How a fatal accident was used to spread the Gospel
By Eric and Lori Bohman
The headlights of the missionary's van bobbed up and down as the
vehicle meandered through the people that were walking along the village
road. The African sun had already set and the villagers were leaving their
jobs and heading towards home.
The occupants of the vehicle jostled back and forth on the rutted
road. They were weary but joyful. The missionary, along with a team of
nine national Christians, had just spent the entire day preaching and
soul-winning on the Ssese Islands in Lake Victoria. It was their intention
to one day start a church on these islands and what a start they had!
Over a thousand tracts had been distributed and ten precious souls had
trusted Christ as their Savior! The ferry trip to and from the island was
uneventful, and they were all looking forward to returning home with the
good report of what God had done.
Suddenly, down the road came two men on bicycles weaving
recklessly on the wrong side of the road. Startled, the missionary quickly
slowed down and maneuvered to the side to avoid a collision, but
surprisingly, the bicyclists swerved likewise and continued to head straight
for the vehicle!
The sounds of shattered glass and crushed metal were immediately
followed by the screams of both the frightened and injured. The occupants
of the vehicle, dazed by the shock of impact, looked around to see a crowd
gathering and hurriedly discussed what should be done. Mob justice
happens quickly in parts of Africa where, in the face of tragedy, tempers
flare and the innocent get hurt—even killed.
www.bimi.org