The Hand of God

This past weekend Thomas and I took a trip to Hyderabad to connect with some people there and have a few potential ministry partnership meetings. We bought train tickets, planning to leave for the nine hour trip somewhere around 1am the next night. Thomas and I decided to leave a little early the night of our trip, but not for any particular reason. Although there is a train station about two hundred yards from the children's home, the train we needed to get on only passes by and does not stop. We had to drive about a half hour to a train station where we could board. Upon arriving to the ticket counter, we were notified that our train had been cancelled. It was strange that we hadn't been informed, but were thankful that there was another train leaving in five minutes that we were told to get on. God was watching out for us because there was no reason for us to have been there that early in order to make that train.As our train arrived and we spoke with the TC about acquiring new seats, he informed us that the train we were supposed to be on was in a bad wreck and two to three hundred people were just killed. (We found out later that actually that many people were injured and about 15 died). I could do nothing but praise God for His faithfulness to us that we weren't on that train. The conductor showed us to our seats and found two open beds in the AC car where we slept all night until we arrived in Hyderabad. Thomas even met an attorney who offered some valuable advice on our land-purchasing endeavors. Even now, I am so humbled at how God protects those who are doing His will even as Satan seeks to destroy. I can truly say that God spared our lives that night and that there is no reason other than His faithfulness that Thomas and I are alive today.
Our time in Hyderbad was so refreshing. I now understand why people take months to go backpacking around Europe. There is something about not having an agenda (other than a couple meetings) and just being able to explore and experience the city that is irreplacable. We met up and stayed with some friends of Thomas' that were more than hospitable to us. Although it was my first time meeting them, I left only a day and a half later feeling like we were lifelong friends. More details to come on some of what we were able to experience there.
As we headed back on the train Monday night, God's hand was on us once again. Our train was due to arive around 5am so we slept through the night as we did on the trip there. Trains in India are quite unlike trains in the US. There are no announcements or warning at the various stops. There is no one to monitor that people are clear before the train starts moving. It's quite the opposite, actually. People are constantly jumping on and off moving trains and nearly hanging out the door as the train drives off. As you may have guessed, Thomas and I missed our stop (I was awake, but had no way of knowing it was our stop), and had to continue on the train for the next half hour or so until another stop. At that point, we were way out of our way. We got off and paid 18 rupees for two new tickets (that's less than 50 cents). What I didn't realize at the time was that these tickets didn't take us back to the station we had left from two days earlier, but dropped us off directly in front of the children's home! We didn't have to pay for a taxi driver to take us home and even with having to purchase new tickets, we actually saved money.

The hand of God is so evident here. Regardless of how much Satan tries to seek and destroy, God is always there to protect and to save. It is such a beautiful feeling knowing that when we are walking in the truth, we have the God of the universe on our side.
Thank you, Heavenly Father, that we are alive today.

Breana

P.S. Don't worry, Mama, jumping on moving trains isn't as dangerous as it sounds!