Path of Destruction

Caught in the heart of citywide riots that had been sparked by anti-government student demonstrations, God was our only defense—but He was strong enough! What could have turned into trauma and tragedy for us became instead a thrilling testimony to the power of God.

Our third-story apartment doubled as housing and base of operations for our volunteer work. In the previous few days we had left only for emergencies. “Have you heard the latest?” someone whispered. We kept our voices low, as we didn’t want to upset the children. “Crowds are rioting all across the city!”

Lydia peered out the window, being careful to stay out of sight behind the curtain. “It’s all quiet around here,” she said. “Almost too quiet.”

“We’re safe here for the time being,” John replied, putting his arm around Lydia. “We’ve prayed for our situation, so we know we’re in the Lord’s hands.” We had been praying about trying to leave the city, but kept feeling that the Lord wanted us to stay put.

“Now seems like a good time to try to talk to some of our neighbors,” John said.

Lydia looked out the window again, this time at the men who stood guard at the outer gate of our housing complex. Their show of force might be enough to deter a few would-be looters, but what could they possibly do if they were set upon by an angry mob?

John and Lydia prayed for the Lord’s protection, and then set off down the stairs and out of the building. They hurried past the evacuated shops on the ground floor, then over to the front gate of our complex where a few neighbors mingled and talked with the guards. As John and Lydia got closer a loud crash shook the neighborhood. At the same instant two frightened teenagers came hurtling around the corner.
“Quick!” one of them shouted. “Get out of here! A mob is headed this way!”

There were more people behind the two teenagers—dozens of them on foot and motorbikes or in cars—all racing as fast as they could to keep ahead of the rioters.

The first young man stopped and bent over. Resting his hands on his knees, he tried to catch his breath. “They’re breaking shop windows and setting buildings on fire—buildings just like this one!” he said. “They’re right around the corner!” Fear flashed in his eyes and he sprinted off again. Panic overcame our neighbors, and they took off too.

John and Lydia prayed to stay calm. Without saying another word to each other, they turned, rushed back to our apartment building, and bounded up the stairs. Joanna had seen them coming and flung the door open for them.

It was clear that something terrible was happening in the streets below, and there was only one thing that we could do: pray desperately for the Lord to keep us from harm!

A couple of us kept our children occupied with reading in another room, while the rest of us prayed as we never had before! Time passed. We prayed on. When the shouting and screaming below got louder, we stopped our ears and claimed God’s protection over and over.

Psalm 91 was a tremendous comfort. “A thousand may fall at your side, and ten thousand at your right hand; but it shall not come near you. … I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress; my God, in Him I will trust. … You shall not be afraid of the terror by night, nor of the arrow that flies by day. … No evil shall befall you, nor shall any plague come near your dwelling.” It seemed like that had been written specifically for us. The peace of God covered our spirits like a cozy blanket.

After what seemed like forever, someone got up and went to the window. Everything was quiet and still. Not a soul was in sight. We were safe!

Phil and Esther ran up to the roof to get a better look. There they could see just how wonderfully we had been saved. The mob had left a path of destruction down the street that led to our neighborhood—a cindered, litter-strewn mess of mangled steel and shattered glass. The mob had come straight up our street, and then just before it got to our apartment, the mob had made a U-turn and headed for a nearby supermarket.

For some time after that, we could still hear the shouts of looters as they emptied the supermarket of anything they could carry. Later, 200-foot columns of fire illuminated the night sky as two nearby department stores were looted and burned.

Destruction and terror were all around, but through it all, we were kept safe in the hands of our loving Savior.

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James 4:7 ESV / Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

Philippians 3:19 ESV / Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and they glory in their shame, with minds set on earthly things.

Philippians 3:18 ESV / For many, of whom I have often told you and now tell you even with tears, walk as enemies of the cross of Christ.