We ( Tyler, Mike, and Pastor Martin) started off stepping into the knee deep water to find a safe route for the remaining team members and locals at the church. We began walking through the standing water until we arrived at the path with a very strong current. As we stepped into the current we all held onto one another and took one step at a time upstream towards the road. We had to walk slowly because of the uneven terrain and pending darkness. We walked a little further until we came across many of the mud huts of some of the locals that attended the conference earlier that day. Walking further upstream, the current started to get stronger; we got to a point where we could see the road but then came across river rapids. The river rapids were too strong for us to attempt to cross, so we had to find an alternative way out. As we started to find an alternative we walked downstream which was a lot stronger than we expected. The combination of the strong current and uneven ground made both of us (Mike and Tyler) stumble, and when we recovered our footing, I (Tyler) had to tighten the straps of my bag so it wouldn’t drag in the water. As we continued we noticed a mud hut that was falling apart and slanted from the strength of the current (before we had seen this house standing up normally). After we passed the house we reached the rapids which we had seen before. At that point there was no turning back, but we could finally see the road and headlights of Dessie’s (Christ Hope Staff) Land Rover. We decided if we held on tight and walked slowly, we could make it across the the rushing river. As we started making our way slowly but surely across, a man from the road yelled to us to come towards him. When I (Pastor Martin) heard the man yell in kiswahili, to come, I trusted him and took a step towards his voice. The first step for all of us was where it all went wrong.
Tyler- When we first slipped my first reaction was to try and stop. I was floating on my backpack which kept me above water. The only thing I was holding onto was Mike’s purple sweatshirt, which was the only way he was breathing and staying above the water. I was floating feet first, until my left leg bent back and caught on a rock which stopped the three of us from being carried further down the river. Me and Pastor Martin finally got our footing and stood up holding on to Mike who still couldn’t get his footing. At that point I yelled to Pastor Martin to stop and just stand. As we stood in the middle of the rapids, we all were crying out in prayer for the LORD to still the waters for us to reach the median of trees twenty feet away. At that point I threw off my backpack that had money, phones, ipods, speakers, visas and drivers license in it because it was just extra weight. After a few moments there was about a five to eight second time period where the water in front of us became still and calm. At that point we realized that GOD was working a miracle in the water as we reached the tree line safely.
Mike- When my feet gave away, I got sucked under immediately, tossing and turning like you would read in a book, or see in a movie. What went through my mind was “stay calm and just go with the flow.” I don’t know how, but somehow I let go of Pastor and Tyler, to whom I owe my life.When Tyler lifted me up, I tried to get some air, as I didn’t have a lot when I first went under. The current pulled me under again and I had almost no air, What was going through my mind at this point was, “Why now? I had so much to live for, so much I hadn’t accomplished. How is everyone going to react, how will my parents react?” At this point I really thought I was going to drown because I was thrown underneath Pastor and Tyler. After a few seconds Tyler and Pastor caught the ground and were able to hold onto me. I couldn’t grab my footing for a bit, but after awhile of struggling I was able to get hold and stand. At that point we were able to get to safety after we called out to God and asked him to calm the waters, after that, the water was calmer than before. Slowly by slowly we got to a line of trees where we were safe, at last. I still can’t fathom the power of God has.
Martin- This is the day I will never forget in my life! We started off nicely to find shallow way to lead the team towards the road because the Land Cruiser.could not come where we were, I am sorry! And sorry !! for what my African man did to us giving us the wrong direction and there we were all in the river.!. Both me and Tyler know how to swim but our friend did not know how to swim, the river was flowing very fast I tried all I could but it could not work our brother was under the water and we were above the water and I did not know how to serve a person life’s under the water though I know how to swim ,but thanks be to God who through us out of the river and we find ourselves under a shallow water though Mike was very tired and help less ,we had to help him to stand. While we were still strangling in the river many things came in my mind!
1.God do not let this people to die in my hand 2.what will I tell their parents , our Africans and the Team? I told God let me die with Mike for I do not want to face my African and the American but another strong thought came in my mind , what about my Family and my wife what will they say? And at that point of strangle the Hans of the Lord came upon us and we were all thrown out of danger.
I will thank the Lord for the rest of my life, He is such a BIG God , so STRONG and MIGHTY that nothing our God can not do.
Let me remind the three of us that God love us and he want us to serve Him with our life and we have not accomplished task. He gave us life again so that we continue to serve Him.
After we got to safety, Pastor Martin went on his own across the next portion of fast running water to find Dessie. As we waited there, I (Mike) threw off my sweatshirt because it was too heavy with all the water being soaked in it. After awhile, Pastor came back to get us and bring us to Dessies Land Cruiser. We made it back home safely and debriefed that night. One of the things we found out is that everyone who was back at the house shared the scripture Psalm 23: 2 and 4.
The next morning Dessie went and tried to find the backpack. As soon as he asked a guy saw someone with a backpack and documents in his hand. So Dessie went out with the guy he asked and got the backpack. We received everything except for one cell phone and Tyler’s necklace from Brazil. Everything that got completely wet. All of the electronics work perfectly now. We all thank God for everything that he has done, how he protected us. And how he was with us every step of the way.
