From Ruth Anne:
It's a wonderful thing to take for granted - that people are praying for you. I know this to be true because every day there are folks in Canada who pray for all the precious treasures God has linked us to here in Thailand. I know this also because it's 'standard practice' for any Missions Team, no matter how small and no matter what the 'task', to be prayed over and commissioned before departure. And I know this because both Megan and I have a truly lavish wealth in the friends and family who regularly pray for us.
Today all that praying was put to very good use.
Driving in Thailand is tricky at the best of times. While road rage is actually quite rare, following basic traffic rules doesn't happen so much either. The lines on the road are more like 'suggestions' as to where you might 'like to drive', maybe. Most of the time this results in an easy going (for Thais) kind of terrifying (for Farangs) sort of car ballet, vehicles weaving in and out, the giving and taking of large trucks and motos, mid sized cars and doubledecker tour buses alike.
Today all that weaving could easily have caused some serious trouble.
I was riding in the front with Suradet, so I saw it coming; a large dark blue/black pick up truck swerved around someone turning left in the opposite direction at an intersection, coming fully head on into our lane. Another large truck was coming up quickly on our left, driving on the shoulder as they often do. Suradet's instincts kicked in, assessing the entire situation in a split second, causing him to slam on the brakes as the offending vehicle swerved back to its own side of the road and sped on.
In the back Megan and five of our treasures were sitting on benches (this is the vehicle they take to school). I heard a sickening bang.
From Megan:
We actually didn't have any idea of what was unfolding ahead of us (you can't really see out front from where we sit), so we had no idea anything was wrong until the brakes slammed and the six of us were "flying", so to speak. We didn't have far to go (me and Da especially, since we were closest to the front of the truck). I hit the wall that separates the back of the truck with the cab, and then felt two little bodies slam into me. Across from me Da, Bao, and Nuch all kind of squished forward together.
But that was it. As soon as we had clearly stopped, I asked in Thai if they were all okay, picked up my glasses from where they'd fallen (and managed to stay in one piece!), and saw that we were miraculously okay. Except the cake, that is. We were out to get two cakes for Yupa's birthday (it'll be a surprise at church tomorrow), and when we all flew forward, my body plus two others very easily squished that cake into a bit of a mush. But the other cake still reads 'happy birthday Yupa', so we'll be fine. In fact, the girls now find it a hilarious story to tell of how the cake got smushed, so that's good. But I digress.
We're all okay. Bao and I have a very mild case of whiplash, and everyone has a couple bumps and bruises, but absolutely nothing compared to what could have been, given the lack of seat belts (not required for passengers riding in the back according to Thai traffic law). And they're all in good spirits. We spent the rest of the ride back retelling each other how the cake got squished, and how we'll explain to the congregation why we're giving Yupa an ugly cake tomorrow. So there doesn't seem to be any lasting trauma either. God is good! I guess I should go email my mom so she doesn't have to find out in a blog post, right?
From Ruth Anne again:
I will admit that this was a 'close call'. And I should reaffirm that Suradet's driving was impeccable in all of this. He was well within the speed limit, completely in his own lane with the clear right of way. His instincts and reflexes were right on, a testimony no doubt to his years of experience driving not only in Thai city traffic, but on those treacherous mountain roads as well.
So here we are, none the worse for wear, at least so far and all things given, with a squished cake to tell the story of God's protective hand upon us.
And yet.
There is a harsh reality that at any given time, either here or at home, life as we know can change in a second. We wake up every day completely unaware of what will unfold. The word is full of dangerous drivers, deathly disasters, dreadful disease. As often as not, when these unexpected things hit us, we think we're just going 'out for cake' but something very different transpires.
This morning I woke up to an email regarding a dear friend at Highview who has received some decidedly harsh news concerning her eight month battle with cancer. My heart is so heavy.
AND prayer is effective in BOTH scenarios. To be prayed for and then spared a tragic car accident brings God glory. To be sustained in prayer throughout a cancer journey also demonstrates His power and presence. Both are sobering reminders that everything is precious and we sin greatly in taking ANYTHING for granted.
For all who are praying, for us and for our friend, thank you. Thank you so very much. And actually, right now, I'm not taking it for granted at all.
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