{"id":6803,"date":"2021-06-16T13:14:05","date_gmt":"2021-06-16T13:14:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.ethnos360.org\/joel-mcmartin\/?p=6803"},"modified":"2021-06-16T13:14:09","modified_gmt":"2021-06-16T13:14:09","slug":"chaos-and-calm","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.ethnos360.org\/joel-mcmartin\/2021\/06\/16\/chaos-and-calm\/","title":{"rendered":"Chaos and Calm"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Many times our life and ministry are filled with chaos. We came back from our last trip planning to have a month break from travel. Then we get word that we could no longer get visas to Guinea in Senegal as their system was being changed and it was unsure when it would be up and running again. Since that was my next trip we were suddenly faced with options of what do do in light of these changes. I still had a visa that was good until the 18th of June. So in the span of a few days tickets were changed and I was on plane again to get the trip in before my visa expired. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

My trip out the village had the goal of helping someone in their language learning as it had been over a year since a consultant could visit her in the village. The visit turned our really well despite a lot of uncertainty in the planning of the trip. We had a good time together and were able to discuss what her next steps are. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Now I find myself in the capital waiting again for COVID tests so that I can return to Senegal. My time here was what I was looking forward to the least as I was having to navigate a capital city and COVID system that I am unfamiliar with on my own. On the day that I was leaving to take my test, I was struggling to find transportation as everything that was passing was full. After waiting for 15 minutes, suddenly a car pulls out of the guesthouse and stops and asks where I was going. I find out they also are going to get a test and offer to take me with them. They are missionaries from Ivory Coast who are directors at a hospital here in Guinea. They also know some of the missionaries Joel and I work with. They were my angels that day as they not only gave a ride but walked me through all that I needed for the test. They had contacts in the hospital so we didn’t have to follow all the steps everyone else did as well. Plus I got to get to know them and hear about their life and ministry here. It was such a gift from God. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

So, yes, life is often chaotic and unpredictable, yet despite that God brings calm to our life. There is often uncertainty but he has always been faithful to provide what we needed in the chaos. It wouldn’t seem like chaos and calm could go together. But time and time again God makes that possible. I just have to remember that and trust when the chaos seems to be most evident.<\/p>\n\n\n\n