Hey, I know it’s been FOREVER since I updated here on my blog. I hope to write more blogs recapping my month in Georgia. It was an incredible month, I fell in love with the country and hope to return someday. But for today, I want to share a quick story from the beginning of the month getting to our location for the month.
Another month of ATL (Ask the Lord), my team prayed into what He wanted for my team and I to do. We felt led to working, and found a placement with WWOOF (Worldwide Work on Organic Farms). Let me tell you how God brought us there!
After a sweet few days in Tbilisi, Georgia, we set off heading west on the train. We got off in Rioni… which had nothing there except a rundown bus stop and a few stray dogs. Oops wrong stop. We started walking up some stairs and found a bus stop. We waited for a few minutes, prayed asking God to provide something to take us to Kutaisi as it was going to be a several hour walk and we’re in the middle of nowhere. And then an old, rusty taxi that is sputtering drives by and we wave for him to stop! He brakes and reverses, while we pick up our packs and run across the road. Now there’s four of us, each with a big pack and a small pack, but we’re all able to squeeze into the small car. With broken English and a map, we ask him to take us to the McDonald’s in Kutaisi and bargain the price for the ride. As I settle into the passenger’s seat, I notice that the gas tank is empty, so I say a quick prayer and trust that the Lord will get us there. We make it! But just as he drops us off, his car breaks down!! Thankfully we got to give him money for another tank of gas.
So we’re in McDonalds and it’s 3pm. After traveling since 7am, we’re famished. We order some food and decide to pray. We still haven’t heard from the man, *Levi, at the farm that we requested to work at. But before leaving Tbilisi, we all felt a deep peace about this place and knew the Lord was leading us there. So, we pray, and then try to figure out if we can go up to this farm by ourselves. The farm is another hour and a half from Kutaisi and it’s getting late, we don’t know the bus system. At this point, I am getting a little anxious. My team has mixed feelings about whether to try to go up or stay in Kutaisi that night. Then, the song Make Room comes on in the McDonalds! The lyrics go like this… “And I will make room for You, to do whatever You want to, to do whatever You want to. Have Your way, have Your way Jesus. We surrender, we surrender. Your way is better, Your way is better.” We all look at each other and collectively decide to stop and just worship God with this song. After the song is over, we decide to stay in the city, we find a hostel and move there. They are able to take all of us and we have our own room. Fast forward to the next day, we spend the morning as a team, then after lunch we decide to come back to the drawing board and figure out what to do. Maybe we need a plan B. But just as we are about to start planning again, we get confirmation that we can come to their farm! He said he is coming through Kutaisi in a few days and will drive us.
The next few days, we spent sweet time together going to the Botanical Gardens, sharing the Gospel and making friends at the hostel, going to lunch with new friends from Turkey, Japan and Russia, sharing testimonies, and taking a Sabbath. God gave us a few sweet days to reunite as a team and learn to not rush but take time to be with Him and use even the journey to be with Him and share His name.
When *Levi picked us up a few days later, Corban looked at me and said, “That’s the face that I saw!” … A few days prior at McDonald’s the first time, while we were praying, Corban had seen the face of a man, but didn’t know who it was. God is so faithful to give us reminders of His plan and the control that He has.
God knew exactly what was going to happen and planned it all out. It was a sweet learning to trust the Lord in everything, even down to the little details of planning. In the past, I always like to plan things. I like to be in control, and know what’s going to happen. I’m not always able to do that here on the Race, actually almost all the time. But it’s been a sweet process to rely on God and trust that He is working all things out for my good, like He says in Romans 8:28, “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to His purpose.”
If you love God and live in accordance with His plan for you, He will work all things out for good. He wants you to succeed, in the way He has planned for you. Ask Him what He wants for you and seek His good for you.
Update on my fundraising… I’m at 90% funded!! Thank you for all your support!
If you feel led to support, there is a link above to be able to donate directly to my fund (that is tax-deductible) or you can venmo me @clleverich. You can donate once or monthly. THANK YOU!!!
Stay tuned for my next blog… Meet my New Team… WOAH!!
Love always, Clara Grace
