The God Who Provides

Moving….it is an emotional roller coaster….and I feel like it is even MORE of a roller coaster here in East Asia.

Let me back up a bit and fill you in….last year when we arrived the three of us flew in and hunkered down in a hotel room.  We had just a few days to find an apartment before funds ran out and our local friends had to get back to work.  You can read previous posts about it all but it was amazing to see the Father provide in just a few days.  While the apartment has been awesome, our landlord informed us that we could not stay for the full year because his family was moving back in.  Sometimes contracts are just suggestions here….so two to four weeks before our move out date we started looking for a new place.

You may consider that super late to start looking but you have to understand that for China two weeks before is VERY early.   Most of our local friends would give us this bewildered look as to why on earth we would waste our time to look so early.  But our American heritage could not wait any longer and run the risk of being homeless, so we began the search early.

I guess the Father is part Chinese because he continued to shut every door until 3 days before we were supposed to move out.

As a family whose job is to do min. with those around us, it is important that we know we are following His leading when it comes to location.  Our neighborhood is very important as this is where I spend 95% of my time.  With that also comes the desire to be willing to make sacrifices and do what needs to be done where ever He calls us.  That puts a TON of pressure on the home search.  What parameters can we really put if we are fully devoted?  Do we insist on a certain size – or is that too greedy?  Do we insist on a certain price range – or are we not trusting that He will provide?  Do we insist on a location – or is He asking us to start somewhere new?  Do we insist on an environment that isn’t falling apart – or is that being to picky?

Jaden wanted to help Josh look for apartments on the Internet…so he got “his” computer

We tried to be open to all kinds of places and circumstances and so we said “yes” to three different places.  From everything to a place with a closet that had a sink and stove for the entire kitchen, to another that would require hiking up 6 flights of stairs and another that was smaller with a TON of the owners stuff left inside and finally another that would require a 30-40 min. bus ride to school and no stores that were a walkable distance.  Mind you, it is very emotional for me to make such a huge decision so quickly.  Usually, people here will only allow a couple hours for you to decide if you want it because there will already be someone else ready to take it.  So I have to imagine what life will be like and if it will be suitable for Jaden and what we want to do here in just a of couple hours.

The process has been hard on everyone.  If we found a place on the internet that looked reasonable we would have to call or have someone who speaks better Chinese call and set up a time to see it.  We would have to be ready to go at a moment’s notice and can be told at any point that it was already rented.  Thankfully, life here includes a nap in the middle of the day so Jaden didn’t miss any naps through the whole process but now whenever he wakes from his nap he asks “new house, see new house?”

We saw countless homes and most of them were in terrible condition.  There were a few times that we would get all the way there and receive a phone call that it was already rented.  And yet, there were a few a long the way that we said “yes, we can do this place” and then just before signing we would get a call saying that  we couldn’t rent it for one reason or another.  It was so up and down and stressful.  We got a package recently and already every piece of the candy and chocolate is gone!

But the Father continued to renew our strength, while there was usually crying in the evening we did have joy and hope in the morning.  We tried to make it as fun as possible for Jaden; taking side trips to parks along the way or stopping for crackers/yogurt and playing in the different neighborhoods.

This is one of TWO that are near our new place

We are so happy to tell you that yesterday we signed another contract for this next year with a new place.  It is in a different area of town that has a really high concentration of cousins.  The apartment is located on the 2nd floor and is a little bigger than what we have now.  The rooms only fit a bed but the living and dining room are very open.  The kitchen is totally manageable and there are actually two bathrooms!  They will provide a fridge and washing machine which is awesome.  AND there is a tub in one of the bathrooms (I am hoping it is in the bathroom that has hot water).

We don’t move in until Monday so I’ll have to let you know further details later but we are so relieved to have a place we can make our own for the next year (hopefully the entire year this time!).  One thing you could think about for us is that I noticed when we looked at the place was that there were two shrines to Buddha.  I could tell that they were very actively being used with it just brimming with incense ash.  It is my prayer that the Father will fill this new home with His Holy Spirit.  I had prayed for that in our current home and He was faithful in doing so (our neighbors have both commented on actually FEELING a peace when in our home).  This time we are entering a place that was formerly filled with idolatry and so I pray that the Father overcome the powers of darkness and fill this home with His Light and Truth.  Thankfully, we serve a God that can do just that!