April 21, 2010
It was a very hot day in BYT. Not a breath of air moved the banana tree leaves surrounding
our house. Micah and I had planned to investigate the area on his motorbike today and find
out where some of the surrounding villages are located. We need a mental map of the area,
noting the closer villages first then spreading out like ripples on the water to know where the
others are later. A motorbike ride is always a welcome relief from the heat, so it did not take
us long to be off. It is challenging driving around here to say the least. To exit BYT, you
make a steep descent, open a crude stick gate at the bottom, cross 2 rivers, and then dodge
as many deep ruts as possible as you weave around hairpin turns filled with rocks
sometimes and deep dust at other times. It seems the further you go the rougher it gets.
Micah says he loves to be the driver. He would never like to be the passenger on these
roads! I say we’re a good team because I love to be the passenger and never could I be the
driver over these unpredictable rugged trails. I felt sorry for the motorbike as we experienced
gut shaking rocks and some extremely steep places. (What will this be like in the rainy
season? I do not mind waiting to find out)! Three hours and 5 villages later we were nearing
home. Suddenly I felt alarmed and said, “Micah, you better stop and check your oil right
away. I smell burning oil!” I said this in an authoritative manner, and surprised myself at the
urgent way it came out of my mouth. Micah obediently stopped. As soon as the kick stand
went down, he spotted it, – a long bright shiny green snake stretching across the right side of
the road just in front of us! This green variety of pit viper is the fastest and most aggressive
snake in Thailand. They are extremely poisonous. Most snake bites here are from this
species of snake because they really must enjoy biting people! Micah grabbed his sling shot
and took 3 tries before he nailed him in the head. We didn’t see much of him after that, as
he tumbled down the steep embankment. Much subdued and totally forgetting the burning
smell of oil, we slowly and silently continued our journey. It was Micah who finally broke the
silence. “You know Mom; I don’t think you really smelled oil. God made you smell it
because I had just checked it. I didn’t think it made any sense to stop and check it right
then.” I took a deep breath; the true reality of the situation had dawned upon him first. Yes,
we could have run over him and he would instantly fling up and bite! God’s timing is always
perfect! Especially if you were to know that my personal devotions that morning was Luke
10. Verse 19 had specifically shone out to me and I had claimed it for each of us.
“Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions. And over all the power
of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you!” Luke 10:19
Oh God, You are so good!
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