A place to stay!

A place to stay...

Once we purchased airline tickets, it was time to look for a place to stay in or near the city in Lesotho, Africa where our son's orphanage is.  Lesotho requires adopting families to stay for 14 days.  We will be staying there 18 days.  We ache to learn all we can about this heritage that is becoming part of our family.  If we could stay longer, we would. 

Intimidating task:

Finding a safe and affordable place to stay with our 7 children for 18 days in an unfamiliar city on the other side of the world where we know no one. 

I stressed. 

And lost sleep over it.

But, God is faithful and gentle even when we are freaked out. 

He provided. 

Safe in his hands.

After thinking a simple prayer for direction, I got onto my laptop and began searching for places that could handle 10 people including little children.  I emailed every place that showed vacancy with good reviews within a 40 mile radius of the city where our son's orphanage is.

  

One replied...

She said because were are traveling with so many children, she would accommodate us in her 4 bedroom cottage and include a cleaning service.  Her price was 1/3 that of the nice hotels I had researched.  Unlike hotels, the cottage has a kitchen (which brings down food costs.)  Our options were obviously limited and reviews of her cottage are stellar so we agreed to move forward unaware of knowing how far away our son's orphanage would be.  I figured transportation could be the next task.  So, we committed to this place by wiring her a deposit.

Anxiety lingered.

I was stressing as our deposit had not made it to the cottage yet.  The wire failed.  My thoughts raced throughout the night..."What if it's in a poor location?  What if I can't get the deposit there?  How will we get to Mohale's orphanage?  What if....What if....What if....?

Our adoption agency emailed the current director of Mohale's orphanage and asked him if he'd heard of this cottage. He had not. After locating the cottage, he was amazed that it is just a brief walk from the orphanage!  He was absolutely impressed with the layout for a family our size.

Next, the lady at the cottage who I've been corresponding with at the cottage emailed me back and said not to stress over the failed wire as she had already reserved it for our family.  Her email went on to say that "God moves in many good ways and yes, the cottage is very close to your son's orphanage."  She also was happy to tell us that original founders of Mohale's orphanage were in her prayer group in this cottage many years ago!  

Out of all the places I emailed within a 40 mile radius around the city???

How's that for God providing a place of us to stay and gently reminding "Be still and know...?" 

Consider how the wildflowers grow: They don't labor or spin thread. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his splendor was adorned like one of these!
Luke 12:27

I will post more on contact info for this Cottage at a later date for future families who are traveling to Lesotho.