I’ve been walking around with an ice pack on my hand all day.

But before I explain why, I should start from the beginning of the story. (Where all good stories should begin.)

After our stay in Mangapai with Grant & Louisa, we traveled north to Kerikeri Yoga Centre with Louisa to help her in the gardens there and take some yoga classes. We arrived early Thursday morning to this beautiful building:

The building itself used to be an old church hall.

The yoga classes did wonders to help drain my head of the snot that sprung up the day before (yep, I got to spend my day off lying on the couch thinking I was about to die. I haven’t felt that awful in a long, long time. No more sugar for me. Ever.)

At any rate, I was able to breathe through my nose that night when we slept on little mattresses inside the studio.

The next morning, we put on our gardening gloves and started weeding.

I was buzzing along, picking out weeds from the fertile volcanic soil (Kerikeri means Dig Dig in Maori), when all of a sudden I sensed a sharp pain on the side of my right hand.

A very sharp pain.

I looked down to see a wasp sitting on my glove in the process of stinging me twice.

So I gave a big yelp, ripped the glove off my hand, then turned to run away.

On my way out, I noticed a massive wasp’s nest swarming with wasps right next to me. How I managed to get that close without seeing it earlier is beyond me.

Louisa came running out with a spray for my sting, then let us borrow the car once her class started so I could get some ice. She said any gas station would have ice, but she knew a young couple just down the road who had a naturopathy business. She was sure they would be more than happy to help me out.

So off we went (I drove on the left side of the road for the first time!)

Once we arrived, we met a really sweet couple-Kirsten & David-and their 7 month old Hugh. They took us right inside and hooked me up with an ice pack and a dose of Vitamin C. Then we started chatting about their business. I mentioned I did marketing for a natural health care physician in the States, and she said, “We could sure use you around here!”

One thing led to another, and now we will be coming back to Kerikeri to stay with them in about a week!

So we never would have been connected with them had we not knocked on their door asking for ice. Which of course never would have happened had I not been stung by an angry wasp.

(I should also mention that Drew and I had been searching for a host in this area for quite some time, but no one had gotten back with us yet or had any availability.)

Just proof positive that God really is working ALL things together for good for us. And this is definitely not the only story we have. His favor has left us reeling since we’ve been traveling!