Walking with God in Perilous Lands: Surviving the Quake:
Dr. John LaNoue • January 7, 2019
Walking with God in 2019
Walking with God in Dangerous Places
In 2004 there was a terrible earthquake in Bam, Iran. The news reported 22,000 deaths! Most of the city was built with unfired mud blocks which collapsed with the tremor!
It occurred between midnight and daylight, so most of the people were still asleep when their houses collapsed on them!
God used the tragedy to open the door for Baptist Global Response to send help. They are a branch of the International Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention. They are a courageous group of First Responders.
The slogan that I saw in many public places in Iran, was “America is the Great Satan! Death to America! Slay all Americans!” It is not a comfortable place to work!!!
It was a dangerous place for us to be. But, God said, ”GO!”
I have learned to trust god in all things, so my response is, “Yes, Lord. Just tell me how.” I have worked in disaster response and other types of humanitarian aid for over 50 years. I have worked for over 13 years in with projects in North Korea, also in Bosnia, Herzegovina (We had to pretend to be Germans there because Americans were not permitted to be there), and many other places.
I have learned that God not only protects, and provides for us, but sometimes He does it in humorous ways!
When the call came for a response to the Bam incident, the Alabama Baptist air lift kitchen was available. Texas Baptist Men put me in charge of the relief crew. Having worked in the Iranian mountains during Desert Storm, feeding 14,000 Kurdish refugees twice a day, I knew what to expect. In that response, I had been surrounded by troops with AK47s. I also endured 6.5 hours of intense interrogation!
When our chartered Russian plane landed in Bam, I told my team to stay seated while I deplaned to see what would happen.
As I descended the steps, I was met by an angry official, with a ferocious glare, who yelled at me, “Who are you and what are you doing here!”
Knowing something of the phonics of Arabic and Farsi, I pronounced Alabama with broad A, like Ah.
I said, “I am with the Alabama Kitchen,” he heard, “I am with the Allah Ba Ma Kitchen!”
He broke into a smile, grabbed me in a bear hug, kissed me on both cheeks and shouted, “Welcome to my country!”
What he heard in Farsi was, “I was with the God is with us Kitchen””.
God has a tremendous sense of humor!
If God gives you an assignment, do not try to reason your way out of it. Just say, “Yes Lord! How?” Because He is the Great Enabler, Great Provider, and Great Protector!
We have a Great and Glorious God!
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In a small rural village in Tanzania, a man sits quietly outside his home. His body is thin. His shoulders are tired. And rising from his back is a painful tumor that has slowly stolen nearly everything from him. His name is Zakaria. For years, Zakaria worked as a boda boda driver, carrying passengers from village to village on his motorcycle. In East Africa, a boda boda is more than transportation. For many families, it is survival. Every ride meant food. Every mile meant provision. Every long day on rough roads meant another opportunity to care for his wife and continue moving forward. But suffering often enters quietly. What began as a hitching pain in Zakaria’s back slowly became swelling. At first, it was manageable. Like many men trying to provide for their families, he pushed through the discomfort and kept working. But the pain continued. The swelling grew. And over time, the tumor became impossible to ignore. Today, Zakaria lives with constant pain and uncertainty. The disease has robbed him of strength, dignity, income, and peace. The motorcycle he once depended on has already been sold in a desperate attempt to find healing. And yet, in the middle of suffering, something unexpected happened. Hope arrived.
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Baby Godfrey couldn't eat without pain. His family couldn't afford surgery. The Bethel Smile program gave him free cleft lip surgery at 4 months old.
Free Medical Camps in Burundi: What Happens When a Doctor Walks Into Gisuru | Amigos Internacionales
Inside the Gisuru medical camp in Burundi — surgeries, eye care, and spiritual ministry delivered by volunteer doctors. See the full impact report from 2025.
East Texas journalist Jennifer Scott traveled to East Africa to cover Amigos Internacionales. Read the full Tyler Morning Telegraph feature from April 2026.
Learn how church missions in Africa, through partnerships with Amigos Internacionales, can bring lasting change to communities in need. Get involved in education, healthcare, and development projects.
Discover the resilience of refugees in Northern Uganda and how Amigos Internacionales is providing medical care, education, and empowerment to help rebuild lives.
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