God ruins a perfect plan

God, why did you ruin the perfect plan?

Everything was set. After years, the movement in Tonga was finally going to start again. In 2019, Sam, an InterVarsity USA staff worker with Tongan heritage attended World Assembly. There he made friends with several students from the South Pacific. One of these students was from Tonga and had been praying for someone to restart the IFES ministry there. Over his time at World Assembly, Sam’s heart was moved for the students of Tonga, and he decided to move there to serve as the first IFES staff worker in years.

Then COVID-19 struck. Tongan borders closed and Sam was unable to acquire a visa.

What do we do now, God?

It was back to the drawing board. Sam still wanted to serve, but he did not know where!

In God’s timing it became clear. Plans to send a staff worker to Guam had been derailed due to the pandemic. Laura and Kurt Thiel from InterVarsity Link began asking everyone they knew to join virtual prayer meetings for Guam. Sam was invited to these meetings. Slowly it became obvious that God had a new purpose for Sam. Since Guam is a territory of the United States, Sam could enter its borders without a visa.

With no history of any IFES student movement in Guam, the need was even greater than Tonga. God had provided the right person to meet it. After some time of preparation, Sam is now in Guam. Recently he has held the first meeting with three students who are praying about what a movement could look like there. Though the path to Guam was rocky, it is obvious now that Sam’s plans were always in God’s hands. We have faith that God will continue to build up a strong movement in Guam through faithful workers like Sam. Pray with us for new beginnings in Guam.

Praise God for providing Sam to plant a group in Guam. Pray that God will give him wisdom, strength and guidance as he takes on this important work.

Pray for the three students who are praying for student ministry in Guam. Pray that they will become leaders on their campuses. Pray that they will influence others to be a part of their group.

Pray for Tonga, that in the right time, God will provide someone to restart the ministry there.