When You Get What You Asked For But Not In the Way You Hoped: The Ongoing Story of the Land Deed

So.

The answer from the Land Deed Office was, well, No.

More than that.  It was a 'come back in three years and ask again but we aren't promising anything anytime soon' kind of no.

For those just tuning in, you might want to refer back to my previous post on Thursday, October 17 (2019).  That was a week ago when we were all brimming with optimism because we were having more action on the pursuit of a land deed for a property ideal for our building project than we'd had in four years of waiting already.   In that post, I had left it purposely hanging because that's the place of trust, and there was something important about leaving it at that.

Obviously, this is NOT the answer we were hoping for.  And obviously, a three-year ambiguous maybe/no doesn't help at all with planning, and certainly doesn't address the need that's driving the project.  But I have to admit, I got what I asked for.

Because the last time we were all there with Ken, and Yupa's Dad was there with us too, we prayed together.  And I distinctly remember saying that we really, really wanted to build here and we really, really needed the land deed, but that, more than all the other really's, what we really, really, really desired was for God to lead us in the direction best suited for the care of these children.  I even remember turning my palms up in that 'letting go' posture of prayer that has become so important to me over this past decade.  I asked God to inspire us, lead us, provide for us.

So.

There it is. 

And it's been almost a week now since we heard the no.  And here's how I feel God's answering our prayers in ways we weren't expecting.  Because what I now realize I love about the 'no' is.....

1.  Being with people who are so resilient.

In the face of a smack-up-the-side-of-the-head kind of disappointment, there was such a solid sense of -- what can I call it? -- confidence, resolve, calm.  It was as if this was just one more step in the way forward, instead of being a set back.  'Oh. Okay then.'  Reflective pause.  'There must be another plan for us.  Let's figure it out together.'  Like that.  And I can't help but wonder at the goldmine that I've been given in the privilege of working with people who have lived their way through poverty and know how to keep moving forward against all odds.

2.  The expanded vision a 'no' can bring.

In the conversations that have happened since, a few new ideas have emerged, all of which are embryonic and require significant incubation.  Still, as this past week has unfolded, there does seem to be something forming that might possibly turn this no into a broader vision than we imagined originally.   We've talked about the purchase of another property (one in particular that's available in the seems-impossible-right-now) for our immediate need, while waiting out the three years on the original property and developing that at a later time in order to house more orphan and at-risk children.  Wouldn't that be a redemptive surprise?

3.  The call-to-action this spurs in me.

Being here this month, including this refusal of the land deed, has only clarified in my own mind (and I think I speak for our Team) that building a proper home for our kids is becoming more urgent.   Whether or not we wait, or pursue the purchase of another property, it's time for more intentionality in seeking the kinds of partnerships that will sustain New Family Foundation into the future.  The time is now.

I love the intimate places such times of trust provide.  We truly are following the lead of a God who wants the best for us, for these kids.  And I can't wait to see what's going to happen.  If we buy land first, it will cost us more, yes.  But it's nothing God can't handle.

We go the 'no' on a Friday.  The very next day, without any pressure or anxiety whatsoever, Suradet and I went out to walk the perimeter of another property close by that has better access to electricity (less cost for installation), is already leveled (less cost for excavation), still has a stunning view of the mountains to the east, and is close to the church and to both schools.  If we had the $250,000 to buy it now would I?  Not sure, but we might.

 Either way, what we do have is an unwavering conviction that something really good is around the corner.  It's just going to take some honest work and steady tenacity to get there.

Note:  Pictures included taken at new property.