A little scare
As we were driving back from Mbarara I noticed that the spare tire light was on. It had not been shut all the way. It swings into place on the back of the Land Cruiser.
I stopped at the next town when we slowed down to go over the speed bumps. One of the bumps was so big that the LandCruiser drives up one side, across the top and down the other side of the speed bump. In some places this would qualify as a mountain range.
I pulled off the road and jumped out. There was a man who crossed the road walking straight towards the car. He probably thought I was going in the shop. I quickly shut the tire and jumped back in the LandCruiser.
The man was holding the front bull bar looking in the truck. He came to Cheryl's side and opened her door. This all happened pretty quickly.
Cheryl fought him with the door.
I jumped out and ran around to the guy so he couldn't hurt Cheryl.
He backed away from the truck and Cheryl shut her door and locked the car. I had the man cornered against a building and a wall.
What should I do?
I asked for help and the young men there said they would only help if I would pay them a lot of money. They would not help me.
The guy who had gotten into our car put his hands up and tried to hit me.
I could tell that if I wanted to fight him that I could easily take this guy.
What should I do?
I wanted to take him to the police not beat him up.
He was given a free sermon while he was cornered.
So no one would help. I could fight him or let him go.
What should I do?
I added a few more points to my sermon. Maybe I should have offered an invitation..
I let him go.
A large crowd gathered and I told them what had happened and how these four youth refused to help me when I needed help.
Some elders of the town came and I told them how I am not a tourist and I have lived in Uganda for over ten years. When I visit their village this is the welcome I received!
The police came and we shared what had happened.
As all of this was happening I looked around at the large crowd of people and I felt very comfortable.
The police thought the man must have wanted to steal the cell phone in the center console.
The police apoligized for what had happened. The old men were so sorry that Cheryl was upset. They were all very sorry and embarrased. They felt terrible that no one would help when we needed it.
I have replayed that incident over in my head several times and tried to decide if I should have done something differently.
I told Cheryl that I will protect her everytime.
My struggle lies between that and turning the other cheek.
What do you think?
posted by Jeff Cash @ 10:27 AM
15 comments
15 Comments:
I think you did the right thing. The man who did this was wrong and the way you handled things was good I thought. When we were in Niger we had a couple of incidents happen like this. Once, we were visiting the markets with a friend and she had dropped her car keys. A man came up and asked if they were hers and when she said yes (she's been a missionary there for many years) he refused to give them to her. She immediately made a scene, yelled loudly 'theif, theif' and a crowd gathered. he still refused and so she reached over his head and grabbed his glasses, telling him in Hausa that they were a fair trade for her keys. He gave her the keys. We all thought she was very brave!
One other incident (this will be a long comment hey!!) was when we were visiting Benin. We'd walked down the road a bit from the SIM compound in Parakou when we saw a nice tree and took a photo. A guy came out from behind it, started yelling and before you know it a crowd formed. Apparently the tree wasn't the problem, it was the building next to it which was the local tribes, King's palace. He thought we'd taken a photo of that (we weren't that silly). We were with two long term missionaries who could speak french and while they were trying to sort it out a lady who I'm pretty sure was a voodoo priestess latched herself onto my camera bag strap. She wouldn't let go and I couldn't pry her fingers off. As this was happening someone grabbed my shirt from the back and someone pulled off my sunglasses and they broke as I tried to grab them back. Then, someone tried to grab my string purse and as they pulled it I got a bit of a burn mark on my neck. The lady still had my strap and the long term missio came across and started to karate chop her on the hand to make her let go. Again, like you this happend sooooo fast, 2 mins tops! We'd managed to get the camera to my husband and he had it under his shirt. The lady let go and the missionary told us to head back to the compound quick. The lady tried to follow us and my brave husband stood in front of her and said 'no!'. Some very important looking person came from nowhere and stopped her too and the long term missio's stayed there and sorted it out. By the time I got back to the compound I was covered in sweat, head to toe and was shaking like a leaf. We still had everything (including my broken sunglasses) but it took me a day or two to go back down the street. I reckon the crowd was 100 strong, taxi's were stopping etc.. so it was scary. The important guy was very embarressed about the whole thing and the long term missio's returned to the compound about 15 mins after us. The worst part was that their 4 yr old son was with them, somewhere in that crowd.
The Lord protects us in all circumstances and needless to say, we didn't tell our parents about this incident until we got back to Australia! Tell Carol, I KNOW how she feels and I hope that the Lord can give her the strength to get over this incident.
Boy that was a long 'comment', sorry about that but I had to share.
Reminds me of a time I was in Uganda with someone and a drunk soldier held us at gunpoint in the middle of the night. The crazy person I was with...Oh wait! That was you...chose to yell like a maniac at the soldier until he put down his weapon, while I slid to the floorboard of the truck. You and my husband kept reassuring me that you would protect me. But he has a gun! I do think of the two of you as close to Superman, but I'm not sure about stopping speeding bullets.
Anyway, you did the right thing. Controlled restraint is one of the hardest disciples to master, whether reacting in frustration to our children or a criminal who scares our spouse.
The Lord is a Warrior... He has always protected His people.
I have to ask myself, are they harming my wife or kids. Will my family be injured in the assult? If so, I will at all cost protect my family. God has trusted them to my care.
I have never had to act with extreme force. Most of the time people are just being stupid.
The fact that you knew you could over power this man and chose not to, shows the real Godly power you have. The ability to crush someone and choose not too.
Praise Jesus for giving your strength.
peace.
It's so hard in those situations to look at the eternal. Steve Saint is telling everyone that it was, in some way, God's will that all 5 missionaries be killed in Equador in 1956 even though there was a chance that the Woadani would have let some of them go if they put up a fight or run away. Is it God's will that you get robbed? Or that wackos try to get into your car? I don't think so. Can he use those situations? Sure.
What if you had done what you wanted to do and beat the pulp out of the guy? I think at that point you're interfering with God's message. So, it's good that you didn't do that :-)
Those 5 guys went into Waodani territory with guns, and a decision not to use them to protect themselves. "We're ready for heaven and the Woadani aren't," was their attitude.
I think we just tend to react in whatever way is natural to us and analyse it later, but those guys had a plan and they stuck to it even though it cost them everything.
So, what would you have done differently? Anything? (the questions are easirer than the answers, aren't they?)
Lord bless you and Cheryl. Wow these comments are incredible. You guys give true testimony to the fact that God will not give us more than we can handle.
I praise God that He sent you into my sister's life. You chose correctly. You have protected her. You let God lead you and you listened to him speak to you in a very tough situation. That man saw the Lord because of the way you handled that situation. On a lighter note... I can remember when I was little and I had done something wrong( I know, it's hard to believe.) Dad, in all of his wisdom, would lecture me. He would go on and on and on(you get the picture) about the moral implications of my behavior and how that is not what Christ wanted from me. I can remember thinking, " I wish he would just spank me and stop talking." I could not help but think of that when you spoke of the "sermon" you gave the man. It would be interesting to know what exactly he was thinking. Way to go Preacher Man. I Love You! Reese
Well, I'm extremely patient with just about anybody. That comes from growing up with a disabled father.
I'll let them get away with saying just about anything.
That comes from growing up with a very verbal mother.
I'll let them do just about anything.
That comes from being the kid that was always picked on.
But brother, I think I'd have to open up a can of Popeye on anybody that laid a hand on my better half.
That comes from being the worser half.
Off subject, Jeff. Barb said you had a story about the homeless in Portland, sleeping outside or something like that. Do you have that written down? I'd love to read it.
Jeff, I want to say that I would love to have heard the sermon. Actually, that was the right response, to preach the word to the local elders, to the police, to the unwilling bystanders, and to the rascal. It's what Peter or Paul would have done, I'm sure. Perhaps soon you will have time to elaborate on the "lesson" in more spiritual terms, the the benefit of their souls. And God IS good to you and your family. Papa John
Jeff,
Hello from Taiwan!
That's an incredible experience. If I'm ever in a similar one, I hope I can go through it with as much thought and control as you did.
I noticed you've got some amazing pictures on here. We're teaching at an English school in Taipei, and doing a class on "Families Around the World." Can we borrow some of your photos? We'll just have them on powerpoint in the classroom for the kids to see and discuss.
This reminds me of the time your Mom and I were in the middle of the "safe" market place in Ft. Portal. One of your good citizens who had obviously had too much banana beer, or whatever, confronted us with an in-your-face (phew! that breath would peal paint off a wall) challenge, "what are you doing in our market place?" A crowd quickly gathered and I must confess so did my nervous concern. Now the God part. Out of the crowd a man stepped up beside us speaking loudly, "hello Mr. and Madam Cash, my friends." The crowd scattered faster than it had gathered - you had baptized this policeman two days before, and although he was not in uniform the crowd knew who he was.
Oh yes, I remember one of your "street" sermons. You and I were in a little restaurant in Kampala when a young lady came up to our table and offered you herself "very reasonable price." (For some reason she ignored me.) The sermon which she heard is one which needs to be preached all over the world, and repeated in every marriage class.
Jeff, I think you done good both times!!!!
Looks to me as if you did turn the other cheek, while stile protecting your wife. It wasn't an either/or decision -- He led you to a way to fulfill both responsibilities!
Jeff,
Aimee and I love and miss you all very much and we thank God that you were able to keep your head in such a crazy situation. God bless you guys! Tell Cheryl and the kids that we are thinking about them too. Keep on keepin' on brother.
I have read and reread your comments over and over. Thank you for your words of encouragement and insight. This is not the first time something like this has happened. The Lord has rescued us from tough situations several times.
I thought it would be good to share some of the challenges we face. God is my shield and my Strength.
Wow. I think you did exactly the right thing. You used the tools given to you by God.
1. Your voice and your gift of oratory.
2. God's Sword ... which was obviously sharp enough.
3. Your confidence and physical presence. I'm sure it was obvious that you were willing and able to engage in fisticuffs if needed. Your body language, and the fact that you didn't immediately start swinging is very powerful. They probably know how to handle violence - you hit them with weapons for which they had no defense. Sun Tzu from a Biblical perspective.
All that being said ... I'm a firm believer that appropriate force is a viable last option for the protection of my wife and kids.
The good news is that bluster and blarney have so far been good enough. And now, with your good example I can add a new B word to the mix...
Bluster, Blarney, and the BIBLE.
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