God Answers Prayer By Arranging Coincidences
The Problem
“When we return from this upcoming furlough,” I told the Centre director, “Jo and I plan to concentrate on Bible translation with our Canela co-translators. In the village, however, medical emergencies frequently interrupt us, and our Canela helpers’ social responsibilities often distract them. So, we want to invite them out here to the Centre in Belem periodically, to do intensive translation, and work through problems with a consultant.”
The director said, “That’s good to know, but there is a lot of competition here for the rooms in the study centre. Could you work with them in your house?”
“No, not well. But I have a plan. Would the maintenance department oversee the construction of a second-story study room on our storage shed?”
He shook his head sadly and said, “We don’t have enough staff. We’re already swamped with work.”
Prayers During Furlough
Jo and I prayed regularly that God would find a way to meet this vital need. Our furlough was very encouraging, we settled in a city with an active Wycliffe Associates (WA) volunteer group. They helped us find a place to live and some families invited us out for meals and visits so that they could learn about our ministry.
One day a WA couple, Oscar and Yvette invited us for lunch when we “happened to be” in their neighbourhood. They asked about our ministry, so we showed photos of the Canelas and told them of our plans to focus fully on translation after furlough.
The Pleasant Coincidence
They surprised us, when they said, “We like to go on mission trips to do carpentry work. Is there anything we could do for you in Brazil during the coming Christmas holidays?”
“Yes, there sure is!” we said and showed them photos of our house on the Belem Centre and the storage shed in the corner of our lot.
“That storage shed is built very strongly on thick hardwood upright poles with heavy hardwood beams across the top to hold weight. We would love for you to build a second storey on it and extend it at one end to make a covered carport.”
Oscar and Yvette excitedly helped us plan the project: a bedroom for the Canela translators and a large study room. We designed these rooms with large, screened windows, leaving a narrow, photography darkroom in between. On the lower floor, we planned a basic bathroom and an outside stairway.
“Our tools are in the shed. Just give the maintenance director a list of materials you need, and he will have them delivered.”
During their Christmas holidays, Oscar and Yvette travelled to Brazil and completed the project before going home.
Original shed and expanded second storey study room, etc.
Problem Solved
When we returned from furlough, everything was just the way we had imagined it would be. The rooms had large ventilating windows on three sides which provided lots of cooling air and light but no direct sunlight. Writing tables lined the windowed study walls.
Another Prayer and a Coincidence
Later we heard that, in answer to Oscar and Yvette’s prayers, a dozen young men “just happened” to arrive from the States on the very day hundreds of heavy cement roof tiles had to be carried up to cover the roof. It was hard work, but they completed it within a few hours. The next day they left for their volunteer work destination.
Prayers of Thanksgiving to God
We used those second-story rooms constantly during the rest of our ministry life in Brazil! “Thank you, Lord God, for Oscar and Yvette and for our “just happening” to meet them that furlough. And thank you for their generosity, paying for all their own travel, and for spending their entire Christmas vacation working long hours to complete this vital project.”
Icing on the Cake
When, many years later, we left Brazil, the Wycliffe Centre bought our house, and we received several thousand dollars more than expected because of that super-useful second storey on our shed. This added blessing also came because God called Oscar and Yvette to serve Him through their carpentry work.
Note: Names have been changed to protect privacy.