Open and Closed Doors

A few hours ago the plane was almost here.  The pilot Bill Scott and our little aircraft made it to Adak, Alaska on the very tip of the Aleutian islands.  Everyone on the island was surprised to see such a little aircraft that had made it there in between storms.  In summer it would be unusual, but in winter with at-freezing temps and winds that can whip up to 170 knotts, it was wild.  A few more days or hours, and the plane could be stuck there for the winter - not something we wanted with hangar space costing $400 dollars a night.  God was holding the winds for us...

Japan was open!  They said, "come"!  Just landing there can cost thousands of dollars, but they were willing to let our little aircraft land for little or no cost!  What a miracle!!  But before going across the open ocean, facing the elements with calculated fuel amounts, there were other permits to obtain.

Mongolia is land-locked by Russia and China, thus it is impossible to reach us without overflying one or both of these countries.  Wings of Eagles, the organization Bill Scott flies for, was working around the clock to keep the permits coming so that Bill could keep moving forward.  At the last moment, hours before he was to start the over-the-ocean flight, Wings of Eagles was refused permits to overfly China.  China stated that our aircraft did not meet their 12,500 lb. minimum weight.  This was not a problem we expected since Wings of Eagles has flown airplanes smaller than that into China.  Despite their continued efforts, China closed the door.  Russia wouldn't even consider allowing us to over-fly their country, let alone land there, which would be necessary if we could not over-fly China.  Together with our co-workers here, and many others in the states, we fasted and prayed and worked to reverse the decision, but there was no prying the doors open.  They were shut and locked.  Meanwhile, the weather window was closing, making every hour on Adak a greater risk for the plane and pilot.

Open doors, closed doors....we weren't sure what to think.  A few hours later, and we're still reeling from the excitement, disappointment, and questions, even as Bill is flying the plane back to the lower 48 states.  We praise God that he was able to make it back off of Adak, and are praying for his continued safety for the rest of his journey!  We appreciate his courage and Wings of Eagles' hard work to make this happen, but for the moment it is not to be!

What does God have in mind?  Is he saving us from some difficulty or disaster that we can't foresee?  Is He directing us to place our full time and energy into medical work and health teaching?  Is He showing us through unmistakable means that His hand is over all things and that we must just trust Him in the shadow as well as the sunshine?  We don't have all the answers, but we choose to serve the Lord, trusting in Him, taking His hand and following where He leads.

"When by faith we take hold of His strength, He will change, UTTERLY CHANGE, the most hopeless discouraging outlook.  He will do this for the glory of His name."  PK 263