It Is Trish

We have had some disappointments during our search for a HD location, and there has been talk of us delaying our opening until July.  While driving me to church on Sunday, Dina saw through my fake “everything’s fine” facade and assured me, “Don’t worry about the people who paid for you to be here. God is in control. He knows what he is doing, and when we will open.  He is doing something – we have a bank account even though banks are not opening new accounts, and you are here now.  We will find out what he is doing when he has made us ready.” I was still lying a little bit when I agreed with her, but she said she spent all day Saturday praying, so I decided to trust her wisdom.

We parked the car and got on the metro.  A girl from school happened to be on the red line with us.  Veta, her mother, was visiting the city, and she and Dina happily reunited while we walked to the church.  After the service, a tiny older lady asked me how HD was doing.  “Oh, it’s slow,” I said.  “We can’t find a house, and the budget keeps shrinking.”  Belatedly, I wondered if I should be telling these things to a stranger, but she had already walked away.

I visited with some other people before circling back to Dina.  Her face lit up when she saw me.  “We found a house!” she cried.  “Um, what?” I asked.  Two hours ago we were complaining and doubting (well, I was), and immediately our problems were solved?

“Veta and her husband are old friends of ours, and they have been praying for HD for years.  They have a house that they have wanted to be used by a ministry, but they didn’t think that we needed one.  Now they are going to let us use it for very cheap, thanks to you!”

“Thanks to me?” I asked.  I hadn’t talked to Veta on the metro or at the church.

“You told Mrs. Hill that we didn’t have a house, and she knew Veta was trying to rent one.  She told her to talk to me!  I told you this morning that God brought you here for a reason.”

Filled with Greek exuberance, I threw my hands in the air, delighted to find that my big mouth had accomplished something wonderful.

Over lunch with Dina and Argyris, we discussed all the benefits of the house.  It’s in a good area, it’s private, it’s owned by people they know and trust, and it’s half the price of our already slashed budget.

On Monday, Dina and the other HD women went to the house in the afternoon while I was in Greek school.  They loved it.  They went over the budget, they talked with important people, and it was decided:

We’re renting the house, and we’re ready to get started ASAP!

I cannot actually comprehend how ridiculous this is.  Dina and I talked about trusting God in the morning, and in the afternoon he answered our prayers, and the next day everything is good to go?  It’s crazy and exciting and with such perfect timing that I have to see God’s hand at work.

I don’t think this is the end of our obstacles.  But this week has strengthened my weak faith – God can, and will, side-step every obstacle with ease.  After all, as I keep hearing, this is not our project.  God is interested in freeing women from a lifetime of emotional and physical slavery, and he will get the job done, in his uniquely absurd and delightful way.