His Strength Is Made Perfect In Our Weakness
What a powerful God we serve! This trip started out for me on Tuesday with a character-building, faith-strengthening situation, but looking back, I stand in awe of the way I have seen God's hand in bringing me to Taiwan.
Upon arriving at the Raleigh Durham airport to begin my journey, I was told by the ticket agents that I had to have paper tickets to board the plane. Due to a mix up (which has still not been totally solved) I never received the necessary paper tickets from my travel coordinator. Even though I had my ticket number and electronic itinerary, and my reservation showed up under my name on the computer, I was still required to present a paper ticket before I could get on the flight. Needless to say, this caused great concern to my parents and me! After many phone calls to the travel agent, the travel coordinator, and the airline, we decided that the best thing to do would be to purchase a whole new ticket and make my way to San Francisco. This required faith and trust in the Lord since we didn't know for sure that I would be able to get from there to Taipei, Taiwan. The airline and the travel agent were confident that once I arrived in San Fran, China Airlines would re-issue my ticket and I would continue on without incident. So with prayer and my family's blessing, I set out for San Fran, not knowing what was going to happen when I got there but confident in the assurance that I serve an omnipotent, omniscient God, who did know, and would work things out for my good and for His glory.
The time spent on the plane was a time of prayer, seeking the Lord, and beseeching Him for His grace and peace that I so badly needed to trust Him with my immediate future! He placed a fine Christian man next to me who noticed me reading my Bible and after hearing my story, encouraged me to trust the Lord, and assured me that he and his family would be praying for me. This was a seemingly small thing, but a tremendous blessing to me; proof that God did indeed know where I was, and was already handling my difficulties in His perfect way. He also allowed me to meet up with another girl on our team, Ginger, who was an incredible blessing to me.
When I arrived in San Francisco I rushed to the China Airlines ticket counter to see what could be done about my situation. Great was my distress to discover that without a paper ticket or a copy of it, they could not, or would not re-issue my ticket. (How I was supposed to have a copy of the ticket, having never seen it, they didn't stop to consider!) The next step was to call my travel coordinator, update her on the situation, and ask her advice. She advised that I stand up to China Airlines, and insist that I had everything I needed (ticket number, itinerary, and confirmation number) to get on the flight. Meanwhile two other team members came along and set out to help me. Unfortunately the answer was still the same - without a paper ticket or a copy, there was no way I was getting on the flight.
Not knowing where to turn I called my parents asking for their advice. At this point, I was thinking I would have to turn around and come home. When I asked my dad for direction, he expressed his feeling that I should go on to Taiwan even if it meant buying a one way ticket out of pocket. So back I went to the ticket counter, prepared to purchase a new ticket if it came to that. It was then that I met Ben, another team member, who went out of his way to deal with China Airlines and eventually gave me the good news that a ticket had been purchased and I was on my way to getting a boarding pass. I don't think I've ever been as excited as when I was when I finally held that boarding pass in my hands! I was going to Taiwan! Throughout the entire thirteen hour flight from San Francisco to Taipei, Taiwan my whole heart was going up in praise and thanksgiving to God for His mighty power displayed in getting me on that plane! Praise His name!!
So here I am! This day has been a long one, as our whole team is wiped out due to jet lag from our long flight. In spite of the exhaustion, however, there is joy resounding from the very depths of my being! Never have I seen God's power displayed in such an amazing way, and never have I felt so assuredly that I am right where He wants me to be. This is going to be an incredible year, and I know that God has a great work to accomplish in and through us. All the opposition the devil can put forth cannot quench the power of Christ in the country of Taiwan, or hinder the zeal of His Holy Spirit in our hearts as we seek to minister in His name.
We're here and ready for work (or we will be after a good night's sleep!) but there are still many bridges to cross, and difficulties to conquer. We know that Satan's hindrances will not cease but rather increase as we begin the work we came to do. That involves English camps in the coming weeks, and eventually teaching in the schools. Please pray that the Lord will continue to show Himself mighty and strong in our behalf. Pray that our hearts will be fixed on Him, and that our focus will not wander from the goal. Thank you for your time! May God richly bless you as you seek Him and His kingdom first.
Rebekah Gilley
