God’s Miraculous Ways
Gisela with the Maya Leslie
by Gisela Lanoir (First Printed in Servant News: 4Q/2020)
“Really Lord? You want ‘me’ to go to Guatemala on a Mission? I’m not sure!” The departure date of Feb. 22, felt strange. I kept fluctuating between not participating and wanting to go. There was something about that Feb. 22 Week.
Then one day it hit me! Of course! Feb. 22 was my deceased husband’s date of birth and Feb. 26th, 2000 his date of death. Within two years God also called home our one and only child, a daughter named Leslie. A mother’s grief goes very deep; every day I think of Leslie and her Dad...and my tears flow freely.
I begin to think this mission trip will be good —and will perhaps lessen the 20-year grief I still carry for the loss of my loved ones. So this year, I found myself in Guatemala testing Maya patients who needed reading glasses. They were all incredibly, patient, thankful and appreciative.
Then on Wednesday, the 26th, (a significant date I mentioned earlier) I had a ‘God Moment’. Untypical of Maya children who stay close to their mothers, an 8-year-old girl “attached” herself to me all day while her mother patiently waited her turn at each of the 11 busy Clinic Stations. Giving me hugs and smiles, the child never left my side until her Mom was finally released, about 7 pm.
When I asked the child what her name was, she turned her name tag over... and... it read: Leslie! (The name of my daughter in Heaven!) I was completely blown away! So it was, that on Feb. 26, 2020, I was ‘gifted’ with a second Leslie in my life and God whispered: ‘You see my plans are always better!’ God sent me a sign saying: “All is well!” Thank you, God!
