Journaling - A Quarter Century of Faith: Answered Prayers and Reflections"

In 2001, my husband David and I, along with our three teenage children, left the bustling Abu Dhabi for the remote village of Erachakulam in southern India. Our mission was to establish a primary school in this neglected community. This transition, guided by divine providence, was filled with challenges. Anchored in God's promises, we persevered, serving the local community with dedication. Reflecting on our journey through my journal, I see God's unwavering faithfulness. Our family stands as a testament to His love and power.

Before embarking on our journey, we crafted a detailed prayer list recorded in my journal. Our primary request was to be effective in our education ministry through our skills and experience. We prayed to educate the people in Erachakulam village in the love and knowledge of Christ, start kindergarten classes for 50 students, and provide transport facilities. We sought dedicated, God-fearing teachers and staff capable of loving and sincerely working with children. Additionally, we prayed for an honest office assistant, engineers, builders, and an auditor.

Support and cooperation from village leaders, political leaders, and the community were also on our prayer list. We asked for Jesus to be a reality in our school project, so the local people would understand and support our vision from the beginning. We desired a good church fellowship and ongoing support from church leaders and fellow believers, ensuring a long-term commitment.

For our children, we prayed for admission to a Christian school with loving teachers and good friends and for them to adapt to the immediate culture and environment. We also asked for them to develop a vision for their personal lives, embodying Christ’s love and values. Temporary discomforts and inconveniences were to strengthen us, making us bold and confident in trusting God completely. We aimed to be role models for our children and the school family, practicing what we preached. Our prayer included a far-sighted vision with definite goals for the future, without competing negatively with other institutions but drawing insights and support from them. Financial stewardship and continued reliance on God's wisdom were critical. We prayed to be cautious, remembering that the heart is deceitful (Jeremiah 17:9).

We asked for protection against evil forces around the campus, and for properties used for idol worship to be converted for God’s Kingdom. We sought the ability to discern people with ulterior motives through the Holy Spirit and scripture. Maintaining our quiet times with the Lord was vital for guidance and strength, despite the demands of our work. We desired a perfect, ongoing relationship with the Lord and genuine love within our family to withstand the enemy.

Lastly, we prayed to be rooted in God's word, wearing His full armor daily, and to be deeply committed to each other, open to correction if necessary. Aware of the dowry system, we prayed that our daughters would find life partners committed to marriage without dowries.

In complete surrender, we left our jobs on September 11, 2001, packed our belongings, and started our journey back home. We let go of our dream to settle in Canada, trusting in God's sovereign plan and direction for our lives.

Like Bartimaeus in Mark 10:49-52, our specific prayers led to miraculous outcomes, highlighting the importance of clarity in our petitions. Journaling became my solace, a place to honestly pour out my feelings of despair and witness God's answers unfold.