An order came from the General in command that a certain stronghold of Rebels must be routed immediately, that the missionary's truck with the same guards must go immediately for this purpose. They moved out before 3 a.m., arriving on the outskirts of the village just before the break of day. The missionary again requested that they shut off the engine and pray that God would again protect them and guide them. While he was praying, God sent a heavy fog-unknown before in that region! Yes, God lives! He is the same yesterday, today and forever.
Since the village was below them, they left the engine turned off, and with great difficulty coasted quietly down the slope. They found the Rebels asleep. The guards soon surrounded the Rebels and took them to the Commander, who at the point of his revolver ordered them to tell all they knew. The missionary requested the Commander not to kill any of them as they were Bolivian citizens and had families; but he never saw any of them again. He feared they were all shot. How disappointing! He had hoped to give them the Gospel before anything else happened.
News came that the Rebels from the first town were counter-attacking, so they had to return hastily. It was two-thirty the next morning when they arrived. The Commander handed the missionary a heavy army revolver and ordered one of the guards to take care of him with a machine gun. The missionary told him he didn't need either because he had far better "arms" to take care of him. He was experiencing the wonderful love and care of his Lord and Savior, with His "everlasting arms" beneath him. (Deut. 33:2727The eternal God is thy refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms: and he shall thrust out the enemy from before thee; and shall say, Destroy them. (Deuteronomy 33:27).)
The puzzled Commander asked, "Whatever do you mean?"
"I have Psa. 91, Sir." He read some of it while the fighting was going on! "He that dwelleth in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.... The Lord, He is my Refuge, and my Fortress: my God; in Him will I trust." He read verse 7 also: "A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee."
Finally, the Rebels ceased to attack. That dreadful civil war ended, not only there but all over the Republic of Bolivia. What a relief!
After the missionary drove the Commander and the guards back to Potosi, he left them in the barracks and eagerly hurried as fast as he could to the home of the Judge. Stopping the truck, he ran to the window at which he knew his loved one would be waiting for him. "Honey!" he called at the top of his voice, "are you there?" She rushed to the window. Seeing him, she ran down the steps as fast as she could and clasped him in her arms, with tears streaming down her cheeks. They were together again through the Lord's tender mercies. The Judge and his wife followed her eagerly to welcome him back.
With tears of gratitude the missionary thanked them for taking such loving care of his dear one for over a month. How can he ever forget the kindness of that Judge and his wife! He was a strict Roman Catholic, but during his last hours he listened attentively to the Gospel, with tears in his eyes. Will we see that dear man in glory? We cannot say. We trust so.
The Lord had graciously spared them and the truck for His service. Leaving Potosi at last, the missionary and his wife drove to Aripalca, thankful to be home once more and eager to serve the Lord again among their dear Inca brethren, from whom they received such a loving welcome home.
It is good to remember all the way the Lord has led us (Deut. 8:22And thou shalt remember all the way which the Lord thy God led thee these forty years in the wilderness, to humble thee, and to prove thee, to know what was in thine heart, whether thou wouldest keep his commandments, or no. (Deuteronomy 8:2)). In miraculous ways God spared the lives of the missionary and his wife, and took good care of the truck so it could be used for the service of the Lord in Bolivia, the purpose for which it was intended. It was used for many more years among the Inca Indians, transporting them to conferences being one of its important uses. Many of the Indians have been brought into the saving knowledge of the Lord since then. All praise belongs to Him who alone is worthy!
Some years later when the missionary was walking in the streets of the Capital, he saw a high ranking army officer who waved to him. Calling out at the top of his voice the officer said, "Psa. 91!" He had remembered the Psalm which had been such a comfort to the missionary during those stressful months. But the missionary does not know whether he ever put his trust in the Lord Jesus Christ as his own Savior. God knows! He has promised His Word will not return unto Him "void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it" (Isa. 55:1111So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it. (Isaiah 55:11)). What a comfort!
During his many years in Bolivia the last words of his father in New Zealand often came to mind: "Remember, the Lord has promised, 'I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee' " (Heb. 13:55Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. (Hebrews 13:5)). In retrospect, the missionary can say with heartfelt thanks that the Lord has certainly kept His promise all the way and in every way, doing for him far above what he asked or thought.
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