This is the story of how Brandon became my hero:
It was our last Sunday at Latter Glory Church, we’d said our final goodbyes to the street children we’d come to love and finished an African version of pizza for lun
ch. Katie was up for an adventure and well…so was I. Patrick, one of our contacts who we’d been working with all month long had mentioned that there was a pretty amazing waterfall of about 70 meters that wasn’t too far off that we could escape to. So off we went…Patrick, Brandon, Katie and I jumped on a crammed matatu (van-taxi thing) for about a half hour drive to a dirt road that we walked on for about a mile to get to the waterfall. We got to the river and started climbing rocks and hopping over small rapids to get to the best view. Patrick held mine and Katie’s purses and took pictures of the three of us having fun. He took us to the top of the waterfall where last year a young boy slipped and fell during rainy season and they never found the body. Patrick wasn’t comfortable with us being in that spot, especially considering how clumsy he’d known I was so he took us down and around to see the waterfall from the bottom where it was much safer. We came to a point where we needed to cross the river to start heading back and that’s where the accident happened.
Brandon jumped across a fairly large rapid and then it was Katie’s turn to jump over it. She was a little hesitant so we decided that I would go first. As I was reaching for Brandon’s hand to jump it, Patrick said it wasn’t safe so we should just go around. I agreed and was getting up to turn back when of course, both my feet slip and I fall right into the rapid. I went completely under water and the last thing I heard was Katie say, “Oh my God, Cindy!” The first thought that came to my head was, “Oh crap, how long do these rapids go and is there another waterfall?!” I just remember wailing my arms trying to stay above water and grab for rocks or swim to the side. Brandon jumped right in after me head first into the water and helped get me to the bank of the river. The first thing he said to me when we were safe from floating down the river was, “Don’t you ever scare me like that again!”
That was, by far, the scariest moment of my life! Even though I probably wouldn’t have died if Brandon hadn’t of gone in after me it was still super scary. My knees got really bruised as well as his and my legs wouldn’t stop shaking for a good while. Then to top it off we were stuck on the opposite side of the river that Katie and Patrick were on so we had to try to hike down the river to get to them. Next problem, I had no shoes and the grass was prickly African grass that literally cuts the feet. Brandon gave me his shoes and he walked only with socks until we got back onto the dirt road to head home. So…pretty much I’m okay now. Other than the scrapes and bruises on my legs I’m alive and kicking. Thanks for all the prayers…it probably doesn’t help that I’m super clumsy yet at the same time a huge risk taker. 
Now of course I’ve come up with several spiritual applications to this incident. Allison spoke the other night about how God loves us through the racers around us. How He loves us through our team mates. She challenged us to look back on the month and think about how He loved us through our family this month. Immediately I thought of how Brandon didn’t hesitate to jump in after me when I fell in the river. Not only did he get his Sunday dress clothes soaking wet but gave me his shoes and walked through some prickly rubbish so that I wouldn’t get more hurt. I saw the Father’s love in and through Brandon that day and I will never forget it. The Lord didn’t hesitate to send His son to die for my sins that I got myself into and as if it weren’t enough for Him to save my life, He proceeded to pull me out of the water and lead me to safety. Jesus is in everything! He not only loves me so much, but He loves you too!
Happy New Year!
