Surviving my 4th car accident

I was in one of our villages, physically building an extension of a home for a new church we were planting. To be clear, the Lord never intended for me to be mechanically inclined. I never really build anything. I'm always the muscle. I carry heavy things and hold heavy stuff in place for real builders. I am just the grunt labor, and that is fine by me. 

 

This village is high in the mountains with very steep roads and treacherous curves. On this particular occasion, we were coming down the hill, and (I believe) the brakes went out in the truck or something, because we didn't seem to decelerate approaching the curve. It happened pretty fast, but I believe we hit the bottom of the hill and my pastor over compensated the wheel, or hit the brakes late, but we ended up flipped upside down in a ditch. I looked over at Ajarn Nikorn. He had some blood on his head and looked pretty banged up. I panicked. I escaped from the truck and ran to get help from nearby neighbors. Then I ran for about 10 minutes to retrieve my vehicle to take him to the nearest hospital - about an hour away. 

 

Ajarn Nikorn was hospitalized for a night and suffered a concussion. I had minor external pain and bruising but sustained some lumbar damage. It could have been much worse. The Lord protected us that day. 

 

This is the 4th car accident I have been involved in - always as a passenger. This is my second accident in Thailand. Both times were in the process of doing ministry. 

 

Psalm 139 says all the days of our life have already been ordained. The Lord protected us that day. 

 

However, in the days to come, a similar accident would take the life of one of our future pastors.