As I’ve read my journal and asked the Lord what I should share… It kept coming back to answered prayer. I guess I had not really shared about the specifics in answers to the prayer requests that I send to cover a trip. I know that I mention some of them in general… but not specifics.
So here it goes. Be encouraged, your prayers are being answered….
The prayers….
1. Prayer for: As we go through Bangkok, Thailand… please pray that our connection is smooth and made with out delay or hindrance.
Ok… when we arrived, we had an Eight Hour layover in Thailand. What we found out was that for three of us, our bags were checked ONLY as far as Thailand. If we would have gone and “claimed” the bags when we arrived, we would have had to left the secure area of the airport and would not be allowed back in. I laughed as at that moment, I realized exactly why this was the first prayer request. In the morning, we went through customs, asked where the bags were, went to “lost and found” and were reunited with our bags. All was safe and secure….Thank you Lord for the Angels garrisoning about our items!
2. For the eyes of the customs officials in Burma to be blinded so we can get the aid in we are bringing. (Medical, Blankets, Clothing, and Bibles & Teaching materials)
This was the first miracle we encountered. At the airport in Rangoon, bags are ran through an x-ray machine and if there is something that looks suspicious, X’s are written on the bags in white chalk. We knew this in advance and someone had told us to bring “baby wipes” to wipe off the X’s. We did not do that. As the bags from our flight arrived, the carrousel went round and round with everyone elses bags. We waited paitently for our bags. Many of the bags had the X’s on them. Finally, our bags were the last to come through. Most of the people had cleared out and were really the only group there. We picked up our bags and not one had an ‘X’ on it. When we went through customs, the official was looking at all the bags, flipping them… For sure, this group had to have at least one ‘X’. No, the eyes of the officials were exactly how we prayed… “Blinded” so we were able to get all the aid into the country… Thank you Lord!
3. For favor to be bestowed upon us as we make contact with officials and leaders.
Our travel in the city was rather limited, but this was answered prayer because we met the head hotel security guard who let us up to the roof to pray. Our questions about the city and prayers so touched him, he asked more questions. We shared Jesus with him on the roof of the hotel. He prayed and lit up light a lightbulb atop of the hotel. What is really wonderful is that we were given burmese bibles, and we were able to give him one right away. He was so thankful not only for the gift, but for the prayer.
4. For our eyes to be focused on the Lord and our ears to hear His direction so we block out the “distractions” the enemy may throw our way to shift our focus. Singly focused is the word I get..
5. For us to face those who oppose the Lord and know in our heart that no man can stand before us, (Joshua 1) We only had one encounter going into a village where we were opposed, but as the Apostle Paul said, “we preceived that the door was not open, so we went on our way.” We know that our trip there was to lay ground work for a trip later and the doors will open…
6. For us to be led to those whose prayers we are answering…
I told the team when we were in Myanmar, that “if this is all I was sent to Myanmar to do, I’ve accomplished my work….” On the first Sunday night service at the Church, we tag team preached. I just love this as it is different bodies but all one message from the Lord. When I was preaching, I saw a family in the crowd and I knew that they were not from Myanmar. After the service, the family was gone. When we arrived back at the hotel, the family was there. I had a very brief conversation with them and found out they were missionaries (family:John, Susann, with their sons PJ and Johnny) on their way from Canada to Zimbawe and that was the extent of our conversation.
The next morning, in my prayer time with the Lord, he had me praying for the family, and specifically PJ, their 15 year old son.
After breakfast, I ran into the family. I talked with Susann and PJ for a bit, and asked if PJ was excited. Susann told me that he wasn’t. At that point, the Lord had me give PJ the message that He had shared with me in my prayer time. The Lord told me that he was going to give PJ better friends than he had back in Vancouver. I could actually see the one boy that the Lord was bringing to PJ. It was precious. Susann knew that I had no way of knowing where in Canada they were from, they did not tell me. PJ started crying and I knew in my heart that I was sent to Myanmar for him. To give a message so that he would not look at this assignment to Zimbawe with dread, but to change his expectations to one of excitement, as the Lord was giving PJ better friends! Thank you Lord for allowing me to be used to shape tomorrows of one of your precious children.