Even Through The Flood

My trip to South Africa in September to work with the kids at Acres of Love costs $5000. We do not have that money. So I decided to send out a letter to 140 of my closest friends and family :), explaining my passion for this cause, my commitment to fundraise for the kids, and my desire to travel to South Africa to meet the children, work with them and experience how the organization is run. I asked, if they could, to donate money for my travels.
In the meantime, I was very persistent in prayer, begging God to provide the funds for me to go if that was His plan for me and asking for a clear answer if it wasn't. I had faith that getting to $5000 was possible, seeing as I was certain that God had clearly called me to work with Acres of Love and with Him all things were possible, but there was a private part of me that was terrified that I wasn't going to raise the money, wasn't going to make the trip and was going to be left without the experience of knowing the kids firsthand.
Then, if the money matters in our home weren't tight enough, a few days before a big deposit was due for the trip and my funds were coming up short....I came downstairs in the morning to a flood in our kitchen! So now we are forking over $1000 to our insurance company and I am left wondering "Okay God, what am I supposed to do now?! I am trying to have faith that you will provide for me, but where is the money gonna come from?" I was still certain that going on this trip to South Africa was a step in obedience towards the God that called me there, so I began the process to list things all over my house for sale on Craig's List. I am of the mind set that nothing will keep me from those kids, nothing will keep me from my calling, no personal possession will prevent me from responding to what God wants from my life. I began to see life differently. Suddenly everything had a price tag and a way to get me to South Africa and I felt a shift in my whole outlook on life and material gain and status and the world. Things became crystal clear to me and I started to see where God was leading me and my future with all of Africa and the HIV pandemic and orphans and our obligation to do whatever it takes to step out and be His saving presence to a hurting people. There was a new fire in me and I knew I had to get to South Africa, meet those kids, understand their struggles, and come back to America an educated ambassador to fight for them.
A couple days later I get a call from Acres of Love that someone had made an anonymous donation towards my trip for $1000!! Later that same day I got word that another anonymous donation had been made in the amount of $1500!!!
God is so good, so faithful, so capable, so very real and alive and present and working. I am blown away by the way that He showed up in this situation and shouted out to me that He is faithful to provide and He is blessing my efforts with Acres and He is present with all my life's drama and He is working through me and the lives of His people to accomplish His purpose. You cannot tell me that getting $2500 in anonymous donations right after this flood is not God! I am still in awe and disbelief and shaking my head and giggling, And my heart is singing that God has confirmed that I am where he wants me. I am going to South Africa!!