Now they are unable to return to their university student ministry in the capital, Lusaka. They were unable to have closure and say their goodbyes because they soon worked out that they couldn’t return. Daniel was quite unwell.

“It was a mixture of medical reports, talking with SIM NZ and our families, and then Daniel’s realisation of the state of his health,” says Anita. Daniel soon knew how sick he was. His Coeliac disease was worsening. “I didn’t realise until we came to New Zealand and I started coming right. It was a real black and white difference. I was becoming weaker in Zambia, and back here, my energy levels went up again.”

All of their married life, their passion and vision for cross-cultural mission had taken them to different places: Botswana, south Zambia and the Zambian capital. They envisioned being overseas until retirement. However, several abrupt endings meant they had to move on to other places. Organisations parting ways and the deterioration of Daniel’s health forced them to pack and transfer again and again.

“We have our expectations and have a plan in place, but we are not entitled to that…we have to keep surrendering our plans to the Lord and ask him, what do you want?” reflects Anita. They knew their calling clearly and had the experience and financial support. They kept asking God why he wouldn’t heal Daniel. But God had very clearly closed this door.

Anita and Daniel have identified three stages of their return to New Zealand and how God has worked through each of them.

“When we first got back it felt like a wave of panic trying to make this massive decision. There was a lot of shock. We were trying to figure out many practical things about what we would do and communicating that to everyone. It was very scary.” They were given the passage from 1 Samuel 13 where King Saul did not wait for Samuel to make the sacrifice, and instead carried it out himself. God was telling them very clearly to wait. The second stage was one of grief. “There was much anger, sadness and stress. We were asking a lot of questions. It felt like a massive loss,” says Anita. God’s scripture to Anita and Daniel for this time was Psalm 46:10. Everywhere they went, they came across this verse.

“We were driving up New Zealand at that time and the red engine light was on. Daniel didn’t want to tell me because I was stressed already. He was silently praying about it, and he got this image of a mechanic opposite our accommodation. When we arrived at our accommodation, he turned his head to look across the road. And there was the mechanic! We took our car over to him. He was so busy with cars backed up all day, but the mechanic paused all of his work to look at our car. Then Daniel walks into the garage and the first thing he sees on the wall — ‘Be still and know that I am God’.”

A time of transition is how they identified the last stage they were going through. They realise that this will take a long time as they continue to grieve while settling in. “While we were trying to find a house and apply for a job, God kept giving me the scripture from Matthew 6:25-34, where Jesus talks about not worrying — what you will eat, what you will wear, where you will live. We have little faith if we can’t trust him for each of these things,” says Anita. Daniel and Anita share how God has taken care of them even in the small details. Their daughters’ much-treasured toys were unable to be brought with them. Yet God took care of that. “We kept walking into op shops here and found their favourite toys that were exactly the same.

“We are so grateful!” exclaims Anita. Anita and Daniel feel like life is beginning for them again. “Most people our age have established jobs and are paying off their mortgages. We’re still trying to figure out the most basic things like getting cutlery —.we don’t own anything! But it requires patience, and our prayer is that God will allow us to be involved in mission here.”

Recently, they accepted a youth work position at St Albans Presbyterian in Palmerston North. “We’re excited that we can continue working with youth and university students; we know that cultures are incredibly different, but the matters of the heart are the same everywhere. We’re asking God to give us love for the people we’re now working with.” —Fiona Murray

Pray for:

• Friendships for daughters Esther, Chloe and Priscilla who are longing for this.

• Schooling for the girls; wisdom in making decisions regarding the continuation of homeschooling or finding the right school.

• Their transition and space for them to work through this change.