During our last trip to visit leaders and project sites in Central America, our plans continued to change and develop throughout the trip: Shifting dates, adjusted schedules, changes in who we met and where we travelled became the norm. However, the changes from our plans to “someone else’s” plans only made the trip more meaningful and worthwhile.
One example: when leaving Panama to fly to Honduras, we found out (due to recent, unknown changes) that we couldn’t fly directly to Honduras because we didn’t have records showing that we had received the Yellow Fever vaccination.
We were about to cut our trip short and fly home, but then the attendant said, “Well, if you extend your leg of the trip through El Salvador and spend the night there, then you can fly into Honduras, no problem.” This gave us the opportunity to spend some quality time with our national director in El Salvador, David Mena (delicious pupusas included!)
Each day unfolded with adjustments to the plans… yet filled with better results, encouraging interactions, and productive meetings. In fact, on this ten-day trip we were able to meet with five national directors, greet three presidents of Lutheran church bodies, visit five projects sites, interact with four LCMS missionaries, plan with the new director of missions from the Lutheran Church of Canada, and encourage the new church and educational leaders now serving in Honduras.
Proverbs 16:9 declares “a man plans his ways, but the Lord establishes his steps.”
Watch for “cosa de Dios” in your life… it makes unexpected changes along your path a blessed “God thing!”
Dr. Phil
