Large Earth, Small World with Relationships

From Susie C. (Missouri) - Blue with secondary Yellow
Hello fellow bloggers – For those of you who read this blog regularly, you might remember that I had the privilege of going on a mission trip last summer to Goma, Congo. It was one of those life-changing experiences where I felt that I literally rubbed shoulders with Holy Spirit and fell in love with His African children.

Anyway, following my return in June, I began to diligently try to find a job. I had been unemployed since May, but didn’t feel it would be fair to take a new job and then be gone for 3 weeks, and I certainly wasn’t going to cancel the Africa trip. I sent out dozens of resumes and interviewed several places, but could just never find the right job. In desperation, I even tried a call center job. I couldn’t do it. Boy, do I have respect for those who can.

In December I drove to Dallas to go to work for my daughter who needed some interim help in her clinic (and I needed the money) and as luck would have it, I received a call actually in the car and on the way to Dallas about a possible job at St. John’s Hospital where I had worked back in the 80’s/90’s. I told them that I could not interview for three weeks and was afraid that would ruin my chances at the job. They continued to interview others and scheduled my interview for the 19th, the day of my return to Missouri.

Well, long-story-short, I got the job and it is PERFECT! It is in the not-for-profit foundation arm of the hospital which greatly interested me following the experience in Africa. It is only 32 hours per week, but with full benefits, so I was just praising God and thanking Him for answering my prayers so deliberately. OK, now here comes the fun part and the part about relationships and Our Father’s planning. I went to get the required immunizations for working in a hospital environment and while doing that, one of my friends mentioned that the new Priest at the hospital was from Africa. I became very excited and said, “Oh, I must meet him!” I went to his quarters and knocked on the door. This wonderful African voice said “welcome.” I entered speaking the very little Swahili that I remembered. His wonderful smile met my eyes which were full of tears that God had brought us together, we embraced, and there’s no doubt in my mind that we will be forever friends. I told him that I had been to Goma, and he said (you’re not going to believe this), “I was born in Goma.” Now, how is that for God’s timing and planning? After months, He put me in a job where I could have a relationship with a brother from the other side of the world. We understand each other. We’ve seen the same things. I think we will be great encouragement for each other to go about God’s work. Thank you, God, for this new relationship. We just have to be open for it and God will provide because I think He loves to bring his children together.

Susie Crutcher