Thanksgiving in My Heart

Thanksgiving is holed up in my heart. It has to be here. There are no colorful trees or orange pumpkins. No apple harvest. No cold nights and no tumbling leaves in a nose-dripping wind.

For Jay, no deer season. For the kids, no snow.

        It makes me realize I’ve taken this season of thankfulness for granted.

When all the visual cues of the season are gone, you have to search for Thanksgiving. Isn’t that true of thankfulness in general? We take things for granted unless we have a heart of thankfulness at all times.

Today I’m so thoroughly thankful. Have you ever needed to hug someone because your love and deep feelings were ready to burst from your chest and they just had to be released somehow? Well, I’m squeezing my thankfulness into this letter. I pray it blesses you. 

Seeing the Lord Move– As my faith has grown, I’ve realized I can see the Lord’s hand move or bless most weeks. That is true here as well. Consider today: Jay was scheduled to visit via Skype with Dennis Shaw’s high school class at 1pm. At 12:30 a neighbor walked in the door with a gift from one of Jay’s patients -- two grilled cuwi (large guinea pigs).

 What a great way to add a little culture to Jay’s talk with a sociology class in Iowa. Not to mention that dinner is covered, too.  : ) And yesterday, a family that is moving stateside gave us a few toys… just right for Jayson at Christmas. Thank you, Lord.

Living in Community – Serving here provides a myriad of blessings, touching each member of the family differently, but one that touches us all is living in community with fellow believers.  Walking together. Serving together. Supporting each other in trials and giving grace the best we can when someone falls.

Right now we are waiting on the Lord together.  Here’s why: The Lord is bringing changes to the hospital here. The hospital has had financial challenges for some time. That paired with the development of national healthcare nearby means the needs here are changing.

All missionaries want to work themselves out of a job and move on to fresh fields. That time is being realized at Hospital Vozandes del Oriente. Exactly how will it happen? We aren’t sure. The need for health care deep in the jungle remains. The need for training residents remains. But when ministry begins to compete with local services, it’s time for change.

Thankfulness in Uncertain Times – So uncertain times are here in Shell. Perhaps with the presidential election results, times seem uncertain back home, too. This is a hard place to be. It’s hard to not worry but instead to know that God has a plan and in His time it will be realized. He is faithful. He knows our needs before we do. He knows the needs of a changing ministry, too.

Last month I mentioned a visit by a young couple from Sweden. They feel called to serve in Ecuador. Called to serve in the jungle even with their little children. That is where the need is. That is where the needs point to. God knows. God is prepared. It’s great to see Him going ahead of this ministry during uncertain times and preparing people to serve. 

We share these experiences that you may know the King lives. He walks with us. He cares about each detail of our lives. If only we will meet him in each moment and turn each detail over to him. No, that is not easy. Not at home or in the jungle. But we have tangibly seen his hand and we are encouraged and so we offer you the details of HIStory so that you may be blessed and join us in our thankfulness.  

Until next time…

Lynnelle for the Allisons