As many of you know, we have been living on campus with very little food sources available due to the holiday. We have been surviving on an occasional dinner invite in town, and peanut butter or scrambled eggs at home with the limited supply of a microwave and one hot plate. Ovens are available for purchase in our Big City (almost 5 hours away). We were hoping to be able to wait until the first team arrives in June to make a trip up there to save cost. However, Father continues to show us His plan and how He specifically meets our daily needs. Our American friend from SC invited Becky to travel to the Big City with her by bus to go to the store where we could find an oven! PTL! This was such an answer to pryer.
Becky's Experience:
My friend C and I took an early bus to the Big City. This was my first trip away from Chris. I was so proud of myself! C and I spent the entire drive up bonding like sisters. I stayed in my very first hostel! This hostel is called, “The Hump”, and is a hot spot for many European travelers. I was picturing cement floors, cement walls, bunk beds, and community showers. Not at all! This place was awesome! We had 2 beds in our room, a nice bathroom.
After a good night’s rest, it was go time. We set out for our big adventure in the Western product store. This place is known for many westerners to come and buy items such as cheese, cereal, steak, ketchup, etc. My goal was to buy an oven (ovens here are toaster ovens) and cheese and butter. We had 1 hour to shop at this store before we had to head to the bus station to return home. First, we went to the aisle of ovens. This place reminded me of a Costco/Sam’s Club type warehouse.
We found the oven C and her family had at half the price of my budget! We immediately started rejoicing. When we asked the salesman for help, he said that oven was no longer available. Let me tell you that there were about 6 different brands of ovens represented on the shelves. He was trying to tell us that only 1 brand was available, without looking in the back. I then felt crushed. The one thing I had sought after was not there. We continued with our shopping and found the cheese and butter. A giant block of cheese costs about $13 American dollars! So thankful to find cheese. They do not have cheese where we live! They don’t even know what cheese is! In the middle of the cheese aisle, C took my hands and said, “We need to pr.”
We stopped in the middle of this store and asked Father to give us an oven. We asked Him to give us a different salesman on the oven aisle that would be able to help us.
We went to the oven aisle again, and sure enough, a different saleslady was there! We asked her for the oven we saw first, and she said it was not available. Then we asked her about another oven very similar to that one, she scanned it with her scanner, and said there was 1 left in the back! PTL PTL PTL! This was not even the same brand the original salesman said was the only kind it stock, it was different! It was 2 rmb less than my budget! Father provides. She brought the oven out, plugged it in to test the power, and we repacked it. Tears of joy were streaming down my face! I was overwhelmed at how powerful Father is and how He shows up when we feel defeated. Time and time again I see Him in every victory.
The last 2 days have been some of the best days of my life while living overseas. Father taught me to rely on Him for even the smallest things in life. I would never have thought to stop in the middle of a grocery store and pr. My natural instinct was to panic and feel defeated. I was blessed with the accompaniment of a pryer warrior sister. Father grew me and stretched me in multiple ways.
“What a Father! His road stretches straight and smooth. Every Father-direction is road-tested. Everyone who runs toward Him makes it.” Psalm 18: 30 (MSG).
Many of you may be thinking, “Well what did Chris do while you were gone?” Chris was able to send his love and encouragement to me the entire time I was gone. I was so thankful! He also spent time with a fellow co-worker in discipleship and accountability. And, he found a printer! I love his techy abilities! Not to mention, he greeted me with a warm smile when he saw that I managed to bring home homemade tortillas, tortilla chips, and taco sauce! He made a wonderful meal of breakfast tacos for the two of us! We continue to be grateful in all things, large and small!
What happens at 2:30 in the morning when you tell your husband you are hungry? Mini bagel pizzas and Duck Dynasty make me happy, happy, happy!