Prepared in Advance

These pictures were taken the summer of 2007, the second and last time I got to go to SE Asia, when I was two months pregnant with Mr. C. I met these girls the first time I went, the year before, and I fell in love with them–they have such sweet hearts! It’s been a while now, and with my two young children, I didn’t think I’d get to see them again for a long time, if ever, but I prayed I would.

At the same time, I’ve been praying that I wouldn’t just be pouring into my children but that I would have a place to pour into other lives in a way that wouldn’t take away from my children. I didn’t know what that would be, but God gave me the verses I wrote above as an encouragement while I waited. I had no idea how much He had prepared me for this!

My preparation: God has given me a heart for orphans ever since I can remember; I am a trained former ESL teacher; I have worked with both elementary and high school students; Greg lived in SE Asia for 3 years, and I have been twice, so I know a little about the culture; and I’ve met a group of loveable girls, and I miss them. So an opening came for me to volunteer to tutor this particular home of elementary and high school aged orphans out of eight other homes I could tutor in SE Asia. I would tutor them in English through Skype from the comfort of my home for a half an hour once or twice a week, whenever I chose, before my kids wake up.

Of course, I jumped at the opportunity! God made it so that I was able to be used by Him in a way that was a perfect fit and a total joy for me. I not only get to see the girls, but I get to see them weekly and get to know them better than if I just went for another week or two one summer. He definitely prepared this one in advance for me!