Please join me in prayers as I prepare for my trip to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) from 8/17-9/5. I will be 17 days in country plus travel dates, so will be away nearly 3 weeks. I will be going back at Didier's request to help train the pastors he is working with in their church plants (first week), and also to teach their church on the gospel and family. Lord-willing I will share more on that later.
Please join me also in praising the sovereign Lord who holds all things in His hands (Job 38) and whose hand just moved my Visa application to be approved so I can go! This was no small thing from man's standpoint, but our big God's hand can easily move the hearts of leaders, and I can see His hand at work. I'm told recent Visa approval has often taken weeks longer and after multiple inquiries to multiple agencies to no avail, it looked like I would need to cancel the plane tickets today for the indefinite future. This morning I called one last time and to my surprise (and I suspect the Embassy's surprise) they received approval from the DRC minister of foreign affairs, and the Visa and Passport is in the mail today from Washington DC to CA!
I mentioned the Lord's hand at work because my original flight was supposed to leave tomorrow AM but the Passport with Visa would not have arrived by then. 2.5 weeks ago my travel agent called and advised Ethiopian Airlines had to cancel my flight for Wed 8/15 and I was bumped to Friday 8/17 flight instead. My pre-paid UPS return envelope is scheduled to arrive Thursday 8/16 just in time for my flight on Friday! This was outside my control and outside of the knowledge of the DRC officials who just approved my Visa that is valid for these dates.
It's encouraging to see His hand of providence at work, amid anxiety or uncertainty. May that encourage us all to keep praying as we trust Him and He directs our paths.
Phil
"God is God and I am not, I can only see a part of the picture he's painting" -- Steven Curtis Chapman
No comments:
Post a Comment