That August night was hot and humid as we cruised along the mostly deserted two-lane state highway. It was almost midnight and I was tired and becoming anxious to get to my wife’s parents house in southwest Kansas. We had left Denver much later than usual and now, instead of singing songs and playing games, my precious cargo was asleep; she on the passenger side and the little ones in car seats. Ages 1, 3, and 5. Thoughts were running through my mind; it would not be a good time for a herd of deer to come out of the road ditch; sure thankful for air conditioning; kind of lonely and isolated out here. As I went to put on some more music and check the time, I noted another hour and twenty minutes to go. I also noticed a sound coming from the engine.
Very quickly it became apparent by the dashboard gauge and the steam blowing out from under the hood what the problem was. I pulled off at the next field entrance I came to but that was small comfort; I hadn’t seen another vehicle on the road for a long time. Of course, stopping woke my wife who had many questions that I could not answer. When my flashlight revealed the split in the radiator hose; my mind began racing through the options.
With flashers on and hood up, I sat there talking to my wife in hushed tones so as not to wake the wee ones. We took a moment and got serious with God. We had driven through a small farm town almost a half hour ago but at midnight the odds of a place being open were not good. I had no container. I had no water. I had no spare parts. I could just make out the yard light of a farm house a couple of miles away but the thought of coming up on the residence’s dog in the darkness followed by a most likely encounter of the owner with a firearm was not appealing to me. I suppose we needed to call dad and have him bring parts and tools.
Headlights. In my rearview, headlights were headed our way. With my window down I could hear the vehicle slowing. Thank the Good Lord, we thought; but in the isolated darkness, this could be good or this could be … not so good. We said a quick prayer and I stepped out of the vehicle. The headlights illuminated an older gentleman with a pleasant face who asked what the trouble was. As I explained, I noticed his passenger was a female of about the same age. Then most amazingly, he offered to drive back to the town and bring us water. When they returned about an hour later, he had three gallons of water with him. Skeptically, I asked if he had any duct tape; the kind gent produced a role of waterproof flextape. I wanted to hug him but settled for a rambling thank you. He just said to do the same for somebody else.
At some time while the kids were stirring with beads of perspiration on their foreheads and my thoughts distracted about how to make a MacGyver-like repair, the man and woman drove quietly away before I had thought to get their name. Only after making the temporary fix, using a section of the duct from the air filter and most of the role of tape, did it occur to me that we hadn’t seen another vehicle this whole time.
As we leaked and steamed into the driveway, we said a prayer of thanksgiving and praise. Luck? Coincidence? No, that would be just a simple-minded way to explain things that we don’t understand. Whether it’s a small, personal burden or a crisis of overwhelming proportions remember that things are going to happen, your faith is going to be tested, God is still in charge; and sometimes He provides angels to help along the way. Believe it.
“Three-minute exposure; a snapshot of life’s imperfect harmony,” by Stew McAuley.
Encouraging your Christian Worldview.
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