A week ago today.
Has it flown by that fast?
I can't believe it, but it is true.
Last Friday morning I woke up at 5 am with only about 4 hours of sleep.
I had to finish packing the shipping crates, the truck comes today!
Ugh, ugh, I'm tired.
Got to get this done.
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| An empty shipping crate (made by my dad). |
After today, no more packing crates - Hooray!
(I am sure you never give yourself a pep-talk, but for me it happens quite often.
Or sometimes it is me talking to the Lord and claiming His promises.
Like- "Lord, You promised You would never leave me or forsake me",
or "You said, 'Faithful is He who called you, who also will do it".
Yes, that is what I do to get things done sometimes when I feel I cannot go on.)
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| "No Buddy, you cannot go!" (He was no help packing). |
This was surely a day when I needed much coffee.
But alas, there was not even time to make it
(Did you just gasp? I know, I gasp when I wrote this.
It must be desperate times when there is not even time for coffee) or eat anything.
Time was of the essence.
5:30 - throw the rest of the packing stuff in the truck,
Packing, Packing, Packing,...
6am - still more stuff.
Packing, Packing, Packing,...
6:30 - more and more, "How do I get this in?"
"Which crate should this go in?
"Do I really need to take this?
Packing, Packing, Packing,...
This is what I had been doing since the last Saturday
and this is what I did till my parents arrived at 10:30am.
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| Dad, William and I putting metal bands on the crates. |
My dad, mom, and brother, William, came to put the lids on the crates
and to apply the metal bands.
Finished at 12:45.
The shipping truck came at 1:30pm (1 1/2 hrs early!).
With the help of my dear friend Greg, the crates and trunks got loaded onto the shipping truck and off they went to be unloaded at some warehouse,
loaded onto another truck, unloaded at another warehouse,
loaded on another truck, unloaded at the docks,
loaded into a container, loaded onto a ship,
and sailing off toward the Port of Durban, South Africa. Whew!
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| Shipping truck loading the crates. |
Now I could shower.
Now I could eat.
Now I could rest (till I pack my suitcases, that is).
I was interupted by the director of the camp where I live(6:20pm).
He said, "Come quick, I think Jen needs our help".
We piled in the truck and speedily went down the road.
At Jen's house, we were met by a 9 month pregnant woman.
She had her Bible in one hand, purse in the other, and two crying boys trailing behind.
With a painful voice, she said, "I need to go to the hospital NOW".
Leaving the boys in the hands of the camp director,
Jen and I were off to the hospital(6:25pm)
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| Chris and Jennifer Jackson |
We got less than a quarter mile down the road, when Jen said she was ready to deliver.
The ambulance we were to meet was nowhere in sight.
Contractions came harder and faster.
The Lord prompted me to drive to the local ambulance building.
As we pulled in the EMT's came out to help.
With thier help Jen was in the ambulance.
Oh, Jen. What a strong and godly woman!
We called upon the Lord for her strength and claimed His promises.
He was there, we could feel it.
I could tell they needed help and told them that I was a midwife
(which in case you didn't know that, I am)
and asked if I could have a pair of gloves.
In just a few minutes, a precious little girl was brought into this world.
What a blessing to be used of the Lord to bring a baby into this world in my home town.
I will never forget that moment!
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| Cutest picture of my special blessing - Jubilee Jackson |
The day before I left for South Africa, I received a note at my door.
In the note was a picture of this precious gift.
On the back of the picture were these words:
"Jubilee Angel Jackson
born: June 8, 2012
6lbs 4.2 oz and 19 inches long
Delivered by: Gina Frey"
How special, how sweet, what a gift from God!"
Jen's letter included this verse:
"It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed,
because His compassions fail not.
They are new every morning: great is Thy faithfulness."
Lamentations 3:22-23
What a great truth!
His mercies are new every morning,
His compassions fail not,
GREAT IS HIS FAITHFULNESS!!!
How has the Lord proven Himself faithful to you lately?
Rest in the truths that his mercies fail not,
His compassions are new every morning,
Great is His faithfulness!!!
May I never forget His faithfulness to us on that day.
I have also learned that on each morning,
we have no idea what God has in store for us during that new day,
but that we just need to trust that He IS faithful!