Second Installment of the Dakota Trip

As we pulled in to the driveway in Sweetser, we were shocked with the realization that we were home. I stood in front of our car for a few moments, considering our journey over the past six weeks, our purpose in Cambodia, and this car that resembled a dog after a very long, hard run (though our car, unlike most dogs, had a huge amount of bugs splashed over its grill, bumper and headlights). During this quiet time, I reflected on these topics.

The Car
The car had been a great blessing from the Lord. Charles and Joan Sexton from Brookhaven had offered to trade cars with us while we traveled through the Dakotas, rather than have us spend the money to rent a vehicle. The car, a Buick LeSabre, was the perfect vehicle for this trip because it not only had more room than our little Ford Escort, but it also was equipped with cruise control, which was a great blessing for the thousands of miles that were covered, and the security of OnStar, which gave us reassurance that if we indeed ran into some trouble, such as an antelope or another of the large critters that inhabit the Dakotas, we would be able to call for help. The phrase that Charles and Joan had used when offering their car was that it was “God’s car”, and it certainly was in every way, and we are extremely thankful of Him and our friends who followed God’s calling in their lives to partner with us in this special way.

The Journey
In our devotional readings, we read Deuteronomy 2:7 which says

“The Lord your God has blessed you in all the work of your hands. He has watched over you journey through this vast [Dakota Wilderness]. These 40 [days] the Lord your God has been with you, and you have not lacked anything.”

I bet that you never knew that the Bible spoke of the Dakotas, and neither did we until we read this verse, at least it spoke directly to us. God worked many great miracles during this trip, providing everything that we would ever need during our trip, places to stay, churches with whom to share, and warm weather for traveling and camping. (I just learned that it snowed in the Dakotas last night, and I am reminded again that the Lord was looking out for us.) In our “wilderness training”, we learned to trust in God to provide for us, financially through the love offerings at the churches, in safety as we traveled, and in encouragement from each other as we worked for the six weeks that we were gone. We did not have manna, quail, water from a rock or a pillar of fire, but the signs that God was with us were just as apparent.

Cambodia
If this trip did anything, it strengthened our resolve that the Lord had called us to Cambodia to serve Him. He trained us in what it would be like as we lived overseas, without many of the comforts of home. He taught us again and again that our strength to endure is found in Him and His Word, not in earthly measures of finding peace. God put us in contact with many people who have experienced His ministry in Cambodia. We shared stories, experiences, and lessons that we have learned in Cambodia. Finally, God instilled in us a desperate need to be in Cambodia. After every time of sharing or while we packed up our display, we would stand in the foyer together, praying that God would bring in our support. God spoke to us again and again that we could trust in Him and it would happen on His time, in His way, which was a comfort in those difficult times.

As I stood over the car on that silent night in Sweetser, I was shocked that we were home, that the trip was over. But I knew that we were different people from the ones who had left the same driveway 44 days and 11 hours ago. God had refined us during this time, and I knew that we were that much closer to leaving for Cambodia, to fulfill the purpose that God had placed on our lives. That feeling of peace penetrated all of my thoughts, and as I walked inside, I knew that if God could bring us through such a journey as the Dakotas, He would lead us through even greater ventures in the future.

Thank you for reading, and I pray that this story has encouraged you to take a great journey, whether long or short in duration or distance, with our great God in heaven.

To Him be all the Glory,
Tim Gallant