Traveling is always an adventure, and this time was no different. As we prepared to return to Benin after our furlough in Germany, we had some interesting experiences. Usually, we travel with a Belgian or a French airline, but for several reasons we chose the Turkish airline this time. When people asked about our itinerary and learned that we were planning to fly through Istanbul, they were concerned because of the frequent terrorist attacks there.

Another matter of concern was the date of our flight—the day after Benin’s presidential election. What if there was political unrest? Would the flight then be cancelled? Would we land in the middle of riots? But then the elections were postponed a week, and we were relieved.

The day before we were supposed to take the night train to Frankfurt airport to catch our flight, my brother called and told me there were demonstrations scheduled for that evening. After elections in Germany the police expected some violent encounters between the ultra-left and the ultra-right parties in the area of the train station. My brother would be driving us there, and he was worried that he wouldn’t be able to get us close enough to the station with all our luggage, or that we would get stuck in the middle of something.
From the train to Frankfurt and through Istanbul to Benin, the trip went surprisingly well. Only a week later, there was a terrible attack in the Brussels airport.

These events reminded me of a very important fact: There is no such thing as a safe place on this earth. Whether Istanbul or Brussels, Cotonou or Stuttgart, the only place we are really safe is in the arms of Jesus. In His arms, we are fine, no matter how dangerous a place we may pass through. I’m not saying nothing will happen to us. But nothing that is happening on this earth can separate us from our Jesus if we don’t want it to (Rom. 8:38, 39).

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