If Africa doesn’t make a person flexible, I don’t know what will. When I talked to Tia, the other homeschool teacher, about staying in Cameroon to help with school, I asked her if she was flexible. I explained life in Africa this way: “Often, we’ll go from plan A to plan Z in 30 minutes and end up going with plan A in the end.”Well, I didn’t intend to fully test Tia’s flexibility and adaptability, but we’ve run into a few snags along the way. Long story short, due to visa complications, Tia will have to head back to the States next Sunday.
It is a huge disappointment, but it’s has been so encouraging to see God’s hand throughout the entire situation. It was so obviously God’s working that enabled Tia to stay and help out with school. Even though she’ll only have taught for two weeks when she leaves, her help has been invaluable. Tia came at a crucial transition time for us as the Loeschers returned to the country. It has been quite a week working to coordinate the students to be on the same page in their classes. Monday, the Loeschers’ first day back to school, was a crazy day. I left the schoolhouse around 1:15 to eat lunch with Barillas and teach some violin lessons. My desk was a disaster zone, so I had no choice but to return to school to try to organize my life (and my students’ lives). Tia and I were at school until 5:30. I know that may sound normal to most of you teachers, but I’ve never had to stay at school that long in all of the time I’ve been in Cameroon. Thankfully, with Tia’s presence and help, the other teacher and I now feel like we’re organized and more put together.
It’s just as obvious that it’s God’s will that Tia return home. There’s not much we can do when the government refuses to grant a visa. From our end of things, we can’t see God’s grand picture, but what he does is best. I’ve been so thankful for God’s perfect timing. I’ve even been thankful for the fellowship of another girl my age. (I didn’t realize how much I’d been missing that!)
This afternoon, we actually got a rainstorm!! All afternoon long, I heard the sound of thunder and smelled the rain approaching. Unfortunately, our house never got the rain. This evening, we went up to the Loeschers for church. I was still hoping to run out into the rain. But the rain didn’t come while I was there. Actually, the rain had already come to the Loeschers’ hill. To say I was disappointed to miss the rain is an understatement. But, rainy season will come in just a few months, so I’m looking forward to that. And, I’m still holding out that I’ll get to experience an early rain.
