A Blaze of Excitement

The past three days have been spent traveling 1,367 miles to our next destination in Cathage, MO.  Last night, after two very long days, we decided to spend the night in Alanreed, TX.  Alanreed is basically a wide spot in the road.  Downtown consisted of a one-stop gas station/post office/store/motel/ RV park.  Literally - that was it.  The population is somewhere between 20-30 people, so there is no need for a lot of amenities.  Paul originally parked next to the only other RV in the small lot, but decided to give the other person a little more room to maneuver if he were to leave before us in the morning.  We then parked on the other side of the RV, two spaces away. 

View from our trailer door of the burning motor coach.

At 4:15 this morning, there was a furious pounding on our door, rousing us from deep sleep.  The other RV owner was shouting, "My coach is on fire!"  We looked out the window, and could see the smoke rolling out of the vent of his motor coach.  We began dressing hurriedly, and Paul went out to see if he could help. The man was obviously distraught, and said to Paul, "Everything I own is in there."  I called 911, and they began to alert the volunteer firemen.  The Lord had His hand of protection on us during all of this.  Had we stayed where we originally parked, we would have been downwind of the fire, and only a few feet away.  Paul began unhooking our trailer and preparing to leave.  We were afraid that the propane tanks which are used for heating and cooking in most RV's, would explode, putting our family in danger.  There was nothing we could do except watch as the flames engulfed the motor coach.  The thick, choking smoke rolled over us as we hurried to leave the area.  The firemen were just arriving as we pulled out on the highway.  It was a very scary experience for me.  I thank the Lord for His protection and the safety He gave us, not just on the road, but in the RV park as well.  Within just 15 minutes, the coach was a total loss.  It reminded us of the fact that one day, our works will pass through the fire of God's judgment.  How many of them will survive the testing fire?

Thank you for your prayers on behalf of our family.  Events like this one remind us how fragile life is, and how only the Lord keeps us safe.  I praise God for His protecting hand in our lives!