Adventures in the Snow

 

It was Tuesday, January 21^st. I was at a doctor’s appointment that was running long.  Noticing snow coming down, I began to get antsy. Having never driven in the snow before, I didn’t realize I should have left right away and come back later for lab work. Nearly an hour passed before I headed down the elevator and out the door. It was almost 5 PM. While waiting for labs I did a little googling on driving in the snow…”Drive half the speed you normally would and make sure your gas tank is full” were the two things that stuck out to me. The parking lot that had been jam-packed when I arrived for my appointment at 2:30, was now nearly deserted. Using the windshield wipers, I was able to clear the snow from my front window. Heading out onto the roads I could tell immediately I was in trouble. Cars were sliding around me, and I was seeing accidents left and right. My mind began to wonder what lay ahead of me, a car accident? Or a night spent stuck somewhere in my van?  As the chaos around me increased, I wondered which way I should go home. After filling up my gas tank, grabbing a bag of emergency potato chips and a bottled water, I headed back into the slippery, hazardous maze towards home. Steve was going to try and come out so I could follow him home, but I told him there was no way he would make it to me. The only one who could help me at this point, was God. Not a bad place to be in!

                I finally decided I would just head towards the gridlocked 316 rather than take backroads. But to get to 316 – my navigator app sent me on a familiar backroad that included a hill. About halfway up the hill my van began to lose traction. I would press on the gas to no avail. Cars behind me seemed to be in the same predicament. If only I could back up maybe I could turn around and try another way, but this would surely lead to slipping and hitting the cars behind me. I thought of asking the other drivers if we all just wanted to back up, but when I stepped out onto the asphalt it was covered in slippery ice. There was no way I would make it to their cars without falling.

                A nice man stopped and gave me advice and tried to come back and help me but couldn’t-it was the thought that counted 😊 Most people that were making it up the hill did not stop to try and help. For the most part, it was each man for himself. But one lady pulled up next to me and told me to turn off my traction control. That was how she had been able to make it up the hill. This worked! I’ve never heard my van groan like it did! But old faithful made it!  I came to the four way stop – with various cars haphazardly sharing the icy road with me – and turned left. Going down the hill I lost control and began to slide. Nearly hitting a giant passenger bus that was stuck on the side of the three-lane road, I came to a screeching halt. Quickly putting the van into park and engaging the emergency brake, I took a deep breath... Phew-crisis averted...

Not so fast George Banks! Within a minute or so, a truck came sliding down the road behind me and hit my van sideways. Thankfully no-one was hurt. But we were clearly stuck. If only I had stayed put at the top of the hill. But then again…if that were the case, I wouldn’t have the rest of this story to tell you!

                Holding onto the side of my van, I carefully made my way over the icy road to the truck’s passenger window. A soft-spoken19-year-old young man from Mexico was driving with his mom who didn’t speak any English. We commiserated about the situation and discussed the fact that we had collided and would probably need to report the accident. With the help of a very nice gentleman who had come out of his home nearby, I made it across the slippery road to the sidewalk and walked down to speak to a Sheriff who was there. Long story short, the police couldn’t come out to car accidents unless an ambulance was needed. We were told to take pictures, exchange phone numbers, and deal with it later. This was completely understandable given the chaos on the roads.

                Providentially, I was within a five-minute walk of my dear Kenyan friend of the last 18 years. We hadn’t seen each other in a long time – so this would be an opportunity to stay warm and catch up! I was concerned about the young man and his mom because they didn’t have a full gas tank to get them through the night. The young man said his father had insisted on coming to help and had already set out on the 10 mile walk from his home, in the freezing cold, snow and ice. Standing there with my teeth chattering, toes frozen, cold to the core-my heart melted under the heat of that kind of love! I was in awe of this embodiment of Christ! The son walked 5 miles to meet him, leaving his mom in the truck. She was too scared to come with me but I gave the son my phone number and said call me if anything happens and she needs me.

                Safely again across the icy road, I headed to my friend’s house.  She met me on the sidewalk with warm blankets, and inside with hot tea, and a space heater. After catching up for a little while, the young man called and said a car had slid into his truck and could I go to his mom. Of course I could! When my friend heard about their situation, she offered for them to come back to her home as well for the night. How beautiful!  My friend’s adult daughter came with me, and we made our way as quickly as possible to the now, three car pile-up.

                Scooting across the ice on my rear-end, I made it over to the truck. This girl knows she doesn’t want to fall on the ice! The young man’s sweet momma looked so scared and bewildered. She quickly handed me her phone so I could talk to her son. He said he and his dad were close. Not wanting to get hit by an out-of-control vehicle, I quickly got off the road. More cars were turning onto the street thinking they would make it down the hill. We waved at many of them and explained the only way down would involve sliding into either our 3-car pile-up, or the other 3 -car pile-up just below us. After about twenty freezing minutes, the young man and his hero dad arrived. Unfortunately, he would not be able to get into the truck and drive them home. Presently, he needed to get his wife out of the truck and safely across the icy road. He tied some rope onto his truck and had his son take the other end hoping she could hold on to it and walk across. Realizing this wouldn’t work, we all threw down our scarves and other articles of clothing onto the ice and in tears, she crawled across the freezing road.

Back on our feet, I told them they were welcome to come back with me to my friend’s home. The hero dad said he had hoped to take his family to a hotel. Finding one a thirty-minute walk away, he determined to take his family there. Pulling off my gloves I gave them to the momma, who was intermittently crying. I asked if I could pray for them before they departed. Huddling together we put our arms around each other and praised the God who loves us and takes care of us. I praised God for showing me more of his loving character through this husband and father who would brave 10 miles in the snow, ice and freezing temperatures to get to his family and asked for God’s protection over them on their journey. After I finished praying, I suggested they call the hotel to make sure there were rooms available. To their dismay, there weren’t any, so we began the trek to my friend’s home.

One God over all, one snowstorm, and one car accident, collided three families from three different parts of the world, the USA, Mexico and Kenya, into one home and our hearts were to knit together into one heart. I watched my Kenyan friend, lovingly prepare a meal for us, and we sat together around her table like we had been friends for our whole lives. I watched her daughter give up her room and her bed. Each member of the family sacrificed in a different way to welcome myself and three strangers into their home.

It was a scary night, a night of unknown outcomes, a night of surprises. A night of free-falling (or sliding!) into God’s providential care. Of sliding and crashing in just the right places, into just the right people. And now, with plans of future gatherings at each other’s homes, our hearts are bigger – our families have expanded. Safely at home, I feel as if heaven just came to earth, but for a moment. And I am changed. Praise our God from whom all blessings flow. Amen.