You might want to refresh your memory with this post. Remember how I said I had my heart set on a time and place but I wasn't going to say it just yet?
Well, it was Indonesia in August.
I recently sent off my application (goodness, the hoops I had to jump through) and earlier today I got a reply. For all intents and purposes this is what the email said:
Thank you for your interest in volunteering with MTI and serving in Indonesia...
Unfortunately we have had to put on hold dental teams to Indonesia over the next few months. This is due to us having to change our organization's registration from the temporary tsunami response authority to the central government Ministry of Health in Jakarta. Until we complete this transition we are unable to send any further teams...
I apologize that our website dental opportunities page has not been updated to reflect this, I'll get that taken care of...If you have any questions or need further information please do not hesitate to send me an email. Thanks again for your interest in serving with MTI...
I was let down again. Why is this not in the cards for me? This is 3 for 3.
Then I talked to Debi. Debi is my co-worker, she's got 30 years on me, and we've always had this mother-daughter kind of relationship. I told her about the bad news I'd received earlier today. Then what she said to me made the whole thing make sense. "Your mission just isn't ready for you yet. You have to understand that there is a reason these keep falling through. It's fate. There is either someone you're supposed to meet or someone you're supposed to help or someone you will influence and someone that will influence you. You don't know right now. Your mission will happen when it is supposed to happen."
She's right. I need to just sit back and trust in God's plan for me.
Hmmm. Since I Feel like I must combat anything Debi says (even though I'm soo over it and never even think about her..ever), I will say this,
ReplyDeleteKeep trying. You have it in you to keep trying, there are more avenues to search, more people to talk to...more websites to check. I know your a busy lady, but I know how much you want to do this, and I think if you stop trying now it could easily be put on the back burner for longer than you mean for it to.
So, keep trying! I know someone, somewhere will have the information you need to get your ass on a plane to Honduras...or Guatemala...or maybe even Africa!
Love you Jess, obviously you should do whatever is in your heart.
I agree w/what your friend Debi said. The reason why it hasn't worked out yet is truly because it wasn't the right time.
ReplyDeleteMelissa is right too...don't give up looking & pursuing it because when it is the RIGHT time it will all work out. :)
I have the perfect advice for you, now I will admit I’m stealing it from an animal, but lets face it, sometimes when you really need advice or words of encouragement it is best if you just ask a little fish, so from the words of Dory in Finding Nemo I will say, “When life gets you down, you know what you gotta do? Just keep swimming, just keep swimming, just keep swimming, swimming, swimming!”
ReplyDeleteLove ya Jess and maybe at this exact moment in time this isn’t right for you, but in time it will be. Don’t give up! Erin
Jessica,
ReplyDeleteMy Grandma, who is now 82, had a dream when she was a little girl...she wanted to become a nurse so she could ride horseback and help the people of the ozark mountains. True story. She wanted this so badly - for so long - that when she met my Grandpa and he wanted to get married - she said, "I just can't - I have to go to the Ozark Mountains". He promised her that if she married him - he would support her with any of the traveling dreams and missionary work she wanted to do in the future. Well, they married in 1948 and life happened. Jobs, kids, adopted kids, elderly parents...she never got to the Ozark Mountains. Then, during the last years of her Mother's life she started volunteering at her nursing home at Crista Ministries in Shoreline. LONG story short - her missionary work started when she was 50 years old. She was the director of a refugee camp of 90,000 people in Somalia in the 80's. She was in Lebanon during the bombings in the early 80's - caring for the wounded. In the 90's she started a summer camp for the children of Chernobyl in the Ukraine. She is still going strong - volunteering here and there...supporting people throughout the world. All the while - my Grandpa has supported her saying, "What a shame it would be to cage a beautiful butterfly". And so....have faith. God DOES have plans for you...and they will unfold JUST as they should. :)
It was simply wonderful to see you and Dale last Saturday. Let's not wait another 6 years!:)
-Nicole
love you, jess. have you thought of doing any groundwork in one of the usually completely overlooked places like Pine Ridge or Rosebud? hug your mom & bro for me, deb ;)
ReplyDelete