my faith didn’t waiver (I must add, again, that it has waivered many times in similar situations in the past). The only reason it didn’t waiver was because of my early morning devotion which told me (in advance of the trial) that He was present — “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest” (Exodus 33:14). I determined to trust Him and watch to see how He would get me out of this mess. Amazingly, when I finally had a chance to read the next devotion, it included this scripture: “For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse” (Romans 1:20). He had already hedged me in before and after the trial with the exact words I needed to hear from Him!
By the way — mountains covered in mist and fog are awesome as well as mountains against a blue sky! We got to see both, thanks to our wonderful Creator. Meanwhile, here are some of the silly photos I took around the airport while I was playing Tom Hanks (keep in mind, we did see & film these same animals in the wild, so I realize it was ridiculous to take photos of them behind glass – not exactly what my friend Tom Mangelsen of “Images of Nature” galleries would have filmed — but hey, I was bored)! Also, note the beautiful mountains beyond the ridiculous street signs and venicles! All part of the journey home. Watch for Part 3 and Part 4 which follow. 
Sheep Fold