American Missionary Fellowship

Trying to get in touch with Joel via email or phone on Saturday was futile. I stayed up through the wee hours of the morning on Sunday. I pored over news articles on the Internet, and my heart sank when I saw buildings with walls torn off in Vina del Mar. At about 2 a.m., in answer to my prayer, I came across a travel blog from another university student from Arizona. She said that all of the students with the University of Arizona were safe. That news allowed me to sleep.

Then, in the morning, I received an email from Joel’s host family with these assuring words, “Estamos muy bien y nuestra casa resistió en gran forma el terremoto.” (“We are fine and our house resisted the earthquake in grand fashion.”)

Retired CEF directors accepted my invitation to hold two training sessions in Socorro for children’s workers.  They reminded us of the importance of asking children who respond to a Gospel invitation the question, “Why have you come?”  In Los Lunas and in Socorro, I asked this question to two students.  Judiah said she had come to find out about whether Jesus would leave her if she sinned.  Leo could not remember why he had come until I refreshed his memory as to what the lesson was about.  Then he remembered.  His face lit up when he told me why he had come.  My face lit up, and the angels in heaven started rejoicing when they heard why Leo had come.

One of the affirmations of the song “Be Still My Soul” is “In every change, He (our Lord) faithful will remain.”  As I prayed for the Lord to direct my steps, He led me to Nina.  If I had arrived a minute earlier or a minute later, I would have missed her.  She really needed me at this time in her life.  I am glad that our Sovereign God allowed me to arrive on the scene at a time when He wanted to provide for Nina and her son, Seth (not their real names).