We are fast approaching our departure to Costa Rica. As the date approaches I wrestle with the feeling of being underprepared, and bit uncertain as it was only a week and half ago that we again were redirected to another place to hold our clinic. While this can be quite disconcerting I find great comfort, and in fact, amazement in the God who directs our path. Humanly speaking we make many plans so as to be responsible and to offer the best care we can to those we set out to serve. On the other hand in doing so we often get our needs before others. Yes, we have a need to serve, a need to feel significant in this vast world of options and issues.
In light of all this I am grateful that God has seen fit to bring us to where the greatest need may be. It may leave me feeling a bit unsettled or underprepared, but my focus must now be on the One who knows all. In the book of Acts, chapter 16 we see Paul at one point setting out to Asia to preach the gospel when he was redirected to a second location only to be redirected yet again to a third, where God truly wanted him.
Who can say that we are so special as to be the recipients of God’s unique direction? On the other hand it is not about us. Proverbs 19:21 tells us that “Many are the plans in a man’s heart, but it is the LORD’s purpose that prevails.” Setting out to Cariari, we sought to learn about the city, the people, and the surrounding needs. Being redirected by the prompting of the Holy Spirit through Enrique who sensed another place would be a better fit, we focused in on Cartago. We again learned about the people, the needs, made plans for the clinic sight and almost put a deposit down on the hotel. Now we know of a pastor we can be praying for whose wife has been diagnosed with Cancer. Yet, given the circumstances we were redirected to Alajuela and confirmed this by the 8th of January. On January 9th the province of Alajuela was hit with an earthquake registering 6.1 on the Richter scale. Now, with no credit going to our strategic planning efforts, we find ourselves going to a community in need, greater need than existed three weeks ago.
Indeed this is humbling, a bit disconcerting, but considering the order of events I find great comfort in the fact that though less prepared than I would like to be we are in the care of the Sovereign Lord of the Universe who sought fit to send us as His servants in response to those crying out to Him for help. What better place to be?
