IT COULD BE YOU.

Not a wisp of air stirred the leaves that hot morning in Indonesia. Playing outside brought perspiration steadily dripping off faces in the hot sun. So the children were glad of the cool, floor tiles under their bare feet, as well s cold drinks to quench their thirst. The constant heat sapped the attention of four lively children to the correspondence lessons, as well as occupying a two year old Elisabeth and minding baby Priscilla.

When Tukiran, the hospital chaffeur, drove up to the door, eleven- year- old John ran out to greet him.

‘Apa boleh John datang ke Blitar supaya membawa obat-obar?’ (could John come to Blitar to collect medicines?’ )

I consented with ‘Saja, boleh’, ( Yes, John may go’) as John hurried to close his schoolbooks, running out to slide in beside Tukiran, and away they went.

John’s three sisters reluctantly settled back to their lessons, envious of John’s trip with Tukiran. An hour later, they gladly obeyed when I called, ’School’s out’ and books, pencils and paper disappeared with amazing speed.

However, I heard a bus stop at our front gate. Surprised, I watched John stagger out, stumble down the rickety bus steps, run across the grass, where I took his arm, helping him up our few steps to our small front sitting room. Ruth ran for a cool drink, while Judith slid a cane chair under her brother.

Pale and shocked, John began his story.

Tukiran had collected the medicines and headed for home with John. He approached the ten bridges where one way passage limited the flow of traffic. He drove at 80 mph ( 130 km ). Distressed, John cried, ‘Stop Tukiran. It is too dangerous! My daddy would be so angry. ‘ As a truck approached them, Tukiran instinctively drove the car through the side of the bridge, remarkably where bamboo lattice work had replaced the normal steel. At this speed, the car dropped onto the river bed; slithering across the sandy bottom, and finally resting against the far bank.

We could hardly believe John as he told some of the details. I hugged John, pale, shocked, when we realised how the Lord had protected him from grievous harm.

We praised our heavenly Father for preserving our dear son so marvellously.

Tukiran the driver suffered severe shock, not regaining consciousness for several days. During my hospital round, I assured a semi-conscious Tukiran that I thanked God he was still alive; and was not angry, so facilitating his speedy recovery.

Later I went to the accident scene to retrieve the car, finding it to be the only river out of ten without massive volcanic rocks and some swirling tropical water. It was the only bridge not having a rigid steel side for some metres. God had spared the life of John and Tukiran by His miraculous power. Twenty years late John returned with his wife, Sandi and our two grand-daughters, Simone and Adele to Java,

serving as a bible teacher and agricultural adviser, for nine years. John’s christian development was centred near the scene of his miraculous deliverance.

. Incidentally, the car was only slightly scratched, with the wheel alignment needing minor adjustment. In our isolation, it was God’s special provision.

‘I’m certain someone prayed for us,’ I later suggested to our family, still shaken, as we solemnly sat around the table, thanking God for sparing John and Tukiran.

News travels quickly in village life,with dozens of John’s Indonesian friends , our neighbours and officials kindly visiting to enquire. Each visitor listened, astonished to hear of God’s loving care in preserving our boy-John for a purpose.

That night I wrote telling friends and prayer partners of God’s miraculous protection of John. Before long we received a letter from a friend in
Tasmania. Crippled with arthritis, he spent his days in a wheel-chair. That particular morning, however, although severely racked with pain, God’s Holy Spirit compelled him to pray for us as a family, sensing a special need.

Certainly God answered that obedient prayer with our son and driver kept from injury or loss of life. We thankfully remember the day when someone prayed, and God answered.

Have you woken during the night or the early hours of the morning,and wondered why someone’s name came to mind? Or were you hanging out the clothes, or ironing, and you thought of someone. You may not have known their need, or danger, but God called you to pray.

There may be a ’John’ or ’Janet’ somewhere, whom God will call one day into His service; or maybe a family, who will be kept safe, because someone cared and prayed. ‘Before you call, I will answer, and while you are yet speaking, I will hear.’

It could be you!