God’s Protection, Providence and Promise
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Dear Friends and Family,
This week, I was reminded of the story of Paul’s shipwreck in Acts of the Apostles 27–28. The passage recounts Paul’s journey to Rome as a prisoner. While traveling by ship, they encountered a violent storm. Though the ship was lost, every person on board survived because of God’s promise to Paul. The story highlights Paul’s faith under extreme circumstances and beautifully reinforces the theme of God’s protection, providence, and promise.
The recent events in the Middle East were not a surprise to God, even though they were to us. David and I were still in Southeast Asia. We were awaiting a team of ten college students and two staff members from Belmont University.
The team departed the United States on Friday, February 27, and were scheduled to arrive at 2:30 a.m. on March 1. Their flight route took them through Doha and into India. Two to three hours before landing in Doha, the pilot received word of a missile attack on Iran, and the plane was diverted to Turkey.
We remained in constant contact with the team. Upon landing in Turkey, one of the students, with a wonderful attitude, said, “Well, Paul was shipwrecked—and we only had our plane diverted.” That young lady understands the protection, providence, and promise of our God.
The University made the decision to return the students to the U.S., not knowing what might unfold—especially with the team traveling further east. They were unable to leave Turkey until Monday morning, but we are grateful to share that they are now safely home.
It is in moments like these that we are reminded to trust in God and His providence. Please pray for all those in the Middle East, that the one true God would reveal Himself to those who do not yet believe. Pray also for us as we continue our journey here in Southeast Asia and serve those God has placed before us.
Blessings,
Vicki
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