Look for the silver lining in the people God has put around you

Some of the MAF Uganda International community representing 13 nations..
which means we can have our cultural challenges but we're better together than apart

Ever since my last post months ago I've had it on my 'to-do-list' to write another post but it always seems to get bumped to the next day which has led to months of bumping.  The intensity of this week though has brought some thoughts forward I really wanted to write down. 
  
The most dangerous thing our pilots do in Uganda is not actually the flying but instead the 30 minute drive to the airstrip..this might be because any crazy driver seems to have a license on these roads and many don't seem to respect road rules...unlike pilots.
   
One of our MAF wives received a call we all would dread to ever have to receive.   Her husband had been hit from behind on his motorbike and then run over by a 4WD.   He had a punctured lung, 6 broken ribs, broken collar bone, badly broken arm and a cracked hip and pelvic bone....I wish I could show you the photo of his shirt with a muddy print of the 4WD tyre mark all the way across to emphasise what a miracle it is that he's alive and doesn't need more than surgery on his arm...but it's their photo to share when and if they desire.   

This week has gone from bad news, to relief, then relief and then more relief to hear each test and scan coming back clear...firstly no head or spinal injury, no internal bleeding etc..his one punctured lung began breathing on its own again.  Then he was moved out of ICU 3 days later and into a regular hospital room and now we've heard he may be discharged soon.  We're all so thankful that these developments are moving in the right direction and further away from a day that could have been very different.  There were signs of God's covering even though the accident was so horrendous.    A christian policeman happened to be driving and saw the car speeding away from the scene being chased by motorbike taxis...he was able to shield our pilot on the road and then flag down armed military to stand around him until they hailed a UN truck to safely bring him to a hospital.  One of our colleagues had just returned from Holland who has nursing training.  She was able to let a nurse know at the first hospital he was taken to that she could see swelling from a punctured lung or 'Pneumothorax'.  The nurse argued that this wasn't the case but our colleague insisted they inject him.  Afterwards we learned from a doctor that this helped saved his life because if he'd been moved by ambulance to the second hospital without the injection he probably would have died.    

Then to witness the love in our MAF and wider community here in Kampala, spreading its wings over the family, rallying around them to help in anyway at all possible has been beautiful to see.    We don't have our families close-by to turn to in time of crisis, but we do have each other and this is something I'll always remember about having lived in Africa for the last 11 years.

Its so important to keep our eyes open to God's provision, protection and grace that can sometimes be so subtle we miss it.   There is evil at work in our world but then God is still participating and can turn evil into good..I've been thinking about when Joseph said to his brothers who had wronged him on so many levels, 'But as for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive.' Gen 50:20.   God's intention is not to run a puppet show but to bring us safely through to eternity.  From my experience He will allow temporary trials only if they bring a weight of glory.  For us it can appear harsh and we can wonder why He doesn't step in and stop things from escalating....but the balance of Him allowing us free will and Him wanting us to grow stronger and to use us more with the compassion we gain from these trials is a finite one.   

I hope that anyone reading this can trust and perceive Him as a perfect and loving Father who has our best interests in mind even if in our earthly timezone it sometimes can translate differently.  Also I hope I can inspire you to reach out to those around you and not be an island...we all can learn from each other through our various trials and community can help paint a silver lining.