Normally, I hate surprises. I feel like they catch me off guard and I don’t know how to graciously react to the shock of them. I know a lot of people who thrive on them because of the joy that they can spark. But I am notorious for convincing myself of how things will turn out and am inevitably dismayed when the outcome isn’t what I had imagined. I like to accurately anticipate new things that come my way.
So far, the two notable exceptions to my dislike of surprises have been my husband’s proposal and our regional assignment
I was reveling in the triumph of my first full night’s sleep since Annie was born as we heard the words:
“Your regional assignment is Africa!”
My heart did a double take because I had convinced myself that they would send us to a different region with more planes. Elijah’s rarity in the MAF world as a maintenance specialist and not a pilot/mechanic has put us in an interesting position where we could have been useful in almost every region. So I was thinking that we would be headed to a region with more aircraft. But God’s plan was different than what I was anticipating–I would confidently wager it is better.
We didn’t form an attachment to any specific place or people group lest we be disappointed or need to adjust to the idea of a change in “our plans.” To my delight, I rejoiced in the result of our placement immediately and have been increasingly excited each day since. It is a strange and wonderful feeling to experience the pure joy that a surprise can bring.
And of course, Elijah suspected we would be placed in Africa when he heard of the specific maintenance needs on the PC12 they have in West DRC. God willing, it is likely that we will be headed to Kinshasa to serve with several other pilots and their families there. (Elijah has a knack for anticipating the outcome of events accurately—it’s uncanny, really.)
We took a few days to soak it all in and have been googling things at will when our curiosity strikes about the different elements of a new culture we will be taking on. In the last week, we keep coming to various realizations about the implications this assignment will have on our future and our family. There’s been a lot to consider about the world of transitions we are about to enter.
Please pray with us for our placement and for the team we have the privilege of joining. Pray that God will continue to cultivate our joy for our placement into a deep love for the people of West DRC.
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