LineaLanoie's Weblog

This week seems to be a week of “lasts”.  Last sedation day till fall.  Last day at the school program today. Yesterday the last day of classes for my high school kids. The last Friday coffee at the Bison. And only 5 more working days till I leave. 

Our visa’s came today.  All in order.  One more detail in place. 

I have always had this recurring dream that I get before a big trip.  In the dream I am desperately putting things into a suitcase and rushing, rushing to get to the airport.  Just get there to see the plane(or bus, or some vehicle) taking off without me.  It hasn’t come this time.  Either it has been too long since I travelled like this or someone is giving me an extra sense of peacefulness about this one.

It is stressful in some ways getting ready.  I am not a good organizer so that part just making sure I have taken care of the details is always stressful to me.  On all our trips before I pretty much took care of the packing and Leo did the administrative details like tickets and visa’s.  I am doing most of it this time.  Not that Leo hasn’t been around to help, but he hasn’t taken over like he would if we were going together.  So I could really be panicked.  But there is an incredible sense of this trip being exactly right, of God moving to see that it takes place right now. 

There is also a different sense about this trip.  I am not sure how to pin down the difference but it is a bit like God has something up his sleeve if he has sleeves.  As if he is moving things around me to accomplish some purpose.  I am not going to accomplish some great plan of my own.   I am just going to help and to encourage and to renew friendships.  I have plans to do some upgrading of the dental personnel but other than that I don’t have a big agenda of my own.  And this is the scariest part of the whole thing because I am not sure exactly what God wants of me.  So in some ways I’m saying OK, God I will try and fit into whatever plans you have for us.  You take control and help me to listen for directions from you.”  It is a bit of a vulnerable feeling but good at the same time.

It’s hard to believe that in two weeks we will either be languishing in the airport in Paris or gazing up at the Eiffel Tower waiting till the evening flight down to Africa.

Well, these will hopefully not actually be lectures but will be more like seminars where we all get involved in the discussion so that whatever is learned will be both practical and retained. 

Today I have been working on infection control.  This is such an important aspect of dental practice here in North America where we have relatively few really bad bugs around and relatively huge numbers of products to kill them off with. 

 “Le but principal d’un programme de prévention de transmission des maladies est de réduire le tôt de pathogènes qui entre dans le hôte au niveau ou les défenses normaux peuvent prévenir l’infection. “

There you go – one of the main points we have to remember.  And if your French is good enough to figure out what I said you can go ahead and critique the grammar!

Something happened today that for me was beyond anything I was expecting. 

I was in the sanctuary this morning before the service, spending some time in the quiet of that place talking to God.  I find it a good place to go to connect with God, a place where God visits us on Sundays anyway, and where, when I am there sitting and talking with him, his presence is almost palpable. 

There are a lot of things I have been talking to him about lately, family concerns, concerns for our congregation and for friends, concerns for those who have had people close to them die recently.  And I tell him of my plans for the trip to the Congo which of course he knows anyway, but still I tell him of the things that most concern me at the moment. 

The denomination has committed itself to providing funds for the dental supplies I need to take with me but have asked me to do as much as I can to get things donated.  This week I received a large box of supplies from my regular dental supply company, and I really appreciate it.  But do you have any idea the cost of dental supplies?  I am taking out things that have about half the value of what we consume in our office for a month.  The guys have had almost no supplies sent out since the beginning of the civil war in the Congo.  Sometimes what I am taking seems like a mere drop in the bucket of the immense needs there.  And there are still a few things to purchase that were not donated and that I must take. So I have spent a fair bit of money on supplies and there are costs of travel and of  bringing the dental guys together at the Congo end, feeding and providing lodging for them while I spend time encouraging them in their work and upgrading their dental knowledge. 

On Saturday the women had a bake sale.  My part was setting up a display table with a few art objects from the Congo.  I had to be in Saskatoon for the evening so could not be at their sale. 

This morning the women presented me with a cheque for $1000.  This will cover the costs of bringing the guys to Karawa as well as feeding them for the week or so that we are together.  Whatever is left will go into the supply pot. 

Pentecost Sunday.  And God came.  He came with a show of his bounty and provision. Confirmation for me that he is in this whole trip with me. No fire, no tongues.  Just women’s hands reaching out in generosity and love to people on the other side of the world.  And once again, I am amazed.  He is so good.