Today I woke up for school and it was the first day that it seemed it was not foggy. The bus came to get the teachers and students from the building, which meant I needed to leave on time. Since it was pretty clear from what we could see, I was not concerned. However, isn’t there a saying about what you can’t see?
We hit a patch of fog that was really bad. I could barely see the lines on the road to follow them. I pulled over and creeped along to see if it was just a patch. It was. I sped up a bit and then another patch cropped up. It was worse than the first one. I couldn’t believe it! With the help of some other travelers, we were able to get off the road to safety. It was only then that we found out that it was actually fog and smoke. I can still smell the burning debris on me as I sit and write. The farmers here burn things on foggy days that they are not allowed to burn normally. Not smart at all. The fog mixes with the smoke and you cannot see your hand in front of your face. I was very thankful to have found other drivers and gotten to the side of road safely.
As we stood on the side of the road, toes getting cold from the damp morning. The screech of rubber, crumpling of metal, and shattering of glass rang out from within the fog. The fog is so bad we cannot even tell where the accident has occurred. The wind shifts a bit and you can barely make out the outline of a bus and truck on the other side of the road, or what was left of the truck. Within seconds the screech of tires rang out again, as another larger truck slams into the accident. Despite the sturdiness of the truck, the front end is crunched pinning the driver in the cab. I recount this horrible incident to reflect on the grace of God and the strength of human effort.
Still barely able to see, workers from a range of cultures dashed across the road to the median. They ran down the road hailing to the cars still driving to avoid more victims being added. Even with a lack of visibility they risked their lives to stop it from becoming an even bigger disaster. Of course the police were called, but with the weather, it would be a while until they were able to reach to scene. The men banded together to help get the people out of the car. Pinned in the car and blocked by the truck you could hear the people cry out in pain. I watched as the men lifted and moved the smaller truck in order to get to the people in the larger. Using whatever materials they had on hand, they worked together to pry free the driver. By the grace of God, they only had broken bones, but were alive and breathing. It could have been much worse. It was a terrible thing to watch unfold, but as I saw all of these people from different cultures coming together to help a stranger, I couldn’t help but feel some sense of pride in the humanity and strength shown by the people there.
Though the accident was on the other side of the road and I was clearly safely tucked off the road, I still looked to sky to thank God. There are many things that could have transpired today that didn’t. I feel gracious to be alive, unhurt, and able to tell this story. Each day in the country I find myself in a new adventure, but that is one adventure that I am not anxious to experience again. Alhumdilallah!
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