6-16-12
Head On Collision/ Drunk Driver Swaziland
Let me just first off tell you that EVERYBODY IS OK! PRAISE THE LORD! All 4 of us are safe, bruised, and now just reflecting on the events that occurred last
night.
I can't get the mental picture of the oncoming truck lights out of my head.
With the few seconds that I had to think all that was going through my head was, "Is that truck really as close as it looks? I'm sure because its dark it can't be
as close as it looks and my visual perception must be skewed because of how dark it is right?" But the oncoming driver was very much over the white line and
in the opposite lane. The driver was also going way too fast for this specific pitch black bend in the road. This driver in his little 1970s truck had also been
drinking alcohol as we soon found out after the crash. So as anybody would do in my situation before an accident I TENSED UP and SCREAMED not knowing
what our physical out come might have been and said
"Jesus what now?"
"Is this really about to happen?"
"Please protect us in this vehicle!"
Holding out my arm in front of JohnFrank I prepared for the worst….
Let me back up a few hours for you before this event even unfolded. I want to explain to you the exact and precise ways our Lord and protector works out some
of what could be the worst situations we could experience (this being an example) and turns them around for his glory and praise. How our Lord is ALWAYS
watching out for us when we think "today is just another day."
JohnFrank Dieguez, Austin Ulsh, our driver Sabelo, and myself all drove into town yesterday. This was supposed to be just another day to go into town to get
food and supplies for the orphans at El Shaddai Mission. El Shaddai Mission is where our MANISTRY TEAM "Men of C- Squad" have been serving the Lord for
the past week. This place is in the northern part of Swaziland on a mountain and an area called "Pigs Peak". The view and scenery is unlike anything I have
even seen. It is beautiful up here. Because we are in the mountains it is important to go into town for supplies twice a week. At about 1 hour each way into town
it is not suppose to be a full day ordeal. But yesterday was different.
The 4 of us drove into town in our 1990s Nissan to pick up a trailer and another vehicle to tow back to the mission. Our ministry contact Charmaine, Brett, and
BenJohn also came along to help with some of the shopping in another car. After an unexpected full day we finally started to head back to the El Shaddai
Mission around 4. Our Nissan was towing the extra vehicle that caused our trip back to the mission to be unbearably slow. JohnFrank and I decided to watch a
movie in the back seat. Austin was reading his kindle in the front passages seat and our driver Sabelo concentrating on driving in the traffic.
The really weird thing that happened while driving back to the mission was that everywhere in Swaziland there are police checks points. Police stop points and
warning signs litter the streets with the possible dangers of drinking and driving, speeding, and etc. So the weird and life saving event that saved our lives was
the police check point 30 minutes up the road before the accident occurred.
ON THE RACE WHEN TRAVELING I RARELY WEAR MY SEAT BELT!!! VERY RARELY!!!
So as we passed throughout this check point and Austin said "police check grab your seat belts." And we keep them on for the rest of the ride home. This
moment is the single most important moment of the entire ordeal because if all 4 of us had not put our seat belts on at that time this would have be a
completely different story.
God placed those seat belts on us and an army of angels around our truck that allowed us to walk away with only cuts and bruises.
So we continued to drive back to the mission unknowingly awaiting our accident. Because we are in Swaziland they drive on the opposite side of the road so
you can imagine how weird it is for us being from the states and not being accustom to this. Around 6:30pm JohnFrank decided to start editing a video on his
computer in the back seat while I listened to music. Austin was no longer reading and was just paying attention to the oncoming traffic. Nothing out of the
ordinary until about 6:55pm.
We started turning a blind corner that curved to our right and down. Because of the trailer and the other truck we were towing our speed was no faster than
25mph. As we curved to the right we spotted the head lights of an oncoming truck. This smaller white truck was going much faster than us and seemed to be
turning the corner a lot wider than he should have. As I said above only a few thoughts started traveling through my head as this split second event unfolded
before our eyes…
"Is that truck really as close as it looks?"
"Im sure because its dark it can't be as close as it looks and my visual perception must be skewed because of how dark it is?"
Closer and Closer and Closer…
"Jesus what now?"
"Is this really about to happen?"
"Please protect us in this vehicle!"
Before I knew it I was screaming in the back seat of our truck at JohnFrank and Austin and Sabelo.
"ARE YOU OK? ARE YOU OK?"
"YES! YES! YES!"
Next thing I remember going through my head was the safety of the other driver and to get out of the truck. Reaching for the handle to the door I remember I
was so disoriented and in shock that it took me about 2 to 3 minutes to even open the door. After getting the door open our other car with Charmaine, Brett, and
BenJohn pulled up after watching the whole incident explode before them.
Then right after they pulled up I yelled out…
"GET OUT OF THE TRUCK NOW!"
As another car comes flying out around the pitch black curve not looking like it had plans of slowing down anytime soon. Luckily this car spotted the crushed
wreckage and slowed down to the side of the road. I knew that other people had already started to assist the helpless man who hit us so I stepped aside to talk
to JohnFrank and Brett. JohnFrank was in shock as was I and I wanted to make sure he was alright as he was still on the side of the road laying in the grass.
BenJohn, Austin and others were at the side trying to help this man who had been pinned inside his little white truck. It was no looking good for him because
basically his engine ended up in his lap.
The gas from both trucks was dripped down the middle of the road where all were trying to get this helpless man unstuck from the twisted metal. And after I had
regained some of what was now the reality of this situation I stepped into the role of traffic control for the oncoming vehicles. Brett and I put ourselves in the
middle of the pitch black blind corner road and tried to slow the speeding drivers who would have other wise cause more wreckage.
Our lives were suddenly changed.
Our perspectives for our lives were suddenly changed.
My perspective will be changed forever.
EVERYTHING is now different. Our lives are no longer something we expect and think we deserve from a day to day basis. But are now reflecting on them as
gifts that should be cherished and grateful for EVERY SINGLE WAKING MOMENT. I hate to say it but sometimes our loving Father needs to give us wake up
calls in the most dramatic and eye opening way possible to get our attention. Like in this instance a HEAD ON COLLISION.
The police did not show up for about 30 minutes. But they were able to open up the truck after about that time to get the man who was trapped out. We got
another ride home after what happened and I immediately pulled all our guys together at the mission for prayer over this man's life (we never found out his
name.)
We found out the next morning that the man in the white truck had been drunk and had passed away from injures at the hospital.
"A FATAL CAR CRASH GOD….REALLY???"
"WHY, WHY, WHY?"
This night I experienced a car wreck that not just changed my life but took another man's away.
"This night will live in my memories forever."
Hebrews 12: 11-13
For the moment all the discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful
fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.
Therefore lift your drooping hands and strengthen your weak knees, and make straight
paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not
be put out of joint but rather be healed.
Please pray for the family of the man that lost his life this night and pray for this event to bring strength to our families and our World Race Team. Let this event
and accident be a reminder to you to LOVE the ones you have and LOVE the daily breath of life the Lord continues to give us. Not because of anything we
have done but because of what Jesus our King has done for us ON THE CROSS!!!
and just in case you were wondering…
I am still continuing on MY MISSION and will finish strong
as the Lord provides the rest of my support for MY WORLD RACE. Only 1800 left to raise.Amen
The story of this event unfolds more from my teammates perspectives on their blog pages…
Austin's story is at www.austinulsh.theworldrace.org
JohnFrank's story is at www.johnfrankdieguez.theworldrace.org
