Manna...just enough for each day

So maybe it was a culmination of 23 years’ worth of mom’s cooking and dad picking up the grocery tab. It might have very well been attributed to a 16 meal-a-week plan in college at a top-rate all-you-can eat cafeteria. It could have even been the sight of $700.00 SRD on a receipt (and my failure to register that one U.S. dollar makes $2.80 Suriname dollars) at the grocery store that acted as a deterrent. Whatever the possible causes, the reality as we soon found out wasn’t quite as ambiguous: we didn’t bring enough food.

When planning our meals we glossed over important nutritional and calorie packed foods. For instance, a half cup of tomato sauce for our spaghetti packs a mere 40 calories! Needless to say, spaghetti always left us wanting. Unfortunately, we don’t have a freezer so our chicken beef had to be consumed within the first few days. That gave us no real meat outside of canned tuna for the remaining 4 and-a-half weeks. We somehow thought that one oatmeal packet and a piece of bread was a sufficient breakfast.

We optimistically factored catching fish as part of our protein for some of our dinners.….we have yet to catch one fish (beyond small bait ones). We discovered that during this time of year when the water is high fishing is poor. We failed to factor in snacks for in between meals. In addition, with a fridge that works no more than twelve hours a day there began a race against mold on my bread. We somehow thought two jars of peanut butter: one small and one large would cut it. Needless to say, we found out quickly that at our normal (conservative) eating pace we’d run out of peanut butter, milk and bread. Our days were planned out in intricate detail documented with what we could eat from that day to the end. Towards the end of our trip, our post-dinner discussions would involve vivid details of our favorite dishes and what we planned to eat once we got in the city. I felt like a prisoner of war, starving and incessantly fantasizing of food. We treasured our precious snacks and would call to attention whenever we were about to consume it. It was peculiar and intriguing how watching Taylor down a savory snack and then asking him how good it tasted delighted me.

You all know how much I love to eat anyway and how active of a life I lead. Out here we were a steady share of hard work and vigorous exercise on a daily basis. I’d made an effort heartily during Christmas break and before I left packed a solid 170 lbs. I weighed myself last week…152. Don’t fret though, I’m healthy, just devoid of any body fat. What appears to be a situation worthy of your sympathy is actually a blessing and builder of faith. God provided for us through various people and sources to give us our daily bread and we have been as appreciative and grateful in an unprecedented way.

Here are a few of the ways:

-The Lord has blessed us with relationships with locals in who have on a regular basis given us watermelons grown from their own gardens

-Creation itself: There are mango trees everywhere and we pick as many of the delicious fruits as we can. We love em!

-Newfound friends: one day some guys came to our door accompanied by a career missionary from another organization. We discovered they were U.S. military and embassy guys checking out the interior on a short trip. We met them at an Aukan wedding the next day and befriended them. They knew our situation and offered to give us MRE’s (Meal Ready to Eat) they had and wouldn’t be eating. We were delighted and ecstatic and they guys even invited us for dinner at their house when we head back to the city.

-A girl who is a Peace Corps volunteer was heading back Paramaribo and coming back offered to pick-up anything we needed. We took her up on it.

-our supervisor Ted surprised us by sending out bread and powdered milk one day.

The way it ended up, we used and needed every item given to us. We always praised God for each of these gifts and being that I was in Exodus for my devotional reading much of last month I couldn’t help but feel some real personal application when I read how God provided Manna and Quail for the Israelites and gave them only what they needed each day and nothing more. The Lord provided Manna for us and I have no doubt he will continue to do so.