Divine appointment

(I won't even apologize but I do acknowledge the sappiness of this journal entry as I try to capture ALL the feelings of the last meeting and wrap up of this incredible time in Liberia.)
It is Friday and I don’t want to come home to Federal Way. Despite my enormous heat rash and itchy bug bites, I love it here and I love these people. My heart is in Liberia and yet I am certain my calling now is to go home. I explained this to my new friends, and they all understood, the partnership will not work if I don't go. There is so much work to be done.
The day before, Greta sent me a message of a vision she received. We are going to run a marathon, and we are just now getting off the couch for training. She was encouraged and looking forward to sharing more. I, on the other hand, feel a little daunted but I trust what she is saying – what God is revealing to her. And it reiterates the need to communicate as clearly as possible what I

– we are doing when I go home. I shared quite a bit about the reality of starting a 501(c)3 and needing a name, and charter, and board of directors. My heart is for creating a lasting foundation, rather than just raising some money for a new building. We desire long term partnership and I want to do that with excellence.
Moses had asked what I expect to get out of this, and I don’t have a “thing” I hope to gain, but I do anticipate fulfilling my calling. In addition, Eddie, Greta, and I are putting our reputation on the line, we will be calling on friends and networks to guide, coach, support, partner, and give of time and resources. This we do not take lightly, and neither does CMI. I refer to Luke 14:
28 “Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Won’t you first sit down and estimate the cost to see if you have enough money to complete it? 29 For if you lay the foundation and are not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule you, 30 saying, ‘This person began to build and wasn’t able to finish.’
Our hearts are big and full with the revelation of God’s diving timing, partnership, and how we can be partners in

the Gospel, in God’s kingdom. We are the body of Christ, all of us that evening realizing the extent to which the arms reach – both ways. I sat in awesome wonder of how this all came to be. How many things had to line up, how my heart has longed for this, how long they have prayed for this partnership. It sounds sappy but how many walks on the beach have I taken asking God for direction, how many prayers flung up to God with little hope, how long I have wondered where all this was leading? In what feels like a heartbeat (though it was far from it), to have those questions answered with clarity. Prayers are always going to be needed but I have never been so aware of a prayer being answered as I am in this moment. It is awesome.