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 September 8, 2010 |
Update for April 04, 2007Dear Friends, Since it seems it is taking me so long to sit down and put fingers to keyboard, rather than wait to write something else for you, please forgive me for forwarding something which I wrote to various PAOC personnel when a request came to the field to find out what was happening to Cheryl Ann. It hasn't been pretty but in a bad situation, God has been great and many miracles have been seen. Today's miracle, for which I am tremendously thankful...the police report states, "No further Police action because she is not at fault." No court case and not even a fine! That is the end of Police involvement. Truly God has answered prayer!
Greetings! Cheryl Ann is well...a little beaten, battered, and scratched but she will heal. Cheryl never went to hospital, waiting at the scene for the police and not feeling the need to see a Doctor...even to this time. Really, she is fine. Praise God! The three passengers were taken to the hospital by a passer-by. One passenger who sustained a cut behind the ear and some fractures (in unknown locations) was admitted overnight but discharged the next morning. On Saturday afternoon he was up and walking about. The other two were sent home and told to get some "Deep Heating" rub for sore necks. Indeed on Saturday afternoon it looked as if the necks were stiff and sore. There are also some cuts and scrapes. Everyone seemed to be in good spirits and full recovery for everyone is expected. Thank God! The condition of the passengers was of great concern to Cheryl Ann and she is rejoicing that all seem well. The Dream Machine is another story! It would seem to be beaten and battered beyond repair. If repair is possible at all, it would probably be a totally new body to be built around a chassis that appears to be straight and an engine whose condition is not yet known. It was running for quite some time while turned on the roof, which apparently is not good. A mechanic is going to take a look at it on the weekend to see if there is any possibility of repair. Cheryl Ann's laptop...retrieved by someone, somewhere in the bush and working fine. Total miracle! Cheryl Ann's camera...that must have just been too big of a temptation for someone. It has not been seen. The bag it was in is there but no camera. THE STORY Friday evening Cheryl, along with Ronald & Febby Zimba and Ronald's brother were travelling back to Lusaka from Lilongwe, Malawi. About 20 km outside of Lusaka around 6:00 in the evening, on a nice straight stretch of road, they came upon a small bus and a white saloon travelling slowly. The saloon had followed the bus closely for some time, not making any indication that it was going to pass. Cheryl pulled out to pass and was in the passing lane when the white saloon also pulled out to pass. In order to avoid collision, Cheryl veered to the right and was pulled into some gravel at the side of the road and lost control of the vehicle. The sensations that Cheryl remembers is being caught in the gravel, trying to turn out of it (over-correction, no doubt), swerving down the road, and then rolling and rolling and rolling, and finally ending hanging upside-down in the seat belt. She remembers trying to figure out what it was she was looking at and finally determining it was the roof, meaning the vehicle was upside-down. Before many more thoughts could go through her mind, people were pulling at arms and legs...some trying to pull the arms through the back window and some trying to pull the legs through the front window! (Somehow she had ended up facing the back). Finally she was able to get everyone to stop pulling and she crawled backwards out the front window. The other passengers don't even know how they got out of the vehicle and were you to see the vehicle, you would know it is a miracle that they got out! In Africa, when an accident happens, people appear out of nowhere...many bent on retrieving loot. God had it so planned that the bus was carrying United Church women and they immediately started collecting the goods and packing them together. Thus there was very little loss of goods ... another miracle! The accident took place next to a farm and the farmer and his wife just happened (???) to be passing on the road after the accident happened and stopped to see what was happening. They were the ones who called the police and stayed with Cheryl until the police arrived. That same farmer put his security guard on watch at the vehicle for the night so that it didn't lose all its parts. In the morning he and his men turned the vehicle over and towed it inside the farm gate where it is safe while determining where it needs to go and what needs to be done to it. What a blessing! The policeman was very kind and gentle with Cheryl, for which she is very thankful. Now she is just praying for a positive Police Report which is to be picked up at the Police Station tomorrow afternoon. Chris Ness, an Assemblies of God missionary, was called (Thank God for a cellphone that didn't go missing!) and came to take Cheryl home. THE MIRACLES - "Thank You Jesus!"
PRAYER REQUESTS
Blessings! Cheryl Ann
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