When Man's Cancellations Are God's Preparations

Cancelled. Cancelled. Cancelled. Cancelled.

You would think considering the emotional upheaval we experienced with each one, I would remember just how many times flights and plans to travel to the United States were cancelled as the COVID-19 crisis developed. I do remember one particular moment in May when we thought we might have to purchase tickets and travel practically from one day to the next in order to seize a window of opportunity. Chile's contagion numbers were rising and we feared flights might soon be blocked to the USA. We contacted all necessary individuals for approval only to realize that circumstances had changed to the point where our longtime plans for housing our daughter prior to school were no longer feasible. The intense roller coaster of feelings in those twenty-four hours was exhausting. Deciding to wait was scary; we didn't know if or when we would have another chance to travel stateside. 

As all but one airline pulled out of Chile and ticket prices rose overnight, we made the decision in early June to buy tickets for August 7. Information was in a constant state of flux. We had no idea where we would stay, who could transport us from the airport, whether we would be required to quarantine for 14 days in Pennsylvania upon arrival. Though we rarely do, we purchased higher priced tickets with the option to change and this served us well when we learned that the airline was selling tickets to airports it did not actually service (initially we were supposed to fly one airline directly from Santiago to JFK, then a partner airline to Baltimore but in reality flights were only going as far as Miami.) Another juggling of tickets and we ended up with three separate reservations on two different airlines: from Iquique to Santiago; Santiago to Miami; Fort Lauderdale to Philadelphia.

I will share in a separate post the many ways God answered our questions and provided our needs, but what I wish to highlight here is another lesson learned: Sometimes man's cancellations are God's preparations. Or as Scripture states in Proverbs 19:21: "Many are the plans in a person's heart, but it is the LORD's purpose that prevails." Little did we know that the delays which frustrated us at this point were putting us in place to address an as-yet unknown need before us.

Our scheduled return date to Chile was September 8 (leaving the States on September 7.) On September 3, I said farewell to my oldest daughter on what seemed to me an appropriately misty morning. It was early and I was surprised to have a missed phone call from my mom. As my daughter disappeared from sight, I sat in my parked vehicle and returned the call. The news that awaited me was my dad's transfer by ambulance in the night to the hospital and diagnosis of pneumonia. For someone already experiencing the debilitating effects of Multiple System Atrophy and Parkinson's this was grim news. Six hours away, there was nothing to do but drive and pray. I already dreaded this morning with its poignant goodbye and the longest solo trip I had taken (thankfully joined at the halfway mark by my second daughter.) But God was faithful, and brought us smoothly back to Mom and decisions to be made about our travel home to Chile.

Never before in my memory - and perhaps never again after this pandemic - have airlines offered a free and open change policy to tickets. And certainly not all airlines were doing so. But our international flight allowed this, so I suspended travel plans with a combination of gratitude (for this option) and sadness (at not seeing my husband and sons after already a month apart) and conviction (since Pedro and I both agreed that staying to help my parents was the right thing to do.) Our return was open-ended and dependent on how Dad's condition evolved. On Labor Day, Isabel and I did the one thing we'd thought COVID-19 would not allow us to do and moved in with Mom. This turned an otherwise tense time into a treasured one of special closeness and companionship for which I am forever grateful.

It also gave me a glimpse of an area outside of Dad's health where I could help, as inadequate as I might feel. Finances are not my expertise even though I pay our own household bills monthly. But there was a need to organize much paperwork and multiple accounts, to simplify and strategize how we daughters could come alongside and lift some burdens even long-distance. Some days it felt mind-boggling amid hours of sorting and phone calls and investigation. But the greatest relief was when God in His mercy provided a financial consultant from my parents' church who donated his time and expertise to patiently explain things to Mom and me.

Not only did Jim donate time but he made calls and prepared forms to sign and even though COVID-19 policies did not allow us to see Dad in person, God made it possible to complete what needed to be done. When his therapist brought him for a quick and carefully supervised home visit to test his mobility in their cottage, we had papers to sign. When a 30-minute final visit was approved outdoors, we had papers to sign. And before Dad came home, we had a simple system in place so that he could focus on feeling well and not have to worry about finances.

God orchestrated our time in the States so that we could be present when the offer of a move from cottage to apartment in their retirement community was made to Mom and Dad. Before Dad's hospitalization, Isabel and I were able to visit this potential new home with them and share videos with my sisters in Chile. When the decision was made to accept the apartment because of the help it would provide for Dad's physical needs, I was able to accompany Mom as she picked out flooring and paint and other updates. Although we cannot be there when the actual move takes place in November, it is a blessing to be able to picture their new home and know it will be beneficial to them at this stage in their lives.

It was not in our plans to remain in the States so long. Our departure took place on the 26th of September, 51 days after leaving Iquique. With a mandatory 14-day quarantine welcoming us in Santiago, our return to Pedro and the boys will finally take place 66 days after we walked out our front door. But in His sovereignty, God had us stateside for a specific time and reason. He confirmed this to us many times and in many ways. Indeed, man's cancellations are God's preparations.