I was lead to share this memory this am. I pray that it reaches the right person(s) and it helps you stand fast allowing God to be in control.
When I was 15, we lived in Port Harcourt, Nigeria,( Africa). A civil war broke out between the northern and southern tribes in Nigeria. All forms of travel into or out of the country was halted, it took the American Embassy flying into Port Harcourt to get the Americans out. There was one big old bomber that they flew in, and 3 flights were organized. The first flight was for handicapped/sick...The second flight was for women with children......The third flight was for the rest....
Native war drums had been sounding all around us for days and nights before the plane arrived. There were people being murdered in the streets....tension and fear was ripe in the air.
The agreement that was made to negotiate our evacuation was that
No men were allowed to leave, because the government knew the oil production would stop.
Mama was handicapped, and she had me ( a teenager), but we were informed that we would be on the third flight. When we arrived at the airport, we were separated from the rest of the passengers .That was when we were told that Mother and I needed to walk through alone as a sign of the arbitration.My Daddy was so angry that we were being asked to walk alone across the runway.
Can you imagine the feelings that were rolling through my Daddy when he found out what we were being used for? Can you imagine the feelings of total helplessness that course through my Mother as we began that long walk to the plane? We were totally unarmed, a handicapped woman and a teenage daughter with lines of soldiers on each side of the runway. The northern tribes and the southern tribes, with their faces painted white, holding machine guns.
As we left the building, Mother was clinging to my arm, and walking with a cane. She said, "Standing up straight, do not look from side to side, focus on the plane and sing with me." I know the Lord will find a way for me , I know the Lord will find a way for me, If I walk in Heaven's light shun the wrong and do the right, I know the Lord will find a way for me. Won't it be grand to hear Him say well done, Won't it be grand to hear him say well done. If I walk in Heaven's light shun the wrong and do the right, won't it be grand to hear him say well done"
There was no fancy entry into that plane,just a short set of steep stairs leaning against it. I remember, that they literally had to lift us up into the plane because the space between the top of the steps and the plane was too great to climb alone.
There was a big strong black man who pulled my Mother up into the plane in front of me and said, "Mrs. Boone, I am from the American Embassy and I am here to take you to safety." My mother literally crumbled in his arms crying , "God Bless You", "Thank You so very much".
After we were safely inside the plane, they then allowed a slow single file of women and children to leave the building and cross into the plane.
As we sat down and buckled up, it occurred to me....no one else was addressed by name as they were pulled into the plane.....just Mother.
We were flown to Lagos, Nigeria where a commercial airline then flew us onto London.A few days later, we were then flown onto New Orleans.
My Daddy left his machine shop in town, and moved out onto a rig. The rigs had legs that literally jack them up above the water while they drill,and jack back down when they would float or move to a new location.
The rig crews jacked up the legs and began to move the rigs out of the gulf up and around the coast to the Canary Islands.At first, they were fired upon, but soon in the open waters they were out if range. From the Canary Islands, the men were flown to their homes back in the US.
Today, I look at the lesson that Mother taught me that day, "Focus on the Lord", sing praises to His name, and allow Him to take control.
Sue
