Well it got down to the last weekend before we were to leave town and I had begun to think I was stupid dong what I was doing. Clearly God expected me to do some basic things too. Tania and I had prayed about the matter of a house manager and three names had come to mind. Garry Danswan, Graham McKenzie and Ken Rolfe. Ken’s name dropped away quickly and I was left with Garry and Graham. I kept praying over those names thinking I should then go and talk to both men and SORT IT OUT. But God kept bringing to mind – don’t move before the cloud moves Ian. Wait for Me to do it for you. Crazy stuff. We have to do things for ourselves. God expects us to do the normal everyday things, doesn’t He? No Ian, be still and trust Me to work this out for you. Stand back and see how I will work on your behalf.
Into the last week before packing up and leaving the house, nothing was sorted out about a house manager. I had not spoken to either man, but rather “waited on God”. How foolish. You are crazy Ian. You should do something for yourself. Over and over this battle going on inside of me. On the Tuesday I went to see Garry about something else related to setting up something for the HOD Geography coming back and Garry needed to know what I had done. So I went into his office to talk to him. When I had finished and was about to go, Garry said, “Ian have you got a minute? There is something I need to ask you.”
“Sure Garry, what is it?”
“Ian, do you need someone to manage your house for you while you are away?”
I sat there stunned, no doubt with a stupid look on my face. I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. I said, “Oh yes we sure do. . . ” and I told him the whole story. He said. “That is amazing. Glenys and I have felt so strongly that we were to be your house managers that we have even gone off to get training in drawing up house rental contracts etc but haven’t felt to say anything until now. We really feel that God wants us to be your house managers. Does that make any sense to you?”
I start to cry at the wonder of God’s ways. Garry and Glenys Danswan had in fact felt to do that some months before we were “called to work with Wycliffe” in June 1981. Before you call I will answer is true. I saw right at that moment that God is faithful and will do all that He says He will do. Our problem is that most often we interfere with the process before His time has come and we don’t get to see what could have happened because we have done it in our own strength long beforehand. Like Saul not waiting for Samuel and making the sacrifice himself. To obey is better than sacrifice.
Maybe you are left wondering like me, what about the other name, Graham McKenzie? Yes I wondered about that too. Well more than wondered. It was like I was annoyed with God. I was wanting our testimony to be God honouring. “God wouldn’t it have been some much better if You had brought it down to just Garry’s name. It would have made such a good testimony if you had showed me who the man was more clearly. If you had pointed him out, rather than one of two possibles. Little did Garry or I know a year that a year after us leaving I had a phone call from Garry to say they were being called out by God too and I would need to find someone else to take care of the house matters for us. I suddenly realized that was why Graham’s name was always combined with Garry’s every time we prayed about it. We could separate them. God had for both men (and their wives) to be involved. He takes care of every detail if you will only trust Him.