I’m all packed and ready to go. Boarded several plans and have enjoyed sitting beside my husband talking about the amazing time we will have on this mission trip to Ecuador.

When we boarded the plane in the Miami airport, I realized that I would not be sitting next to Charles on the plane. I begin, not out loud but silently in my heart, to murmur and complain that would not be sitting by Charles.

I found my seat in the middle of two other seats. There sitting by the window was a young boy age 10 named Justin, headed by himself to Ecuador.

Then a very angry woman approached and demanded that Justin was in her seat and made quite a scene about it. This stranger called for a stewardess and I began to negotiate with Justin to move to my seat and I would take the outside seat. After much to do, things calmed down and we took off.

Justin was a very active young boy, talkative and I wasn’t too happy with this set-up! It was going to be a long 4-hour flight to Quito! As the night went on, I decided Justin needed someone to rein him in! That someone, I guess, was going to be me! ☺

He fell asleep on the shoulder of the other person and she shoved him off very abruptly.

I realized that it was not an accident that I had been placed in this seat. I began to realize this trip is not about me, but about ministry to others. I thought my mission trip would begin when I landed in Ecuador. My mission work had begun that night on the plane. By the end of the flight, Justin had fallen asleep in my lap and we had become good friends. “A man’s heart deviseth his way, but the Lord directs his steps.” (Prov. 16:9)

As we started to leave the plane a lady that had been sitting behind me said to me in broken English, “You are a good woman, you are the one who needed to sit by that boy!” My heart was pierced and I was so grateful that the Lord ordains my steps.

I was learning that night that ministry comes in many surprises and doesn’t always come dressed as we might imagine it.

The Lord was setting my course and changing my heart for the next destination – Ecuador.

“May the favor of the Lord our God rest upon us, establish the work of our hands for us – yes, establish the work of our hands.” (Psalm 90:17)

Pam Cavanaugh