God's Timing

Well I figured I'm due for another blog, so here it goes ...

A couple of weeks ago, I was able to be a part of our first mission trip for C3 church. We went to Nicaragua. It was an amazing trip. I am even more amazed by God's timing. I was able to spend a week in a foreign country with one of my closest friends, two amazing mentors (that's you gary and konan), many new friends, and a beautiful little girl named Hannah (who's in the picture). I could have never imagined God would bring us all together for one week in Nicaragua!

I met Hannah and her mother Cathy about a year or so ago in Columbus. They were here because a missionary had made contact with a doctor at Children's to operate on Hannah. She has a trach and was brought to Columbus for surgery. Her mother left her husband and other daughter behind, as she traveled to country where she didn't know the language or anyone, all in the hopes to hear her daughter's sweet voice for the first time. The missionary had contact my friend Janelle, who worked at the District office with me, to see if she could help Cathy and Hannah while they were here. Janelle is amazing translator and was able to help Cathy tremendously. I can speak a little spanish (si, si), but not enough to communicate with Cathy and Hannah or at least I thought.

Janelle and I took turns staying with Cathy night and day at the hospital, while Hannah had her surgery. They tried several times to remove her trach, but she had become so used to breathing through her neck that she was unable to to adapt to breathing through her mouth and nose. In the end the doctor decide to replace her trach with a smaller one in hopes that as she grew older she would be able to adapt better without it.

As sad as it seemed to see them leave and Hannah still have the trach, I knew God had something amazing in store for her. I remember how hard it was to say goodbye to them. For months I had spent everyday with them and to think I may never see them was hard. But I knew that I didn't give my time and open my heart up to them out of obligation or appreciation. The time I spent with them was out of love. Love for God's children. We love because we can. Not because we should. I love Hannah because before she's anything, she's God's child.

I can't really describe how it felt to see her again. She is a beautiful, beautiful child. Cathy said she may be coming back to Ohio to try the surgery again some time this year. I can't wait. I am praying the next time I see her, I will be able to hear her sweet little voice.

My point to all this is you never know how and when God will use you or others to show His love. We just need to be open and ready, because if we are there's no telling how or when God will use us. After all He brought a child from Nicaragua into my life and took me there for her!