Walking with God in Perilous Lands: Surviving the Quake:

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!