“For your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him.” (Matthew 6:8 NKJV)
God answered prayers even before I knew to ask. This has never been clearer to me since the night of July 17, 2014, when my co-missionary, Shelley Chapman, and I were assaulted and robbed at gunpoint. While locked in a room, not knowing the fate of Shelley, I felt an indescribable peace. “I wonder who is praying for us right now,” I pondered. Since that traumatic evening, we have become aware of how unspoken prayers have been answered:
- Ikenna Izoke, chief protocol officer at West Africa Theological Seminary, drove up right in front of Shelley as she drove to the campus to find help. He immediately contacted the police and found me locked in a room.
- God provided a safe shelter for us even before we knew of the need. Weeks before the robbery, we had made arrangements to stay the weekend with Edmond and Becky Poon, friends from our church in Nigeria.
- The day after the robbery, Wally Adeleye, friend and church member, immediately left his home and drove to us (about an hour and a half) as soon as he heard about our situation and provided transportation for us to Edmond and Becky’s. We were able to stay at his guesthouse while improved security measures were put into place by WATS.
- Dave and Susan Hackney, friends from church, provided an iPhone and tablet so we were able to connect with our families after the event.
- Ned and Marlene McGrady, Member Health counselors from World Gospel Mission, flew to minister to us in person. God provided them with a smooth entry through customs and immigration while carrying our replacement electronics.
- Pastors Gary and Emma Lou Maxey provided their home for us to use for debriefing with our WGM counselors and a computer to use while we waited for our replacements.
- Lynn Chapman, Shelley’s daughter, packed a suitcase of goodies from our families, and Ned and Marlene brought it with them. She even included several bottles of hand sanitizer for the clinic, not knowing it would be needed later as precautionary measures against Ebola.
- New Beginnings International Church raised the funds needed to replace our electronics.
- Jon and Vera Steury, Africa regional directors, arrived two weeks after the McGradys. This trip had been planned even before our arrival in Nigeria.
God hears and continues to answer our prayers.
“From the end of the earth I will cry to You, when my heart is overwhelmed; Lead me to the rock that is higher than I.” (Psalm 61:2 NKJV)
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