Our journey so far

Jason's residency gives them a 1 month elective their 3rd year. We had always planned to do something overseas, but I left it up to Jason to decide the details. Through the medical missions conference we found out about the Pan African Academy of Christians Surgeons, or PAACS. This program trains African Doctors who are Christians to be surgeons and to stay in Africa to serve. Jason is really interested in this vision so he decided to do his elective through them. He decided he wanted to go to Gabon, where the 1st program was set up and the founder is still practicing.
This was all well and good until he told me the cost. My immediate reaction was no way, we've got to pick somewhere else to go. We had raised money for mission trips in the past, but never anywhere near this much. I told Jason I didn't think it was going to happen. He said he really felt God was calling us there and asked that I pray about it. I did pray, and pray, and pray. During this time God was teaching us through our church and a ministry called Stockbridge Boiler Room the power of prayer. God told me during this that I would just have to rely on Jason's leadership this time. If you know me well, you know this was a stretch :). I felt that God was using this as an opportunity to teach me how to trust Jason and God at the same time.
I said ok God, I'll trust and wait. Jason was praying as well during this time. Unknown to me, he prayed that God would tell me whether we should go. That night I had a dream (I know-sounds crazy, but it's true) that we were a the plane to Africa and I didn't have a clue how, but Jason said not to worry. I told Jason the dream and we both decided this was our answer from God.
So, we moved forward with plans to go. We told some people our plans and asked our church and a few organizations for money. We received $4,000 right off the bat. God is good. The only glitch was the kids. For tax purposes, the organization we are going through can't use any money donated through them to pay for the kids because they're not workers. That meant unless someone wanted to give us money, we would have to pay for their tickets, passports, etc. October 31st, Jason received an email saying we needed to send $2400 for the kids' tickets. Thatvery same afternoon, I opened the mail and there was a cashier's check for $3,000 dollars with a verse attached! No signature, no return address. I was shaking when I opened it. It felt like God had written the check himself and put the money in our hands. God provided before we even had time to ask!
God has proven to us time and again he wants us to go. We are so amazed by these obvious and clear signs from God, but we do forget so quickly. Lately I had become more fearful and unsure. The kids have to get some scary vaccinations and take malaria medicine. I worried that maybe the kids and I shouldn't go, maybe we would just be in the way and it wasn't worth the risk. Then I was out with my small group from church and a new couple had been invited along. The wife asked where we were going in Africa. I said Gabon, and she told me she grew up there! I couldn't believe it. She encouraged me about taking the kids and just renewed my excitement about the trip. This felt like just as much of a gift as the check.
God has been so amazing. He has shown us that prayer is a powerful and amazing thing. He's provided for us not only financially, but also with peace and reassurance. He has remained faithful even when our faith has faltered. He has perfomed miracles through this journey and I know there will be more that come. My prayer is that we will have eyes to see, ears to hear, and we will remember all He has done. Mark 8:18