Waiting to Return

For someone who is goal oriented (me), waiting and being patient are about as easy as being an Olympic gymanast. Words like “transitional phase,” and “I don’t know,” and “We’ll see,” might as well be the beam, bars, and floor routines.

Most of you know we are in the process of building the second Project Samuel in Nicaragua, and hope to start construction in January. Most of you also know that Chris and I have been stateside since December of 2013. Nine months. For the “gymnast” writing this, that’s a long time. They have been nine exciting months of going to Nicaragua, buying land, hosting our first outreach Vacation Bible School at Project Samuel, and getting to know our new neighbors. Nine months of forging relationships with children that will be welded into our hearts for the rest of our lives, and each time we have left, it has been with promises to return and promises that we are building a safe place for them. Project Samuel will be a place to disciple and love and nourish many sweet faces and precious smiles. We will give our last round of hugs and kisses, climb into the van, and drive down the road with children running after us. Leaving gets harder and harder.

We lose ourselves in the bustle of meetings, planning events, raising awareness, and raising funds, but the dull ache of waiting silently lingers. There is constantly this bittersweet feeling of growing one day closer to construction, mixed with this sense of urgency to get started. I can’t tell you the number of times I have prayed for God to keep children in Zambia, Nicaragua, Colombia, etc. safe and their little bellies full until we can get there to aid Him in that work. I ask that you pray with us for patience and joy in the waiting.

“For the vision is yet for the appointed time; it hastens toward the goal and it will not fail. Though it tarries, wait for it; for it will certainly come, it will not delay.” -Habakkuk 2:3-