What If

I didn’t plan it all. My timetable for the rest of the year does not include venturing out of the country. But eight months ago the Lord has shown me that He has been preparing the way for me to Vietnam, which would be my first missionary work in a foreign land. 

Having a faith free from all dubiety, I decided to go. With a few cash in my pocket and the assurance that God’s plan is greater than mine, I prayed eagerly for His providential work for two months. And when God worked His work, it will be amazingly perfect (Genesis 1-2). His guiding hand as I prepare for this mission trip has kept me from all doubts and hesitations.

However, there were some troubles with this trip. Besides being a girl traveling alone, this would be my first exit out of the country and three months of stay as a tourist abroad will make them put me on hold, or worse, would get denied to take my flight. The people behind this mission trip were giving me instructions on how to face the interrogation once I get to the Immigration Department. But no matter how much preparation you did, when things did not go as planned, the test of faith comes around.

On the day of my departure, I got delayed on my schedule. Still having the fatigue from yesterday’s duty, I took the bus late in the morning and arrived at the airport after 10 hours. I missed my lunch and didn’t have the time for dinner. I was getting worn out by the time I entered the Immigration Department five minutes before 10:00 pm. My hands were shaking from exhaustion, and my handwriting was almost unreadable as I fill up some papers. 

They put me on hold, as expected. In my exhaustion, I couldn’t keep up with all that’s happening around me. Since my mind could not function at its best, I tried to, at least, be consistent with all my answers to their questions. 20 minutes left before my flight, the interrogation continued. They politely informed me of the possibility of having to miss my flight. If I was me five years ago, I would have worried a lot. But in all those times of finding myself standing at the brink of the cliff, God was always present. God has brought me this far, which is the source of my confidence that He will carry me through during that very hour. My body was shaking from fatigue, but my mind and spirit were in perfect peace knowing that whatever happens God was right there with me.

Before I knew it, they gave a stamp on my passport and let me go. I only have two minutes left before my plane takes off. One of my interrogators even advised me to run towards my boarding gate. Finding my seat inside the plane, I remembered the prayer I had for two months: Lord if you want me to go, you will make it happen despite all odds.

While seated high above the clouds, I was pondering on the “what ifs.” What if my flight got delayed like what happened to me the last time I traveled to Bacolod? Would things happen differently? What if I got there earlier? What if my body was in better condition? What if I had my flight on a different schedule? What if I faced different people during the interrogation? What if I wasn’t traveling alone?

These questions could only lead me to one answer: God is in control.

God knows what He is doing. He is the One who determined which plane I should take, the right time I should arrive at the airport, the people who will look at my passport and the flow of the interrogation. He also allowed my fatigue to be part of the process. Or else, I would rely on my own strength and forget that God can handle the situation for me.

And I was not alone the whole time I was facing all their questions. My parents were up all night ready to take my call in case of an emergency. An older sister in Christ stayed outside the airport until I got on board. My brother and the rest of the company were in tensed waiting for my arrival at Ho Chi Minh. God provided all the support I needed that very hour.

My first sundown at District 7, Ho Chi Minh

The Lord knows exactly how to make things perfect if He wants to accomplish something. And I am humbled to do the work for the God of Sovereignty.