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Previous Challenge Entry (Level 2 – Intermediate)
Topic: Passport (07/25/05)
I fought back the tears as I said goodbye to the career missionaries who shared a week of their lives with us in Uruguay. It felt like I was leaving home, even though I was getting ready to start the journey back to the United States. I wasn't ready to leave, and I said as much to Robert, one of the missionaries. He grinned and said I could stay with his family, if I wanted to.

Our leader interrupted our goodbyes to remind us to exchange our pesos for dollars before we went through security. I asked my friend Teresa to hold my passport and boarding pass for me while I exchanged my currency.

When I returned, Teresa was nowhere in sight, but I didn't even notice until it was my turn to check in my luggage. Then I found out that Teresa and my passport were heading toward the gate. For one glorious, yet terrifying moment, I realized that there was a possibility that I would be staying in Uruguay with the missionaries. I told Robert that I might have to take him up on his offer. He patted my shoulder and smiled again. Nothing ever phased Robert, it seemed. I guess that's something you learn as a missionary - how to take things in stride.

It had been hard for me to take things in stride regarding my passport. I had been having so much trouble with it, ever since Day 1. It was a replacement. My original passport had been lost in the move from my parents' house to my apartment. I didn't give up hope of finding it until October. Our trip was in December. Then, when I tried to go to the post office to have a replacement made, I ran into all kinds of obstacles - the post office was closed, then I didn't have an original copy of my birth certificate, and on and on. All through this time, I kept praying for God to make a way for me to go on this trip, if it was His will, and He did. My passport came in plenty of time, and I was all set.

Now I wondered if it was God's will for me to stay in Uruguay indefinitely, while the rest of the group went back home. I wondered what my parents would say, and my boss. I didn't need to wonder long, though, because one of the other team members had not gone through yet. He heard about my plight and said that he would go find Teresa. Within minutes, Teresa was running back, waving my passport in her hand.

"I am SO sorry!" she gasped.

I smiled. "That's OK. I knew things would work out somehow."

And they did, all according to God's plan.
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Member Comments
Member
Date
Nina Phillips
08/03/05
Amen. That was a very nice entry. God bless ya, littlelight
Holly Laux
08/04/05
Great story! Isn't it amazing how if we leave our troubles to God, he always sees us through? Many blessings, Holly
Shari Armstrong 
08/07/05
A very nice story :) God has a way of working it all out doesn't He?
Deborah Porter 
08/09/05
Mishael, I just wanted to stop by very quickly with a little bit of encouragement for you. Your entry made it into the semi-finals for the Passport Challenge, so give yourself a pat on the back. There are so many entries for the Challeng each week now, so to actually be included in the quite small number that make it into the semi-finals for the Editors' Choice really is quite an achievement. Well done. With love, Deb (Challenge Coordinator)