Sometimes, I am such an idiot for refusing to see God’s providence.

As I think I posted yesterday, the trip leaders had e-mailed us telling us that we would get the best dollar-to-shilling exchange rate by changing new-design $100 bills. But I had paid some of my household bills from checking at the beginning of the week, and so I was going to have to get my trip money from the ATM very early Wednesday morning, after my paycheck was direct-deposited — and the ATM gives $20s.

I really wanted two $100 bills to exchange, along with some extra funds for use in various airports. I asked at the newspaper today and they had one $100 in the cash register. I knew (and confirmed it again today) that if I wrote a check this afternoon, it wouldn’t see a bank until tomorrow afternoon. So I was safe there.

On my way out of the building, I said goodbye to a co-worker, who stopped me and called me into her office. This particular co-worker once spent six homesick weeks on a cultural exchange program in another country. She said she wanted to give me something for personal expenses — not, she instructed, for missionary expenses (actually, I’ve got those taken care of now anyway).

She handed me — you guessed it — a $100 bill. So now I have two.

Meanwhile, thanks to Phisch and Matt for mentioning my trip in their blogs and soliciting their readers’ prayers. I very much appreciate it.