The weather was perfect for the 600-mile trip that lay ahead of me. It was the second trip to Jackson, Mississippi in the past two weeks. The first trip had climaxed with my husband and I standing by Mom’s bedside in the Iintensice Care Unit. She had been found unconscious and put on life support on her sixty-eighth birthday.
As we laid hands on her and prayed, a peace came over us and we knew that she would live and not die, even though clinically she had showed no response to the medical care that she was receiving. We were only allowed to visit a few minutes from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m while she was so critical. After forty-eight hours, we had decided to return to Arkansas. I would go back as soon as she was moved to a room where I could be with her.
Three days ago she had been moved to a specialty care hospital, where she was to receive additional care for the severe skin wounds that resulted from her laying in urine and BM for the forty-eight hours that she was unconscious before being found by her sister. She was now alert enough that she was worried over not being able to reach her brother that lived with her. She cared for his needs and paid his bills. He should be answering the phone.
We had not yet informed her that Uncle Bubba had died of a heart attack the week after she was hospitalized. She was going to have to be told and I was the one who needed to be there for her during this time of cisis and need.
I rejoiced in the beautiful weather and the physical strength the Lord had given me to make this journey. I had dealt with several health issues myself this past year. I was grateful for the touch I had received from God this past week.
I mentally calculated that I’d be with Mom by 7 p.m. until I found myself heading into the pitch darkness of a severe storm in Memphis, Tennessee. The four-lane traffic was bumper to bumper and I couldn’t see the road signs for the torrents of rain that was hitting the windshield. I quickly picked up my cell phone and called my husband to have him pray for my safety through the storm. Between the rain and the big truck ahead of me I missed one of my turn-offs. I was able to pull off the road and back up carefully and get back on track. The rain finally began to let up and I found I was enjoying being away from the traffic and not having any further interference from the weather.
In spite of the storm, I was still making good time. Just a few miles outside of Jackson, Mississippi the foreboding signs of another storm began to manifest. By the time I was at the exit into Jackson the rain made it nearly impossible to see the road much less the signs. The simple instructions to the hospital became a tangled up mass of confusion. I found myself lost in the storm of a heavily populated city. Even though I had sought additional instructions numerous times I still wasn’t getting anywhere. I noted 7 pm had long passed, as my watch read 8:30 p.m.
I prayed for further guidance as I sat at an intersection. A car full of men pulled up beside me and began to yell in-appropriate comments, causing my heart to race. I knew I needed to move on. I sped up and headed down the road even though I wasn’t sure where it would take me. The flashing lights of the police car brought a sense of relief to me. After explaining the situation and being questioned as to whether the men had weapons the policeman gave me another set of directions and sent me on my way. I had now been driving around lost for more than and hour. His directions got me closer to the hospital but failed to get me all the way.
“God, I’m tired and I need Your divine intervention here,” I prayed from my heart. Shortly thereafter, a gentleman pulled up beside me and asked me what was wrong? I explained the situation once again. He assured me he was a Christian and if I would follow him he would lead me to the hospital. Once we were there he asked who I had in the hospital and assured me he would be praying for us.
At 9 p.m. I parked the truck and headed into the hospital. The Holy Spirit had me minister to a Security Guard before I reached the Nursing Station where I heard Mom’s voice coming over the intercom telling the nurse she needed some help.
I opened the door to Room 124 and asked the beautiful lady in the bed how would she like a hug and kiss. The look of joy that filled her eyes and the smile that came on her face when she saw me made the battle to get to her worth it all. I knew I was right where I needed to be for now. I thanked God for the gentleman, my Angel in the storm, who had showed up in my time of need.
