Irreplaceable

I hate feeling like something is wrong, especially when I have no means to make sure that the worry I am having is illegitimate. For example, when your husband is in a neighboring country, driving down roads he doesn’t know, with elephants & giraffes that run wild, and you can’t yet reach him by phone. Yes, this is one of those moments where until you hear something, either good or bad, you try to put your worries aside & trust God to bring your husband home.

Let me preface this by saying I used to be a worrier, and it took me many, many years to overcome this. Once I was married and became a mother, I really had to rely on my faith to carry me through the scary things of life that can make one feel completely overwhelmed. I had to take a long, hard look at myself and decide if worrying was really something from God, and if it was really worth wasting my time. My final conclusion was obviously NO because fear & anxiety aren’t feelings that come from God, so I knew if it’s not from Him, it’s not for me.

After the accident

Since moving back to Mozambique, I still don’t feel worried about much of anything and I’m thankful that God has continued to not only grow my faith in Him, but I’m thankful that anytime I have a worry, I can quickly let it go. But this last week has been a little different.

While he was driving on the way back from picking up a vehicle we purchased, I hadn’t heard from Phil for almost 24 hours. I couldn’t sleep on Friday night last week, and I finally fell asleep around 4am, the time when the accident happened.

I finally heard from Phil Saturday evening, around 6pm. He told me over the phone that he had been in an accident. I tried to choke back the tears, remembering that if he is able to talk and tell me what happened, he is probably okay.

Driver's side of the car

While driving, Phil said he was feeling tired and the next thing he knew, he was running off the road. Phil nearly totaled the vehicle he was driving. He said he remembers it rolling at least 3, maybe 4 times, but he blacked out for a minute before the vehicle stopped tumbling when it hit a tree.

Thankfully, a swollen & bruised arm along with a few cuts from broken glass was all that resulted. He saw a doctor near where the accident happened in Tanzania, and the doctor was fairly certain his arm isn’t broken, although x-rays weren’t done. We’ve given it a few days, and it’s pretty clear his arm isn’t broken.

Sore & swollen - but not broken!

We, honestly, could care less about the car. It’s metal and glass – nothing that can’t be replaced and/or fixed. My husband is another story. He’s one of a kind and can’t be replaced. I felt so much relief when he told me that he was okay. Even when he told me he was in an accident, the relief of just hearing his voice & knowing he was fine was more than enough for me.

Phil finally walked in the door Sunday afternoon, after filing police reports, and making arrangements for the van. After a nice meal and a warm shower, he slept most of the evening and slept through the night.

Please continue to pray for his healing, and that the vehicle won’t be a total loss. Even though it had insurance, that doesn’t really mean much here. We will make do with whatever happens with the van, and we know God can use anything for good.

Thank you for all of your sweet prayers. We appreciate your love and support more than you could ever know. We’re still figuring out a few details before building commences, but we will begin constructing the fence for the orphanage before the end of the week!

Until then, Merry Christmas! Remember the sacrifices Jesus has made for us, and let us celebrate His love and kindness in this dark world.

Be Blessed,

Phil, Laura & Jadon, too