Stress, Struggle, and God's Guidance

As I reflect over the last three months, three words come to mind: stress, struggle, and God's guidance.

I love December and the Christmas season.  This year I was so excited because it also was going to be a long weekend due to how Christmas fell this year.  But instead our December was busy trying to put out fires with the MAF registration process.  The stress mounted as the 206 was heading out for a paint job that couldn’t be rescheduled by the end of the month.  But we needed it to be registered in Mozambique to keep the process of registration going.  Many calls, much waiting, more calls, more waiting, rescanning documents that had been sent many times before, more waiting and finally the decision to send the plane for the paint job and let the chips fall where they may.

January was a month like we have never had before.  In the first week, I suddenly realized that I needed to take college classes to keep my teaching certificate current.  So I started searching out my options.  Conrad and I had been chatting about what kind of course I wanted to take.  I said, “I would love something that had teaching and counseling together.”  Then I found my alma mater was now offering online classes.  In less than a week they had a class starting that was addressing how to deal with diversity in a biblical way through basic counseling tools.  I couldn’t believe it.  But the class was closed already and one of the books didn’t have a way to view online because it was out of print.  But I had to try as this was exactly what I had been hoping for.  The day the class started, I received word that the school had received permission to scan the textbook and send it to me.  I was able to join the class.

That was also the day, after a three day tropical storm with constant rains, that we learned that bridges to the south on the one road that bring much of our food, cooking gas, and other items had been washed out. The tracks that allow the train to bring fresh produce into town had been washed out.   We also learned that large high tension electric poles had fallen and we would be out of electric for a while.  The internet and phone service was also very sporadic, giving one a very isolated from the outside world feeling.  The “while” without electric was 29 days to be exact.  So for the next 29 days, we thanked God for our generator.  We watched prices soar and water becoming more limited because there was no electric to distribute it.  Yet, God provided and the electric returned.

Then in the end of January, one Thursday afternoon I received a text from Conrad saying “I am going to Maputo tomorrow morning, just so you know.”  With the situation in the north still not having electric, the timing didn’t seem ideal but we sensed God’s hand moving.  In less than 12 hours, he was on his way to Maputo, the capital, to chat with government officials about our operating certificate.  We have been waiting for 7 months for this paper, on that Thursday afternoon Conrad knew after weeks of being “promised tomorrow”, the time to make the trip had come.  God went before and answered many prayers and he returned with the much needed document.

Kids doing school work on the porch because the light was better there.

Conrad bringing more fuel for our generator.

After 29 days, the electric returned.  There was much rejoicing as we were able to enjoy hot water, use the microwave, iron, and other electric appliances again. (Our generator isn’t strong enough to run some items.)  I also was amazed at how God had given us internet and electric at just the right time so that I could meet all the requirements in my class on time. 

After the electric returned, we hoped things would calm down a little.  But then our plane getting a paint job in South Africa ran into some unexpected complications with the aviation government offices there.  Conrad also ran into some more unexpected challenges here in Mozambique as we continue to work on getting MAF on a more stable and solid footing in the country.  Also the guys got the call that they had been invited to take the test for their Mozambique pilot license validation only 4 days before the test.  A test that we have been hearing horror stories about the difficulty.  So the end of February found Conrad once again heading to Maputo to take the test, and he PASSED!!  Then Tropical Storm 15 hit northern Mozambique bring with it 5 days of straight rain.  Many mud huts are collapsing.  Sickness due to the cold (70 degrees F), malaria (lots of water sitting around so mosquitoes are many), and cholera (drinking water contaminated) has become rampant.

Yet through all the stress and struggles, God has been moving.  The plane in South Africa has now been released and has returned.  

The plane on the right is the one with the new paint job.

The generator broke but was able to be fixed and the electric stayed on during that time.  I was able to finish my first class.  We were able to find food during the tough times to help our workers with food for their families.  

Chima, a cornmeal flour, which everyone uses was in shortage due to electric being out and they couldn't grind the corn.  My house helper was able to find this bag for us at a very "nice" price and we split it up among our workers.

We have seen prices getting back to more normal in the city.  With every struggle, God has given us the grace to keep going.  God has also given us the ability to help others in greater need than us during this time.  God has given us the peace that even when we don’t understand and life is hard, He is still in control and working out the big picture to His Glory.

A rainbow, a reminder of God's promise, taken from our driveway

We thank the many of you have been holding us in your prayers over the last number of months.  It is only through God’s strength and peace that we have been able to come through these challenges.