God's Dental Plan

I don't know if you recall, but we began something that I dubbed "the teeth project" back in February, remember? 

I described how God had guided me to the perfect dental institution and that the Christmas gifts you had sent would cover all expenses for Cida's new teeth. It seemed like the perfect story of God's provision and direction. 

Here we are, eight months after our initial visit, and we are ALMOST done. What was to take eight weeks has dragged out to over eight months! So, did God guide me? If so, why has it taken so long for us to see the results? This can't be what God intended, can it? 

If you have been a Christ believer for any time, you know that God's path isn't always the short one, nor does it always seem to make sense. We are all familiar with people who have suffered a lifetime of pain and anguish, only to die without firm answers as to why they had to walk that path. A lifetime of pain versus eight months of inconvenience is not a fair comparison. Yet, in both scenarios, God's brushstrokes paint the perfect scene, one that only eternity will indeed reveal. 

Cida got her dentures on Tuesday. Her TEMPORARY dentures. Her REAL ones will be ready on September 28 if the Lord doesn't come back first. 

This saga has dragged on for weeks, but its prolonged completion has produced more than a lovely smile. Each trip to the dentist takes a minimum of two hours on the road. Multiple visits have meant hours of getting to know Cida. She is a timid person, so some trips have been quiet. However, persistence in this process has built confidence and trust. Cida began to participate in our church services and, during one Bible study, asked Jesus to save her. Her husband, Adilson, who for some reason is nicknamed "Peacock," has also begun to appear during our study time. Otávio, Cida's eight-year-old son, has also asked Jesus to save him. 

Nowhere in the Bible will you find "tooth evangelism." Yet, despite this fact, God is working through the multitude of miles. So, as we continue down this extended dental plan, remember that it is God's plan that is taking shape.