I had a lot of problems with my communication systems lately that I could not figure out.
1. My phone would not accept any passwords therefore I could not update it. Consequently after a period of time it closed down my messenger, facebook, and emails.
2. My computer was overloaded and therefore did not allow me to receive or send emails, even after I deleted oodles of my pictures and videos.
3. My wonderful international phone package that I had used for several years to call America suddenly shut down and I was unable to call my family.
I know God permits these things for our own character because of the famous quote in MR 926 36.2
“We can never perfect a round, full Christian experience until every earthly support is removed, and the soul centers its entire affections about God.”
On March 31, we had a 2-fold purpose to drive to ChainMai: I could receive help from the professionals, (Jonathan and Hannah Hill, Daniel Bair and Harvey Steck) for my phone and computer, and also help Daniel Bair and his family in their move across town. It was a lovely time of missionary reunion plus receiving and giving help. Early Tuesday morning we made the long drive back to BYT.
Upon our arrival patients began streaming in. BletJhaw told me in the midst of all this that he felt he should bring his aunt some medication because he heard that she could not sleep due to pain in her leg. It would also give him an opportunity to put new brakes on that motorbike and change the oil in Meta. My first reaction was concern for him, because he had driven that truck for 3 days, working hard in between. However he left on the motorbike around 4:30p.m.stating he would return the next day.
Because it would soon get dark, he drove quickly. Once on the cement road he made even better time. Especially with only one person on that bike he could take the corners quicker. SUDDENLY around a steep bend in the road he was face to face with a huge elephant. He screeched on the brakes and came to a stop just 30 feet away – his heart pounding. This elephant had his two front feet chained together and was dragging a long chain, which told him it most likely was a tame elephant, but the chains implied that it was dangerous none-the-less. I sure would like to have seen how quickly he swung that bike around and headed in the opposite direction. The elephant came towards him, but did not charge. BletJhaw waited a while wondering if he should return to BYT, but just then he heard a truck coming from the other direction.
You will never guess who the driver of that truck was: – He was the owner of that elephant! What are the chances of that? The owner was not out to find his elephant either, but was just returning with supplies to sell in his little shop. He got that beast off the road and BletJhaw was able to continue on his way. God’s plans – His timing is perfect!
BletJhaw continued his journey, but shortly after that the motorbike got a flat tire. He had at least 20 kms left to travel. It was slow going after that. It was well after dark when he finally arrived at the main road. Now all his plans changed. He called a man who used to be his neighbor in MaeLaGlow. This man picked him up and kept him for the night, taking him back to his bike in the morning.
Two extraordinarily providential things happened to BletJhaw while he was there. He owns a parcel of land in MaeLaGlow where he plans to build a house, but the plot of ground next to it had just the other day been promised to someone else. Half the down payment had already been made. The neighbor told him that this man would not be a good neighbor because he drinks a lot and has friends that are real loud and obnoxious. Now BletJhaw had a chance to talk to the owner, just in time. He agreed to deny that man and sell it to him instead.
The next extraordinarily providential thing is that Jerry, BletJhaw’s brother-in-law, was just coming home on school break. He was able to stop in Meta and meet BletJhaw, so that he could carry the medication to his aunt.
Finally BletJhaw returned to BYT. Mission accomplished! (Psalm 121:8 one of my favorites)!
“Oh give thanks unto the Lord for He is good, for His mercy endureth forever.”
Psalm 136
PS. (We heard later that on the very self-same day that BletJhaw returned on his motorbike, another young man met that same elephant on the same road and got charged. He ran away as fast as his legs would carry him and barely escaped. But the elephant stomped on his motorbike and totally flattened and ruined it).