Waking in the Night

This week was our Spring Break from school so our family decided to take the opportunity to go on safari. Even though we live in a rural part of Uganda, we don’t have elephants and lions near us. We decided to drive to the Northeast to a remote park where there are many animals that aren’t often seen elsewhere. On our trip we saw giraffes, zebras, elephants, buffalo, warthogs, so many types of birds and antelopes, a rock hyrax, a hyena, a leopard and a lion. It was worth the 25 hours driving in the van to get there and back. 

Here are my boys looking for the roaring lions in the evening. 

Even though we were staying outside the park, the animals don’t know of any boundary. On our last night there we heard 2 lions roaring in the distance. They were far enough away that we felt comfortable walking from our tents to the restaurant for dinner and back. But as the night went on, roaring sounded a bit closer. We eventually fell asleep, but were woken around 2am with the news that our daughter was sick in another tent. The lions sounded closer, but far enough that I felt safe walking quickly to her tent. Once she was settled and everything was taken care of, I went back to my tent to get some rest. A couple hours later I woke to the sound of my daughter getting sick again. I got up and went to check on her. Once I checked on her and she was settled, I was ready to go back, but this time the lions sounded even closer. I was trying to figure out if I should stay in her tent for the night. David called and said he was outside the tent and it was safe for me to walk back. As we shined a light outside to the distance one lion made a quick roar in response. I moved quickly to my tent with instructions to all my children to stay inside their tents and not to go out. I zipped myself inside our tent and prayed. 

I was sad that my daughter was sick and I couldn’t make her better. I was afraid of the lions roaring very nearby. I knew that I was helpless to do anything, but I remembered that God can do all things. Growing up I learned the Bible stories of how God closed the mouths of the lions to protect Daniel. I learned about the many ways Jesus miraculously healed people. God is the same God and He is able to do anything. He gave me the ability to trust him with these concerns and get some rest. 

I know that on other continents, the fears are different. The corona virus is causing widespread international concern. I don’t know so much about it except that Uganda is now requiring self quarantine for people entering the country from places with known cases to prevent the virus from coming here. Each situation has some things we can do, precautions we can take, but most of these things are out of our control. No matter the situation, I want to remember these words from Psalm 56:3-4a:

When I am afraid, I put my trust in you. In God whose word I praise, in God I trust; I shall not be afraid.

It is funny that I was able to trust God with this situation, but the next day as I was thinking about the teachers we need for next school year, I fell back into fear and worry. As I was spiraling into all the “what if’s” my husband suggested we pray and leave it with the Lord. I’m not always great at that, but I am trying to remember to trust in God for all things. 

Our lives, our children and our school are in God’s hands. He kept us safe from the lions, and my daughter has recovered from her brief illness. I don’t know if or when He will provide additional teachers. But even when God’s answers are not the ones I want, I will put my trust in Him. Yes, sometimes I am afraid, but I know that even when I struggle to trust Him, He is loving me and working for my good. I love how these verses begin with “when I am afraid” and end with “I will not be afraid.” I waver between the two, but I will continue to remind myself to trust in Him.