I rolled over in my tent, a little groggy from sleeping so hard. I pulled my arm out from my sleeping bag cocoon to see how long I had overslept. My watch read 7:30AM.
7:30AM?!
I haven’t woken up this early in days. I didn’t oversleep, I woke up two hours early! I tried to fall back asleep to take advantage of those two extra hours but my body just wouldn’t let me. I tossed and turned in my sleeping bag unable to get any more rest. Defeated, I unzipped my tent, grabbed my bible and journal, and began my day. I found a spot outside of the church the girls sleep in and sat still. I closed my eyes and took in the moment.
I could hear the neighbors talking in their home language, the motos beeping down the street, the faint clucking of chickens, and the morning song of the birds nearby…
Then it hit me.
I am alone.
It felt like I was struck with complete darkness in my soul. I am on the other side of the world away from my family. I haven’t seen my boyfriend in 9 months. It is a New Year and I have no plans for when I get back home. We’re halfway through the World Race and it is going by too quickly.
I felt small and insignificant.
And sad… very sad.
I knew I couldn’t just leave my feelings inside so I began to journal about them. I was crying out to the Lord about my sadness and loneliness. In the middle of journaling, I heard our front gate open.
Suguna walked in. She and her two kids live behind the church we are living at for the month. Suguna has been cooking all of our meals, cleans around the property and protects us when strange people come on the property (don’t worry mom, I really am safe). She doesn’t speak very good English but when she saw me, she asked for prayer.
I prayed over her. I asked the Lord to heal her headache, cover her with peace, and bless her day. After praying, she sat with me and we had a fun conversation through google translate. I got some Advil from my bag and we laughed together for a little bit.
When she left I began to cry. The Lord answered my prayers. He sent me a friend to show me His love. He heard my cries for help and he sent Suguna! I began to journal about my thankfulness for the Lord’s favor when Suguna came out again.
She was holding a cup of chai for me.
We sat and laughed together for a little while longer. I could feel the darkness in my soul transform into a powerful light. I am not alone and I never will be. When Suguna left again, the Lord took me to Deuteronomy 31:8. It says, “The Lord is the One who will go before you. He will be with you; He will not leave you or forsake you. Do not be afraid or discouraged.”
The God we serve is the same God that protected and led the Israelites out of Egypt. He never left them in the wilderness and He never left them when they made it to the promised land. Just like the Israelites, the Lord will never leave us. He hears even our deepest and quietest prayers.
And sometimes He answers those prayers with a cup of chai.
What I’ve been reading lately :
Numbers 24
Philippians
