My heart rate shot up when I heard the dreaded pop of the tire. With a death grip on the steering wheel, I drove slowly around the mountain, looking for a space big enough to pull off the highway. Lord, I need your protection and guidance. What should I do? Several yards from the devastating hole in the highway, I saw a large area, pulled in, and grabbed my phone. While I waited for an answer, I looked around for landmarks to explain where I could be located. I had left Guatemala City two hours ago. I knew one thing for sure: This area had a reputation of being a dangerous section for robbery or worse. Being alone, white, and female made me a prime candidate for such activity.
My voice quivered, “Gerber, I need your help. I have a flat tire, and I’m sitting on the side of the highway in the Corona area.”
“I’m on my way!” said Gerber, heading to his car. “I can be there in about forty minutes.”
I took some deep breaths. Calm down and think. I got out of the car and viewed the damage. I quickly dismissed the idea of changing the tire myself. It was not a wise choice in light of the danger. Tell me, Lord, what I should do. I returned to the car, locked the doors, and put on the hazard lights. With dark windows, nobody could see inside the car, and I wanted people to know the car was occupied. With the uncertainty of there being ethical police officers in the area, I determined not to respond if any came by me. I had a full tank of gas, a good battery, and lots of daylight left, so I tuned into the music on my iPod and prayed.
Many times I had counseled with the girls about fear and trusting the Lord during fearful times. Now, I found myself in the time of a big exam. Thoughts from the past fluttered into my mind. I remembered the time when a young man got shot and killed as he walked a short distance from my house. I had heard fireworks and similar noises that night, but it didn’t register that they could have been gunshots. In the office the next morning, someone asked if I knew what had happened and if I saw anything. “No, I heard the loud firecracker noises that seemed to last for a long time. I shut my door to block out the commotion, thinking that someone had a big birthday celebration going on.”
That afternoon I went outside and found a rifle cartridge about three feet from the other side of my living room wall. My heart skipped a few beats when I realized the seriousness of the situation. The gossip about town said this was an act of retaliation. I slept with my bedroom door locked every night, but this particular night I had to check a few times to make sure. I felt fearful, thinking that I might be the next victim if the person who committed the crime thought I saw anything. Scriptures of the Lord’s protection began to flow into my mind. I repeated those aloud, ending with, “I am under the shadow of Your wing.” Peace moved over me, and I slept well that night and after.
After thinking about that experience, I looked at the time on my phone. How disappointing to see that only fifteen minutes had passed, but I felt a peace flow into me. The Lord would protect me now just as He did after the shooting. Fear no longer had its hold on me, and I refused to give into any thoughts in that direction. I laid my head back and slipped into another memory of the Lord’s protection and guidance.