It is Friday, January 29. We have travelled out of BYT and back in 2 days. Why? Because we wanted to bring BletJhaw’s entire family, including his Mother, and also Landon Meyer, who will do a video of the baptism the next day.
Landon
The trip is long. Because of the rain we cannot take the shortcut, and cannot take the other shorter route either. This way includes over one hour of wild elephant territory. Praise the Lord, we only saw fresh elephant dung in their playground area, and footprints up a bank into the jungle. Just missed it once again.
Upon arriving in BYT a little boy comes running to our house all out of breath, pale, and shaking. I ask him what’s wrong and he says:
“Ga Chau Mee! Ga Chau Mee!” This being interpreted is: “Wild Elephant! Wild Elephant!”
A wild elephant had walked right through the school grounds next to us and alarmed the school children. In sheer terror they screamed and screamed until the monster turned and walked away.
I could not bear the thought of these dear children being in danger. We grabbed our fire crackers and cigarette lighter and ran to the school where we found the assistant head man and 2 others in hot pursuit. We joined them down the mountain, through the river and across the rice paddy. We saw the large footprints, a broken bamboo fence, and broken wooden bridge, but did not see the elephant.
Broken wooden bridge
Late that afternoon we had a visitor asking us to please go to the main highway and pick up LaPoe and her husband. They had been discharged from the hospital that day, took a song tow to the Tiger Road (Turn off for BYT), and were waiting for us to come and get them.
This is major shocking news for me because this requires a long ugly trip. BletJhaw must be awfully tired right now, also I am trying to get enough blankets out for everyone, preparing food and getting ready for Sabbath. But these dear people are in need. We learned long ago that the more we sacrifice for people the more rewards God gives. We go.
After we safely made it through the elephant area, I put my fire crackers away, and enjoyed the nice new cement portion of the road. Just then, turning a tight corner, we were suddenly face to face with a huge WILD elephant! We were surprisingly calm. BletJhaw began slowly backing the truck up. Instead of grabbing the firecracker, I grabbed the camera and caught this shot.
We are face to face with a wild elephant!! He is following us! BletJhaw managed to turn around in a small space and we made it up the hill. This wild beast could have charged us, he even had oil coming from the glands in his head! This really means trouble. I believe our angels tranquilized him and we were not harmed!
He turned and walked into the jungle.
We continued our journey, finding NauGhee and his wife at the main road.
She looks really good! Her husband is admirably devoted. (I’ll write about that later) Now for the long journey back. We silently drove through the elephant area again in the dark. We had a very long trip back because we had to go way around in order to go to GeGhah village. On the way to that village we had to cross a real flimsy wood/bamboo bridge. I got out and looked at it as BletJhaw drove over. One side broke with a crash. How could we return that way?
We placed the tires in a different place, but it broke again on the way out. BletJhaw just gunned it out of there – we made it!
Now we get another surprise! We arrived home late at night, but everybody was up waiting for us with the exciting news that another WILD elephant had come through BYT 3 times! Everyone was frightened and worried about the small children. The people were screaming in abject terror. The grand finale came when he came right through the gate towards the church while the people were trying to have vespers! Everyone prayed and shouted.
Please pray for the safety of my people because God is bigger than the elephants.