Sunday, December 12, 2010

December 8, 2010

I am well aware of God’s hand of protection over me and reminded today of this fact. I decided to take the main road today on my walk to the internet café to see if that would cut any time of my “commute”. As I walked I realized this was not the best way to go if walking. I walked along the side of the road in what was mostly mud. About 10 minutes into the walk the road began to slope upwards a good bit. While on the hill a large commercial pickup truck passed. Its bed was full to the brim of wet sand to help add weight to it as it pulled a broken down commercial size truck. In the broken down truck was a young man who waved to me as they passed. Suddenly and without warning I saw the thick metal chain that attached the trucks together snap. I quickly took note of my surroundings as the broken down truck began to roll towards me. To my left a deep ditch with a slippery embankment beyond it, behind me I heard the breaks of a large bus scream as they attempted to stop suddenly, and then the sounds of other cars slamming on their breaks. The bus stopped to my right side so close that I could not have extended my arm fully. I stood frozen for a second waiting to react if necessary. I was scared for sure and said a quick prayer. The truck stopped only a few feet in front of me as I backed up. Logically the truck should have continued rolling since it was still at the middle of the hill and had picked up some speed. I am confident the Lord stopped it in its tracks. I squeezed along the passenger side between the truck and the ditch and quickly ran past the pick up full of sand as it unsteadily backed up to reconnect to its lost cargo. Lets just say I learned my lesson and will stay off the main roads if I am walking. Thank you Lord for your hand of protection and thank you to all of you who continue to keep me in your prayers!

In the afternoon I took a bus into town center to do some shopping. One of the things I needed to get was a cell phone and a Zambian number. I took Wilbroad and Zicky’s niece, Rachel with me who is 20. Every store we went into the clerks quoted us ridiculous prices for a cell phone, obviously because I am white. I then devised a masterful plan J I had Rachel go into the next store alone and get prices on 2 phones and then come out and get me seconds later. I got the phone at almost ¼ of what the other stores tried to charge me. After finishing I bought us each a can of soda and 2 for my frig at home. We boarded the bus and sat for about 15 minutes as the driver waited for it to fill up. I was sitting at the window and a young teen boy came up to me begging for money. I have been told on many occasions not to make it a habit of giving money to them for a few different logical reasons. He was quite persistent and finally I said, I” have no money for you but if you would like I will give you a soda.” He responded gratefully and let out a great scream of excitement as he skipped and jumped away. For the next 4 minutes I could here him in the distance hooping and hollering in joy and excitement. It is hard to articulate but these experiences not only move me, they change me. I just am thankful that I am here and looking forward to what God has in store. Already, even in a weeks time I am seeing a change in myself and I have yet to really get to the meat of things, so to speak.

1 comment:

  1. Bonnie, I'm just tonight catching up on your life in Zambia. Forgive me for not checking in sooner.
    We have been praying, though.
    I am so encouraged to hear how you are experiencing God and the change He has for your life.

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