A letter from Kay Day in Malawi
October 2010
Dear Family and Friends,
Jehovah jireh — God provides. That has been my experience this month in powerful ways. For that, I praise God. God’s provision has been evident many times this month, but most powerfully in three events in the last two weeks.
Two of them I have written about in some detail in my blog, so I’ll summarize them here. Both of them involved cars, a constant source of depending on God in Malawi. Coming back in my car from a time in Chiuta Presbytery, one of our more remote areas, the ball joint on the left front wheel broke. The tire buckled, and the car skidded across the road on metal, safely coming to rest on a broad shoulder, clear of all traffic. God provided powerfully. I was not alone. Thomas and Jean and my assistant from Chigodi were with me. Traffic was light and there were no other cars even near us when this happened. It happened in an undeveloped area, so there was room on the shoulder, with no danger to us or anyone else. We were near Chigodi and Blantyre, so help could come to us, and God sent great help. One of the police officers who lives at Chigodi came as our guard and a mechanic and driver came from the synod. They were able to patch the problem to the extent that the car could be driven, ever so slowly, back to the synod to be repaired. God protected us and provided for us that night. Just a week later, the synod provided a car and driver to take the program director, my assistant and me to another of our remote presbyteries. We were to speak at two churches. On the way from one to the other we had a flat tire and only then discovered that there was no jack in the car. God provided again, with a resourceful driver and three strong young men who came along and were able to lift the car while the driver placed rocks under it to serve as a jack. The spare was good and we were back on the road in no time, able to make it to the second church without keeping the ladies waiting too long.
The third event is more personal but still involves transportation. Jean, Thomas’ wife, has been having some physical difficulties. Finally last Friday pain and questions wore her down to the point that she told Thomas and he told me. He asked me to pray. I did, and God provided answers once again. I contacted Dr. Sue Makin, a friend who had served here in Malawi for 11 years, and asked her for a medical reference in Blantyre. She is now working in Korea. The Internet is a provision from God, because we could be in communication and she gave a quick and sure contact. Thomas said they would be down on Sunday evening, after church. They were later leaving than they had hoped to be, so finding transportation became an issue. Minibuses stop running from Ntaja before 5 p.m. They didn’t get to Ntaja until well after 5, but God provided a truck whose driver gave them a ride to Liwonde, at the bottom of the mountain. There, the driver helped them make connections for a ride as far as Zomba. They arrived in Zomba after 8 p.m. There were no minibuses in sight at that time on a Sunday night. They stood at the bus stop, Thomas in his clergy collar and Jean in her mvano uniform, wondering what to do, when a truck passed them and then came back. The driver recognized them after he saw the clothing. He was from St. Michael’s and All Angels congregation and had heard Thomas preach at a youth rally there. He gave them a ride right to my yard. God provided safe travel for them. On Monday the task was to locate the doctor and see when Jean could be seen. The doctor works at a hospital about 45 minutes from Blantyre, but holds clinic hours in Blantyre twice a week. My friend Sam Ncozana knows the clinic, and so he offered to help them make contact, since I had a teaching assignment Monday morning. By the time I was finished teaching, they were with the doctor. By God’s provision, the doctor was at the clinic Monday and was able to take them almost immediately. She did a complete exam, ran some tests and gave a careful diagnosis. She put Jean on medication and set up a follow-up schedule for her. But beyond the medical competency, she was compassionate, gentle and encouraging. She is a Christian who cares deeply about her patients. She is here to serve God. That is God’s provision for Jean, and his peace of mind for me.
What I have been reminded of in each of these situations is that God never promises us that we will not have difficulties. We will. That is part of life. What he promises is that he will be with us and will provide for us in the midst of the difficulties (Isaiah 43:1-2). That is what he as been showing me all this month. Jehovah jireh. I pray that we can all see God’s hand of provision in all of life& mdash; in Malawi and everywhere you are.
Love,
Kay (Cathie to the family)
The 2010 Mission Yearbook for Prayer & Study, p. 59
