THE IMPORTANCE OF YOUR PRAYERS

Dear Friends,

I returned today from my recent assignment to Niger in West Africa (15th November – 2nd December 2011). I am sending this interim report to let you know just how vitally important your prayers are to those of us who travel abroad serving the Lord through the Gideon Ministry.

On Thursday 24th November 2011 the vehicle in which I was travelling was involved in a serious road accident. We were undertaking a 12 hour drive from Niamey to Zinder and were 50 km from our destination when our driver swerved the Toyota Land Cruiser to avoid a cow in the road and lost control of the vehicle. It left the road and turned over five times before coming to rest in an upright position. The vehicle was totally destroyed.

The driver, my Gideon Coordinator and I were able to climb from the vehicle suffering from nothing more than some superficial cuts and in my case severely bruised ribs and back. Humanly speaking it would have seemed impossible that in such a huge accident the occupants would not have suffered life threatening injuries.

I know that in the United Kingdom and around the world this assignment was being regularly prayed for. It was God's grace and your prayers that I believe protected us at that time.

Thank you for your faithful prayers for myself, Hazel and all my Gideon colleagues. We cannot express the full extent of our thanks to you all.

Please continue to uphold all those who travel abroad, whether they are known to you or not, because God responds to our general prayers with specific answers.

Alf Stephenson
Regional Field Officer
Region 5
Africa West

2nd December 2011.