Making plans

I hoped to be in Malawi at the time I write this blog. But plans do not always work out the way you think. Sometimes, we make plans that lay far before us, and we still think that those plans work out just the way we want them to. But I learned during this time of corona, that nothing happens when the Lord is not willing.

James tells us: "Go to now, ye that say, To day or to morrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain: Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away. For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that" (James 4:13-15).

Making plans in Malawi is different than making plans in the Netherlands. I found that out when I was doing my internship with For a Change. For example, we planned to go to the city early in the morning to extend our visa. And we would go on grocery shopping after that and in the afternoon, we would work on our research. But the plans turned out differently. It took a long time to extend our visa, although it was just signing a paper and paying. And when we came back to work on our research, there was no electricity. So we had to change that plan also. Sometimes, it is a hard job to let plans go when they do not turn out the way you want.

I realise that I am already making new plans, since the corona restrictions have been eased. I am planning to see my family and friends, I am planning my holiday, I am thinking about visiting Malawi next year and we also are meeting with the volunteers of For a Change to think about new activities.

But, in all cases it is true:

If the Lord is willing, and we shall live.