Last month, before Christmas our missionaries from as close as Nicaragua to as far as the Philippines gathered for a time of rest, connectivity and rejuvenation. I got to see some of my old friends/co-laborers from Guatemala, and connect with some whom I had never met before.
While we were very intentional about how we structured the retreat, the Lord had other plans…
I was shuttling some of our missionaries back to the retreat house from lunch. Half way there we got a call. The next thing I know we are pulling a u-turn responding to one of our missionaries on the phone frantically trying to explain what just happened. All we knew is that three of our missionaries and one of our staff was in a car accident. Our staff member (whom I am very close to) was blacking out. Others in the car could not move. It sounded bad.
We rushed to the scene across town, and were the first ones there from Adventures. The car was crushed in on one side, and one was in the car still not able to move while two more were in stretchers getting loaded into an ambulance. Sarah and some others rushed to the hospital to meet them there. Ironically, Sarah spends much of her week at this hospital working on their oncology floor, but she never thought she would be in the emergency room waiting for some of our friends to arrive.
Long story short, three were admitted to the hospital. Two were discharged after a few hours thankfully with only some bruises and whiplash, but one stayed for about a week healing from some broken ribs and other injuries.
It was difficult to process. We prayed for this retreat to be restful, and for everyone to connect with each other and with God, but this seemingly has thrown a wrench in our plan. I guess we didn’t pray hard enough?
It would be easy to come to the conclusion I just wrote above, but God is always a God of redemption, and nothing can stop His plan.
That night, the rest of us at the retreat came together and worshiped. We prayed our hearts out. The next morning the Holy Spirit continued to bring us closer together. When missionaries from all over the world come together and lift each other up in prayer and praise God together in the midst of difficult situations it changes things.
Some of the girls took shifts to stay with the one who was in the hospital. Fortunately, our house is very close to the hospital, and Sarah’s body is used to working nights.
I don’t know any other God like our God. He can take deep pain, and use it as his main tool to bring us together. In the world, pain, difficulty, and trial pull people apart, but Jesus moves by a different set of rules. Thank God for what He is doing!
All in all, the Missionary retreat was a success, but not because of our great plans. It was only because God is who He is. What a privilege to partner with our God!
