A cry of horror escaped Beth Williams’ lips as the ferocious guard dog lunged toward her, breaking the chain that had tethered it to a post in the garden. Within moments she was fending off the dog, kicking at it to prevent its jaws from closing on her. Her scream brought the man of the house running. Thankfully, he was able to grab the dog and restrain it.
Beth had been saying goodbye to the lady of the home after one of her regular visits. This lady had broken her arm back in January when she slipped on ice. The arm had not been set properly, so she had to undergo another procedure to break the arm again and reset it. Beth had been visiting regularly to provide encouragement, helpful tips and prayer. She had paused at the gate for some final words when the dog broke free from its chain and hurled itself at her. Thankfully, Beth did not sustain serious injury, but her foot was punctured by the dog’s teeth and badly sprained.
The family was shocked at what had happened and kept apologizing to Beth. She tried to reassure them that she didn’t blame them. Later that afternoon, the ladies of the home visited Beth and said they couldn’t stop thinking about what might have happened, and they had no peace sitting at home while they knew she was in pain. Beth did her best to dispel their worries.
The following morning, the man of the house came early to show them the new chain he had just purchased from the market. He assured them that this new chain was strong, and the dog would not be able to break free. Again, he apologized profusely and confirmed that the dog had received its rabies shots.
Just four weeks before this incident, I had been visiting this same neighbor with Beth and noted how menacing and angry this dog seemed to be. The family had commented several times to Beth and Elijah about their dog. In this part of the world, it is very common for families to have guard dogs. They are usually chained during the day but roam free in the yard at night after the gates have been locked.
As soon as we received word about what had happened, we asked Beth for an update. She said that Elijah and the boys were taking good care of her. Although she was in considerable pain, she was coping. We thanked God for His protection as we realized how badly things could have turned out.
This incident, which Satan meant for harm, has turned out for good. It has drawn the two families closer together. The lady with the broken arm has been greatly encouraged as she has seen improvements in her range of motion and hand strength after more than five months of wearing a cast. Massages and therapy have enabled her to hold a pen once more, and she was eager to show Beth that she can now write without any tremble. Also, this lady has embraced the prayer time she and Beth share at the end of each visit. They have begun to pray for requests other than her hand.
Please join us and the Williams family in praying for this lady’s complete recovery and for God’s Spirit to open the doors of her heart and those of her family to the gospel.
