Holy Spirit or Madison Avenue? (4th of 6)

     One day we prayed, "God, we need cooking oil." When we went into town to pick up some donated foodstuffs, we were told, "By the way, we have some cooking oil for you." Some? They gave us 72 gallons!
     Another time, a friend called long distance to tell one of the staff that she would be coming to visit. The staff missionary was dismayed as she knew her cupboard was bare, especially of eggs.
     "Lord," she prayed, "I need eggs. Please tell my friend to bring some."
     As the friend considered coming, she was reminded of the strain she might put on the missionary. She cast about in her mind for some way to ease that strain and remembered that she was overstocked on eggs. That would be just the ticket.
     So the eggs arrived with the company. "Your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things." (Matthew 6:32)
     And so it has gone. When our income dropped off, God's good hand took over and our food budget remains about the same as it was in 1980. No small feat for any but a BIG God. Our staff is leaning about living hand to mouth--God's hand to our mouths.

THE MANNA BOARD
     What about staff needs? They have housing and health insurance, but no salaries now, although most of them have growing children. How do they live?
     They subsist entirely on contributions from those whose heart God touches. All undesignated gifts are gathered into one account and whenever there is one thousand dollars in that account, it is shared equally. The checks are hung on each missionary's personal clip on what has come to be known as "The Manna Board."
      Of course there are bigger things that defy the size of the Manna Board, like furniture and appliances and cars. The Lord has provided those, too. And skills. We needed a farmer for the hundred acres of farmland on the Flying H. God provided a family from Minnesota.
     We had prayed and planned for 3,200 square feet of bedroom space for 30 boys. After the state dropped their contract with us, this seemed like an endangered project. But we did as much as we could with it and whenever we needed more building material God supplied it.
     One day a stranger from Southern California walked into our office and announced that he wanted to donate his time to us for a week. His skills were particularly need in finishing the building and so it was completed "without missing a beat."
     We had been praying for a Christian school. Now it is becoming a reality in some rooms being built into our gym.

(To be continued)

Today I am thankful that before we ask, God answers.