in His hands

As I prepared my heart to embark on the great adventure of the World Race…anxiety crept into my thoughts in anticipation of the heartbroken and deprived situations I would uncover. I began to question why…why had I been so blessed in this life…all the while innocent children had so little across the world.

Why?

I wrestled until finally I decided to take the matter up with my Father.

And so in prayer I asked…

And I waited…

And He answered…

“Because I always knew I’d send you.”

I smiled…”ok then…I guess I’ll go!” J

My team was assigned to serve in Romania with Oaza – it is a ministry outreach to the street children of Arad, Romania. They made arrangements to put us up in the residential home with the children. There are currently 10 kids ranging from 7-19 years old. We spend our days painting, cleaning and doing a variety of other construction projects in the house we are living and in two other buildings they hope to renovate. We also get the blessing of spending time with the kids of oaza, building relationships, playing games, and tucking them into bed.

Some nights at the end of the day…I find myself asking why? Why have we been so blessed to serve in this capacity. Given our pasts…our histories of failure and less than moral standard of living we came from…why has God chosen to use us? More so….from a World Race standpoint…why have we been blessed with hot showers…beds…and superb Romanian meals on the table? (while many of our squad mates are enduring bucket showers, ‘enjoying’ tent living and roasting their own hog to eat (no idea of the story behind this – but I saw the pictures) Why?

I think God gave my boy Anthony the best response…”You have placed yourself in my hands…and I have placed you here.”

In the end…I believe God knows exactly what He’s doing…and knows what each team…and each individual needs…in His perfect timing. (This might mean bucket showers for us in the Middle East!?!)

“From one man he made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live. God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us.” Acts 17:26