By a Pioneer in Northern Africa. I have served in four different locations in my time on the field. I had to leave “Location One” and "Location Two” due to security concerns, and “Location Three” was an interim option while I waited to see if “Location Four” would be possible. These transitions weren’t necessarily planned and I had many conversations with our Father about the fact that these transitions were not meant to happen. I felt deep lament at the brokenness that had redirected my path so many times. Yet reflecting on a recent trip, I have been reminded that the gracious hand of our Father is at work, directing my steps and drawing the various threads together into his sovereign plan.
In my current location (Location Four) we are preparing to open a clinical training school for health workers next year. As part of this preparation, I travelled last month to visit another clinical school that has agreed to support us in this work. On this journey, I was able to visit another project that I had begun long ago in Location Two. It was encouraging to see this work still going, but also to remember that it was this previous work that had first connected me with the clinical school I was now about to visit. My time in Location Two had contributed a key component for my current work in Location Four.
On arriving at the clinical school, I learned that the directors had had significant contact with the doctors I had worked with previously in Location One (they had even sent students there). Also, I learnt that the staff had trained at a particular hospital in India which I had read about as a child. The stories of this place had played an important part in sparking the desire for me to be serving as I now am. Finally, as part of my return journey to Location Four, I was finally able to join up with two women, one of whom I had lived with in Location Three. They had asked to come for a survey trip to Location Four to investigate if this is where they should next come to serve.
This was just one trip but woven into this journey were so many key connections from all four locations that our Father had placed me in over the years. I can see now that every location, and every resulting connection has formed a key part of the story, and I believe that our Father is doing the same in all of our lives. Amid the unexpected elements or difficult times of your life, I hope you might be encouraged that the grand weaver is still at work, directing steps, connecting paths and always unfolding his wonderful plan.