Have you ever had a “wilderness” experience—perhaps a time in your life when you were feeling alone, uncertain, or afraid, with no clear course to follow? 

At one point many years ago, I found myself in a mental wilderness, overwhelmed with fear and doubt. I had been offered the position of supervisor for schools in a deprived area of Buenos Aires, far from where I lived. My role would be to advise and oversee the directors of these educational institutions. The central office was a two-hour drive from my home, but I didn’t feel comfortable traveling by car because of the frequent thefts in that area. My family and friends advised me against taking this position, even though it was the highest I could attain in my teaching career. 

Despite my concerns about being a young woman facing this situation, I knew that God was not seeing me as limited by age or gender. As infinite Love, He created man and woman in His own image and likeness. Trusting through prayer that God would guide and protect me, I accepted the position. 

On my first day on the job, I was shocked to get a call from a school rector in that district who despairingly told me that one of the school’s security guards had been murdered, and computers and furniture had been stolen from the school building. For a moment, I thought I had made a mistake in accepting the position.

Then I remembered a story about the prophet Elijah in the Bible (see I Kings, chapter 19). He defies Queen Jezebel, and she seeks revenge and is intent on killing him. Elijah flees into the desert, and in despair, falls asleep under a juniper tree. An angel awakens him and provides food for him. Thus comforted and sustained, he travels forty days and nights to Horeb, the mount of God. 

Elijah’s experience illustrated to me that God, infinite Love, is everywhere, has all power, and fully cares for His creation. This gave me inspiration and direction as I navigated the challenging situation at the school. As with Elijah, an angel—a thought from God—awakened me from the hypnotic mental state of despair. Strengthened by the assurance of God’s power and care, I went forward to meet this rector with full trust in God. I knew that God would guide me at each step and bring a solution. 

At our meeting, a clear idea emerged that the rector and I should go, right then, to meet the political authorities in charge of education and present to them the school’s situation. During the meeting, God gave me this idea: It was important to have transportation that would take the students across the dangerous neighborhood to the school as well as a car to transport the teachers to the school building. This would require careful planning, given the many logistical issues involved.

I thought back to Elijah, who was afraid for his life and hid in a cave once he reached Mount Horeb. But God told him to go out and stand on the mountain. Elijah did, and watched as a strong wind swept in and broke the rocks. Then an earthquake shook the land and a fire ignited, but finally, there was “a still small voice,” representing God’s presence, peace, and power.

Elijah realized that God was not in the earthquake, wind, or fire but in that quiet voice. I, too, had felt tempted to hide in the cave of fear and discouragement, thinking that these changes at the school would require much time. But I began to feel God’s presence in that same “still small voice,” and I felt led to look up the definition of wilderness in Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures: “Loneliness; doubt; darkness. Spontaneity of thought and idea; the vestibule in which a material sense of things disappears, and spiritual sense unfolds the great facts of existence” (Mary Baker Eddy, p. 597).

Despite the human picture, or “material sense of things,” spiritual sense—the understanding of ourselves and others we gain as we look out from God’s view—was revealing to me that the only reality was God, good, filling all space, governing everyone, and leaving no room for violence or discord. I focused on the implementation of the practical solution that had emerged, and in one week everything was in place. 

Because the transportation issue had been resolved, the staff felt safer and were able to focus on their teaching. During the eight months that I advised the school, ideas surfaced about how to include the young people of that neighborhood in extracurricular workshops at the school. Soon, workshops on singing, dance, and sports were underway. A more affectionate relationship grew between the community and school personnel. Little by little, new proposals were suggested—for example, to have programs teaching how to make candles and soaps or garden—which gave everyone opportunities to benefit the neighborhood.

During this time, the rate of violence against students and staff significantly decreased, and there were no more terrible incidents like this. Enrollment increased, and young people who had never attended school started coming. The school also became highly regarded for its academic performance, and several students earned awards in different disciplines. More teachers wanted to participate in the pedagogical projects at that institution. The spiritual understanding of God’s presence and power governing and protecting everyone transformed the human scene, and we saw the school flourish. 

I remained in the position of school supervisor for seven more years. Because of the success of my work, I was asked to collaborate in the creation of a school in a different region that specialized in arts and media. Then, ten years ago I decided to dedicate myself to the full-time public practice of Christian Science, which involves praying for others so they can experience transformation and healing. I continue that work today. In the words of the prophet Isaiah, “The wilderness and the solitary place shall be glad for them; and the desert shall rejoice, and blossom as the rose” (Isaiah 35:1).