The Sunday before our work campers left on their mission trip, we commissioned them during the service and prayed over them as a congregation. In retrospect, we have never been more grateful for doing so. Perhaps our prayers made a huge difference this year.
The pack left to do rehab in Mississippi for the second or third year in a row. While caravanning, one of our vans was in a serious accident. One van full of our youth and a few adults was hit by a woman driver who was out of control while the other vans witnessed the horrific scene. Our driver was knocked unconscious, one young gal broke her arm, and several others were banged up and bruised. Unfortunately, the reckless driver was killed.
This was a tough way to begin a week of camaraderie, hard work, and fun. The work campers immediately learned just how fragile life can be. In an instant they learned a similar lesson to those who suffered from the hurricane, the ones they were heading to help.
While this is a tough lesson for teens to learn, it was a blessed environment for them to experience such a tough life lesson. By the grace of God, they were able to have adults who were mature in their faith answer the tough questions and buoy them during the week. I’m sure there may be some post traumatic stress now that everyone’s home. They may realize they could have lost their lives just as easily, but for some reason, they did not. My prayer is that they will continue to reach out to others they traveled with, ask questions and get the answers that will strengthen their faith. May they recognize they are here for a reason and that God has very specific plans for them. I also pray they will be moved to make smarter driving decisions and recognize the seriousness of getting behind the wheel of a car.
May the good Lord keep all those missionaries safe who are traveling to help their fellow man this summer.
6 Comments
I’m so sorry, Dotsie. I know these teens must be shook up. I will pray for them as soon as I hit the “submit” button on this post.
Suz
Suzie, from what I hear, the adults on the trip did an amazing job of addressing their issues while they were on work camp. Some say it was the best week ever spent doing mission work. I’m sure God was at work more last week with the youth due to the traumatic beginning. All in all, it sounds like they drew closer as a result and faith journeys were expanded.
Thanks for your prayers. It means so much coming from another lover of youth.
Dotsie, I’m going to do the same as Suz, pray once I hit the submit button.
I don’t want to drone on, but I’ve shared briefly before online here about my first husband’s death in an auto accident. In fact I’ve written about it in God Allows U-Turns for Women.
One area that took years for healing was about the issue of “God’s Protection”. What happens when we pray for our loved ones to be safe on the road and the unthinkable happens?
I’ve learned to pray my heart and then give it to God and say, “Your will be done.” Just like Daniel’s friends did when facing death. They said to the wicked king, “Our God is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and He will deliver us from your hand, O king. But if not…” (Daniel 2:17,18)
God chose in that situation to deliver them. But these young guys decided ahead of time that “if not”, well then that was God’s will and they were going to trust Him no matter what happened.
Someone once commented to me about losing my husband, “Oh that must have been very painful.”
I don’t know where my response came from this time but this is what I said. “There is something worse than death. Going into eternity without God.”
When we trust Jesus Christ as personal Savior, He will protect us for all of eternity and take us to our Heavenly Home, whether we’re twenty-eight like my first husband or ninety-eight like my grandmother.
Blessings Dotsie and thank you for your candid post.
Susan, thanks for your heart felt response. I’m sorry to learn about your first husband’s death, but am grateful you are a woman of faith and can feel at peace with life. What a blessing. I don’t know what people do without faith.
From what I understand, the work campers all drew nearer to God after the accident. One day, they will see it as a blessing in disguise and give thanks for it. It’s life threatening times like that which often give us a huge boost with our faith journeys: lots of growth all at once.
Thanks for sharing part of your journey.
Dotise, thank you for taking the time to respond. That means a lot to me and I’m sure to others you’ve responded to as well. I know we all lead busy lives but that “personal message” touches the heart.
I could thank my dear personal friend Connie, and I will, because I know she takes the time to do the same. Others too on this site have written back and I have been blessed.
I try to respond personally to people who comment on my blog also. There’s something about passing the blessing along…
Susan, what is your blog? I’m sorry if I should know, but I don’t.