Pray for Opal and her friend....

The craziness continued right through to my trip to Halifax, it was a quick trip there and back filled with lots of chatting with my bro and bestest friend and kisses to my 9month old nephew. It was also filled with lots of learning at my course Saturday which has "filled" me up. I still have some assignements to do, but I am feeling better about them knowing that I am more ontrack then I previously had thought.

This in one of my favorite verses, Jerimiah 29:11-13:

“For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “Plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. In those days when you pray I will listen. When you search wholeheartedly, you will find me.”

People closest to me know that when I travel I only like to stop when necessary. For example when the gas tank is empty. Not for multiple bathroom breaks or even drive-thru. When I go some where I like to get there, and I often forget that God didn't bless everyone with a gigantic bladder like me. With that being said, when I approached Moncton Friday on my way to Halifax I realized that I didn't have any cash for the $4.00 toll in Halifax. I had to stop at the big stop and get some cash...sigh...I was a little mad at myself because I know J always has lots of change on his dresser and I should have remembered this toll. But I didn't, so I was going to loose 5-10min of travel time.

The whole time up to this point I was thinking about this particular verse a lot and how I have used it many times in the past, how it has been an encouragment to me and how I have held on to it as a promise. The weather had been pretty good, sunny sometimes and overcast and at times with a trace of flurries. As I approached Sackville NB, it went from that to a blizzard. I am pretty sure you could have drawn a line on the road where the snow stopped and started. Within minutes I saw several cars ahead of me slow down. The first thought I had was that there must be an animal on the road, or that it was just the all-of-a-sudden conditions. I, too, slowed right down, amost to a stop, when the van ahead of me pulled over and the man driving got out. Richard. He looked past my van and naturally I looked to see what he was looking at. What I saw was a half ton truck on it's side, and the wheels were still turning. I got out and Richard and I were running towards it to find two girls in there. The truck was resting on the the passenger side and the girl in the passenger side, Opal, had her leg out the passenger side window. She was stuck there. Well, they both were.  

Richard was on the phone, getting the professionals on their way which I was very glad for because I am not sure if I would have been able to tell them very good directions other then between moncton and sackville.... There wasn't much I could do other then sit/lay on the ground, in the snow with lots more snow coming down by the minute and hold Opal's hand and talk to her and her friend. (Forgive me for not remembering Opal's Friends name...) Her Friend was on the phone calling people she knew, she was shaken up, naturally. But for the most part ok. Opal was crying, scared, cold, and hurt. She wasn't moving much, not that she had much option. but she could wiggle her toes and wipe her tears. I kept talking. Learning about them, where they lived where they had been, how the accident happened. and finding out that they were around my age. All the while reassuring them help was on the way, that everything was going to be ok, and praying for the words to say. It took about 30-40 minutes for help to arrive. When they got there, they sprung into action. (We are so blessed to live in a place that help is just a phone call away, and they are fast and efficient once they get there!) I prayed for the firefighters and paremdics and police and still for Opal and her Friend. I waited awhile, and was getting wetter and colder by the second. Richard and I talked small talk about where we were headed and where we were from. I asked him if he had ever experienced something like this before. He was a volunteer firefighter for 12 years. (Coincidence? I think not...) He then asked me the same question, and I said no but that I had taken the First Aid Course a few times. He looked at me, shook my hand and said, thank you for stopping. You handled it like a pro. Not everyone can stop (As I clearly witnessed). He then said that he was going to go, and I agreed. There was nothing more that we could do other then just be in the way.

If I hadn't needed money for the toll, I wouldn't have been there. God knew the plan. He gave me eyes to be very aware of the weather and the traffic in front of me, and he gave me the courage to stop, run, and stay with strangers. He had a plan for me that day. And for everyday. He has a plan for Opal and her friend. I hope that through this they find Him. And I hope you will take just a second to pray for them too.

" 'For I know the plans I have for you', declares the Lord." Thank God for that!!