Greetings again from Cote d’Ivoire.   The first week has been pretty busy for all of us.  Rod and Angelika left last Monday for a field leader conference in Bamako, so I have been bouncing between working on campus and helping orient the new couple (Steve and Jessica).  Within the midst of being caught between two schedules, the joy of seeing friends again brings a freshness to life. 

I was able to have lunch with my host family last Sunday.  Mom and Sephora were not back yet from visiting family in the village, but Grace gave me a warm welcome and would not leave me lap.  I am looking forward to seeing them again tomorrow at Church, but I know the topic of me moving in with them again will come up.  It pulls at my heart to live there again; to ride bike into work; and to be able to visit Benjamin on a whim.   But along with that, I know to move in with my host family would be selfish and I would not be a part of orienting Jessica and Steve.  I do not want to get bogged down in the details when there is so much to be thankful for. 

We are relearning right off the bat that life is not determined by our schedules, and orientation has been day to day as we adapt to the unexpected.  I saw “In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps (Proverbs 16:9)” posted on a wall the other day while moving bed frames, and it feels like it has been the theme of this week.  That does not mean that things are not working, it is instead that situations which stumped me have turned out as an unforeseen blessing.  That is why our French teacher being pulled away to plan his wedding, being too busy myself to visit everyone I want to see, and the unknowns of these next few months need to being continually put in their place behind the sovereignty of God’s will and faithfulness of his love.      

Already, there has been presented opportunities that wet my engineering appetite, but involve sacrificing time with friends and family in Cote d’Ivoire.  Please pray.

Devin Weaver