Previous Challenge Entry (Level 4 – Masters)
Topic: DISTANCE (10/08/20)
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TITLE: A Last Minute Confirmation | Previous Challenge Entry
By Mariane Holbrook
10/15/20 -
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Eight-year-old Nell was spending the night with a school friend who lived only four miles away but the distance seemed more like four thousand miles to Nell. This was Nell's first time away from home at night and she tried not to let her friend hear her crying. After her mother failed to change Nell's mind, she drove out to rescue her frantic daughter.
Nell, one of six children, had always been noticeably shy and protected by her parents and five sisters. On the opening day of first grade, Nell was so traumatized that her mother was asked To sit in the corner of the classroom to assist in acclimating Nell to her new surroundings. After two more days, her mother was able to leave at lunchtime, then stopped going altogether.
Slowly, Nell made friends in junior and senior high schools. She joined the Glee Club but because she was often unwell, avoided sports activities. She regularly attended church with her family and one memorable Sunday when she was fourteen, Nell made her way to the altar and invited Jesus into her life. It was a lifetime commitment from which she never veered. With her years of piano lessons, she was sometimes asked to substitute for the pianist at church.
Nell, for the most part, overcame her paralyzing shyness and timidity, but her family was more than a little surprised when, as a graduating senior, she announced that God had called her to be a missionary to India.
Her plan was to work for a year to acquire some funds for part of her college tuition, apply for scholarships, then attend a Christian college that offered a degree in missions.
Her family remained quiet as she explained subjects she had carefully researched; the country of India, mission boards from various denominations, colleges; available funding, and much more.
Though proud of her choice and commitment, the unasked questions on everyone's minds remained: "Nell has never traveled anywhere alone. How will she handle the long-distance of 8,000 miles by herself to a country where she won't know even one person? Will she suffer from chronic homesickness?"
Her parents didn't know whether to encourage or discourage her but they kept their misgivings to themselves and persuaded Nell's siblings to do likewise. Before long, they took an unfeigned interest in her plans by reading books and news articles about India's culture, religions, traditions, education, and medical advances.
After graduation, her work as a secretary in a publishing house helped her savings account to grow appreciably during the year she worked there. Her parents encouraged her to deposit her entire salary into savings while they contributed to it regularly, also. They prayed continually for confirmation that Nell's call to India was God's will and did nothing to dissuade her. Yet, their hesitation continued as they reflected on her physical and emotional history.
Nell finished college with degrees in missions and early education. Her life-long interest in the plight of orphans led her to a missionary organization that concentrated on orphanages in several Euro-Asian countries and she was overjoyed when she discovered that India was on their list.
After an interview and endless correspondence with World Missions United, Nell was assigned to a mission-operated orphanage near Delhi, India. With her departure date set, her family became more vocal in questioning her call. India was so far away and her parents longed for a sign, a confirmation, a Scripture verse; anything that would give them peace about the distance that would separate them.
All members of her family accompanied Nell to New York Harbor where she would board a ship to India. There were tears of both joy and sadness.
Shortly, a man walked over on the dock, introduced himself, and said to Nell, "I'm on my way back to Delhi, India as a Christian surgeon. I felt the Lord strongly leading me to give you this. I don't know you, or where you're headed, or even why, but I am following God's direction in doing this."
He handed Nell a check for $1,000 along with his card and said, "I have been working in a clinic there for twelve years. Contact me if you ever need anything."
Nell's mother raised her hand toward heaven and quoted Isaiah 33:17. "Your eyes will see the King in His beauty; They will see a far-distant land."
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