Often, when I would hike those slippery mountain trails in the dense fog, not able to see more than a few hundred feet ahead of me, completely drenched, water dripping from every leaf and blade of grass, it would seem that the tortuous trail would never end. Up and down, up and down, puddles, ankle deep mud, slippery stones, thorn trees. Those endless hikes did teach me something about life though – I can never see very far ahead of me at any given time, but as long as I stay on the trail, relying on Jesus, be it tortuous or flat and easy, I will eventually arrive at my destination – and the destination is always worth the journey.
He leads us on by paths we did not know;
Upward He leads us, though our steps be slow,
Though oft we faint and falter on the way,
Though storms and darkness oft obscure the day;
Yet when the clouds are gone,
We know He leads us on.
He leads us on through all the unquiet years;
Past all our dreamland hopes, and doubts and fears,
He guides our steps, through all the tangled maze
Of losses, sorrows, and o’er clouded days;
We know His will is done;
And still He leads us on.
- Nicholaus Ludwig Zinzendorf
When we left PNG back 3 years ago, I could not see very far ahead of me… the trail ended in a dense and drenching fog… and the trail went up a steep mountain. Three years later, after arriving at a lookout thousands of feet higher, I have broken through the clouds, there is some sunshine above my head, and the trail I just hiked is slowly becoming visible as the fog is fading. Each turn and curve, log bridge and water crossing, had its purpose.
As I embark upon the first full year of Immigration counseling, and as Kellie continues through this year at the elementary school, I can see God’s hand guiding us all through the journey to this point. We can see the huge need in our city for immigration assistance and Christian teachers with compassion and faith. We have been met by an even greater spiritual need permeating every nook and cranny of our city, be it among the immigrants or the young children on the streets. God has a very unique way of preparing people for the work he has planned for them, and yet, if we had not lived through those dark months in PNG, I am not sure we would have kept trudging along in the foggy past few years. But what a unique ministry He has put us in! We are so grateful to be used by God; I have been able to demonstrate Jesus' compassion to over 30 immigrant families and Kellie has been able to demonstrate the love of Jesus to scores of school children.
“…pray also for us, that God may open to us a door for the word, to declare the mystery of Christ… that we may make it clear, which is how we ought to speak."
