Veteran missionary Lydia Venter shares a powerful testimony of how God’s forewarning saved lives
“…I will tell you great things, hidden things of which you are unaware.” — Jeremiah 33:11b CJB
“Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.” — Ephesians 8:26
In the previous episode I shared how the Lord spoke to my husband on two occasions, showing him “great and mighty” things, he did not know. Today I want to share another time where the Lord spoke to me beforehand, showing me something of the future and allowing me to intercede in advance, thus changing that which the enemy intended for evil into something that would eventually bring glory to Him.
One Wednesday evening in 1996 (somehow the month completely got evaporated from our memory) Wilco and I sat in our sitting room in Glenharvie, Westonaria, just talking, when he shared with me about a certain job they were to do the following evening. He often told me about his work and, quite frankly, some information often went into one ear and out of the other as I had very limited understanding of the underground environment where he spent his days. On this specific evening however, it was different. I immediately got anxious and, the feeling got so overpowering, that I called Maki, our 4-year old daughter, to come so we could pray for her dad.
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The next day as I was travelling to Johannesburg where I was working at the time, the heaviness in my heart continued and I found myself continuously praying in tongues. My spirit was deeply troubled. I know it can’t be even remotely close to the anguish our Lord experienced while being in the garden of Gethsemane, but I do think Holy Spirit allowed me to feel a tiny glimpse of it.
When Wilco left that evening, we had no idea that our lives would be deeply impacted by the incident that would occur only hours later. The ringing phone woke me up close to midnight. Wilco had been involved in an accident and I was required to urgently go to Libanon mine hospital. I felt numb. The relatively short distance to the hospital felt like hours as thoughts ran through my mind to try and make sense of the little information shared with me on the phone.
On arrival they allowed me into the room where Wilco was lying. The doctor was hovering over him and I could hear him whispering over and over again: “This is a miracle …” My husband was burnt on his face, on his chest, his arms, his hands … his nails were black and curling backwards. His melted watch was buried in red flesh on his wrist. I was flooded with empathy for Wilco who lay there so helpless. He was obviously under sedation to control the pain and allow the doctor to work without interruption.
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In the days and weeks to follow we experienced such contrasting emotions. Wilco suffered intense pain, helplessness and frustration and I had to do everything for him from bathing him, dressing him, feeding him, taking him to the toilet, shaving him to whatever else he needed to be done for him. I jokingly told people who were praying for Wilco, to also pray for me as I was the one working so hard. But seriously, I experienced a supernatural power and grace during this time as I don’t particularly see myself flowing in the gift of service. I can’t remember ever feeling tired or frustrated. The Lord was obviously carrying me through. I always wondered what unconditional love feels like. During that time, I definitely witnessed it first hand as I had the supernatural ability to serve my husband without expecting anything back.
Unfortunately, that ‘high’ didn’t last forever, as us humans have a natural tendency to have hopes and expectations from the people around us. Part of our journey is to lay down more and more of this, and to increasingly trust God to take care of everything in our lives. Like John says in chapter 3:30 … “He must become greater; I must become less.” As we put our hope in Christ, we’ll become lightened and our faces will not be ashamed.” — Psalm 34:5
I remember every third day I had to take him to Libanon hospital to change his dressing. They used a special ointment on the wounds, after which they would put surgical gloves over his hands. This caused him tremendous pain, but it miraculously helped to repair the skin in what seemed like record time. I remember clearly how I would walk up and down the corridor, praying in tongues while hearing Wilco scream when they remove the bandages. Slowly, but surely, he recovered and within three weeks Wilco was back at work.
So, what happened at the mine during that dreadful event? How did this accident occur? Of course, the mine had to launch an in-depth investigation as safety had been bridged and lives had been endangered. If the mining committee came up with any damning evidence of negligence, Wilco and his colleagues could be suspended with immediate effect and worse even, be charged in a court of law.
That night they were four guys who had to fix the reticulation according to a drawing they had because of a recent shaft accident that occurred. There was a very specific cable that needed to be cut and then joined with another one that had already been switched off by the electricians of the previous shift. The guys had to trace the cable and make sure that all four of them agreed which cable was to be cut with the hydraulic cutter. Unfortunately, the spiking gun with which they could shoot a blade into the cable to safely check whether it was alive or not, was at the workshop in need of repairs.
Wilco was the one to cut the cable and at the moment he cut it, 6,600 volts exploded into the air. Each one of the men – though they were all standing a few metres behind Wilco — were burnt badly. Wilco of course, being closest to the point of contact, got injured the most severely. We learned afterwards that only 5% of people who had been involved in such an accident survive, as they either die of the heat (an estimate of 2 000 C) or they eventually succumb to their injuries.
The panel of engineers and experts (a few even from neighbouring mines) who came to launch the investigation all traced the same cable, clearing Wilco and the team immediately from any wrongdoing. After examining the cable inch by inch, they came to realise that the person who originally fitted the cable accidentally twisted it behind a pillar. This automatically resulted in the team switching off the wrong cable — causing this sad and unnecessary accident.
Isaiah 43:2c-3a When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze. For I am the LORD, your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior …
We often wondered what would have happened if we hadn’t prayed that evening? Obedience is indeed better than sacrifice (I Sam 15:22), to heed our ears (Matt 11:15), surely better than gold. Today you can still see the effects of this accident on Wilco’s hands, but he had no loss in function, which is truly miraculous and indeed, at the time, seen as this by the whole medical team. What an amazing God we serve!
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