Faith | They prayed and God gave them step by step direction
It was a crisp, cold day outside, but our Airbnb was warm and cozy as we called our children around us to pray. Little did we know that this prayer would change the next three years of our lives.
It was January 2020. In two days our Christmas vacation would end and we would fly from the U.S. back to our home in China.
But this year was different.
A few days earlier, we had begun to hear news about a novel coronavirus taking hold in the city of Wuhan. The virus was still far from our home in coastal Shanghai, and only a few people had been infected. But we didn’t know how long it would last or how far it would spread. The rest of the world—including the United States—was certainly not worried about it yet.
As our six children gathered around, my wife and I explained the situation and told them that we were going to ask God for guidance. The virus could be nothing, or it could be an unprecedented global disaster. No one knew. Only God.
I started the simple prayer. I told God that we knew about the virus, that we wanted to keep our children safe, but that we also had work obligations in China to fulfill. I asked him to please let us know whether we should get on that airplane in two days or not.
When the prayer ended, I quietly asked each family member what they felt inside. Most felt that we should stay in the U.S. As we talked, we felt more and more confident that staying was the right thing to do.
So I called and canceled eight international plane tickets, not knowing if I would be able to keep my job. But we had felt God guiding our decision, so we moved ahead with faith that he would take care of things. And he did.
The next day I received an email from my boss saying that I could stay abroad and work remotely for the time being. That was the first of the COVID-19 miracles.
The following months were filled with uncertainty.
We were constantly told that we’d get back to China in “just a few months,” but China’s policies were always changing. Soon we felt God guiding us to buy a house, even though we were scheduled to go back to China in three weeks.
It didn’t make sense, but we bought the house and—sure enough—our trip to China was canceled again. Every time we followed God’s guidance—to put the children in school, buy extra food, transfer money from China, etc.—his timing was perfect.
It has been almost three years since that first prayer. I still work online. My job still constantly tells us that we’ll be able to come back soon.
Many times we have knelt as a family and said a different prayer. A prayer of thanks for a God who listens and answers.
“Counsel with the Lord in all thy doings, and he will direct thee for good.” (Alma 37:37, Book of Mormon, emphasis added).
“So when are you going back to China?” we are asked almost daily.
It doesn’t matter. We have learned to live with the unknowns because God knows all and will give us the direction we need every step of the way.
Anyone can have this type of guidance. We’re nothing special. It just starts by talking to God the best you know how.
Who knows? Maybe your prayer will change the next three years of your life.
David and Melissa Hunsaker are members of the East Stake of The Church of Jesus Christ Latter-Day Saints. Questions and comments should be directed to editor Lucy Luginbill in care of the Tri-City Herald newsroom, 4253 W. 24th Avenue, Kennewick, WA 99338. Or email lluginbill@tricityherald.com.
