Answers to prayer

Friday afternoon I had the best of intentions to finish my grading so I would have a more relaxing Sunday to look forward to. Unfortunately things did not go according to plan. There are 3 particular items that I have mentioned in my prayers recently. Friday God showed me clearly that He is indeed listening!

First of all, our dryer broke so for the past week or two we've been hanging all our laundry up in our rooms with clothespins. Then Lenney announces that we can't afford to use any more water so we can't use the washer either. This means group trip to the Good Earth laundromat. After paying for our laundry, he drops us off at EZ Price on his way to the post office (we were in desperate need of toilet paper!) We quickly gathered our groceries and proceeded to sit outside waiting for him...for about 40ish minutes. (Plus I had just downed a frappucino and was in dire need of a bathroom!) We consoled ourselves with thoughts of the backseat being filled with packages from home. Finally he arrives...with not a package in sight. "Lenney what took you so long?" we annoyingly ask. "Oh...I got distracted." What?? How do you get distracted at the P.O. for 30 minutes? Well that was my first lesson in patience for the day.

I don't know if I mentioned this before, but I was thinking about the fruits of the Spirit and how they come in sequence: love, joy, peace, patience... I had prayed that God would help me work on my patience. How better than to give me opportunity to practice it!

We arrived at Payless and I desperately walked as fast as I could (I was beyond the point of being able to run) to the bathroom. We picked up a couple things and then I headed to the bank to deposit a check. Surprisingly the line only went to the door (as opposed to previous days when it wrapped around the whole inside in snakelike fashion). So I figured today was as good a day as any to get it over with. So I waited...and waited...and waited...and waited for probably another 40 minutes. The realization that God was using this silly bank line to teach me a lesson hit me in that little Bank of Guam. Was I just another frustrated customer? (Or more like frustrated American customer? - The Marshallese are used to it haha). Or was I someone who people noticed waiting patiently?

Lenney had already taken the other girls back while I waited in line. When I finally finished he came back to pick me up. As we rode home we talked a little bit. I realized this was a great opportunity for me to show interest in his life. So I asked him a few questions about what he had done and where he'd been and what some of his plans were for the future. As we arrived at the school he pulled around to our apartments and turned the van off. Talking to Lenney isn't my favorite activity, but I felt like maybe he needed someone to talk to. So we just chatted about the school, about soccer and whatever else came to mind for about 30-40ish minutes. I'm sure he must get lonely sometimes! And although he can be extremely ridiculous and super frustrating, I had prayed that God would help me to reach out to him somehow.

Later, I was wandering around in the house getting some food. I saw Lauren sitting on the couch writing. Someone had mentioned to me earlier that she had gotten upset in the AV room. She seemed a little down so I walked over to her and asked if she was alright. She started crying. She explained what was going on and I realized that this was the opportunity I had been praying for! I knew Lauren had been struggling but I just didn't know how to help her. I told God I needed him to show me how to reach out, and He did. She laid it all out and we talked about how to fix the problem. I think things will be looking up for her!

When I look back on what I saw as a "wasted" afternoon, I see that God used that time to reveal Himself in my life. Even when we don't notice it or aren't looking for it God is working in our lives and fulfilling His plans for us. He wants to give us good things because we are His children!