Soon

Soon.

We read that word frequently in Scripture.  The other day my daughter asked, “What does God mean when He says ‘soon?’ It’s been thousands of years of waiting.”  I didn’t know how to answer her; besides, I wondered the same thing. I feel disappointed when my idea of “soon” doesn’t line up with God’s.

We believed “soon” we would be back in Kenya, assisting in the next stage of ministry transition. We were wrong.  In May, following months plodding through the immigration process and requesting prayer, Henry finally received his USA citizenship. Yeah!  We thought, “We are on our way!” 

      Then Henry  endured 17 weeks of daily TB treatment. 

      Then Mark experienced ER visits for high blood pressure.

      Then I had my own ER visits, a life flight to Denver for a C1, C2 fractured neck and fractured femur, which took months of tedious recovery. 

      Then Tavin changed his career trajectory, and Taleah joined a charter home school program.

Our “soon” reflects 2 years of delays, but we’ve learned a few things during the waiting:

Biblically, “soon” reveals the speed that an event approaches, not the duration before it arrives. In other words, an event approaches rapidly without our limits of when or how it must occur. The word emphasizes the imminence and appropriateness of time, irrespective of how long it takes.  Remember Daniel?  As “soon” as he set his heart to pray, he was heard, yet the answer delayed.  There is no idleness on God’s part (2 Peter 3:8) because He is not constrained to human timelines. The action we are looking forward to rests solely with Him (Romans 16:20 ).  Our anticipation must not center on the event but on the event’s Creator.  We focus on spiritual growth and humble service while we wait. When fleshly impatience flares, His grace carries us.

Meanwhile, ministry in Kenya continues without our in-country presence.  Weekly communication and periodic updates show fruitfulness. The Resource Center and medical clinic assist the marginalized.  The women’s groups continue to meet and encourage one another.  The water project completed training in a rural village.

By the Lord’s amazing power, Mark and I healed better than the doctors’ predicted. We’ve plugged back into serving locally by developing more vision and structure for our church’s children’s program, diligently working with Henry’s teachers and therapists to improve his hearing, understanding and speech.  We make ourselves available to families in the process of adopting.  We’re working on writing a curriculum to aid both short-term mission teams when they visit orphanages, and the orphaned children’s caregivers.  We’re also helping advise a design team at School of Mines who are creating a development project for Kenya.  Waiting certainly does not include apathy!

“Soon”  and how that happens remains God’s business, and regardless of how often I try to convince Him it means NOW, I appreciate the value of waiting upon Him. In His providential timing, we'll be back to Kenya.

Waiting on God provides amazing views!

A recent clean water training for a church in Nyang'ande.

Thanks for your prayers, support and encouragement!
hugs from the Haugers O0ooo