10 years - Under the shadow of His wings

On our wedding day with some of Abukari's family

On the 3rd of June we celebrated our 10th wedding anniversary! Although, not much attention is given to birthdays or wedding anniversaries in Ghana, we always try to make the day a bit special to reflect on the good times and count the many blessings we have had as a couple. This year, we decided to go out for lunch in Yendi and, even though there is not a lot of choice when it comes to restaurants and menus, it was a treat for just the ‘two of us’ to go out together so we really enjoyed it (at the time Samuel was still in school and Micah was taken care of by a ‘daughter’ of ours). Yendi has many ‘chopbars’ where you can eat local dishes relatively cheaply. Food is served from big pots standing on fires straight onto your plate or bowl. You often eat your food outside whilst sitting on a wooden bench.

Food being served in a local chopbar

Yendi also has two or three ‘chopbars’ that are a bit more luxurious. These are called restaurants, as the food is served to your table and there is a little bit more choice when it comes to the menu. We do have a favourite spot, which is a restaurant in the open air under some teak trees. However, the choice of menu was a little limited with only four dishes - three of which were rice based - but that did not spoil the fun.

Enjoying our food at the restaurant in Yendi

Our wedding day never passes without thinking of the miracle of surviving a plane crash on the 5th of June, 2000 on our way to our honeymoon destination. For your and our remembrance, we share below a report we wrote in June 2000, shortly after the accident:

UNDER THE SHADOW OF HIS WINGS – A TRUE MIRACLE!

Saturday June 3rd our wedding took place. It was a beautiful day, a real celebration with family and friends. Monday morning we left early because we were flying to Accra to spend a two-week honeymoon. That morning before we set off early for the airport, Abukari prayed. He asked God “to keep us under the shadow of His wings.”

The weather was beautiful upon departure. We could see Tamale from the air and even the road to Yendi. However as we continued toward Accra, clouds began to appear. About 15 minutes before landing the pilot told us to fasten our seatbelts because turbulence was expected due to bad weather above the capital city. While the plane was descending we flew into a heavy rainstorm. The area around the airport was flooded. Just before the wheels touched the tarmac the plane veered unexpectedly to the right and then there was a tremendous noise. As we look back on the following events, it still seems like a nightmare, unreal, as though it didn’t happen.

JOKE’S STORY:
It suddenly turned dark and it felt like I had fallen into a deep hole. Black dust seemed to be falling on me. I don’t know if I have been unconscious or not but I became aware of my own screaming. So this is it, a plane crash. I realized after a short while that I was buried in a chaos of chairs but was still alive. Abukari who had been sitting beside me next to the window wasn’t visible anymore, nor was his chair. Where was he? Was he still alive? At some point I thought I heard his voice, that somehow calmed me. I could barely see three others in front of me, injured and pinned down by the chairs. Parts of the airplane were scattered around and there was luggage everywhere. At one point I remember looking toward the cockpit seeing the nose wheel coming through the plane between the pilot and co-pilot. I heard screams, crying and praying. I felt blood dripping onto me from those above me. I tried not to panic. The only thing I could do was pray. I was in terrible pain. My right foot was squeezed and my chest was pressed between chairs. I felt like I was suspended somewhere. The fuel tank of the plane was leaking aviation fuel on me. Also I could feel the rain falling on me. A thought flashed through my mind, what if the plane catches on fire from all this fuel? But God protected me. I was confident that He was going to rescue me. However, it felt like forever before help came. Suddenly I felt like the chairs were pressing on me even more and I could hardly breathe. Was I dying after all? Would the airport even have a rescue team? Are they equipped for situations like this? How would I ever get out? What if I would need to go to Holland for medical treatment, would I even dare to get on an airplane again? We had been sitting in the second row behind the cockpit. When the plane crashed this section was torn off immediately behind us. The rain was falling on me and I was trapped, unable to move. When the rescue team finally discovered me, I was able to squeeze the hand of one of the team members to let him know that I was alive. The rescue team suddenly appeared with a big saw to loosen the chairs that were piled on top of me. It took several people to free my right leg that was wedge between the chairs. I couldn’t believe that I was all in one piece. When the rescue workers put me on the stretcher, I caught sight of Abukari. This gave me a great sense of relief and comfort. However it was three days later when he was released from the hospital ward before we saw each other again.

ABUKARI’S STORY:
I was sitting by the window. Within minutes of the announcement to fasten our seat belts, I heard this tremendous noise. I wasn’t aware of anything until I realized that I was half in the plane and half out. One leg was elevated with my foot caught between chairs, the other foot was in the mud. How did I get here? Where was my chair? I was sure I had fastened my safety belt tightly. Shortly someone (an angel?) came by and freed my foot enabling me to look for Joke. I immediately called her name but didn’t receive a response. I scrambled around the plane looking for her. But it was all in vain. I observed that the plane was severed just behind our row of seats. Some of the passengers were running away from the plane in case it would explode since the aviation fuel was leaking from the plane. I didn’t think of anything but finding Joke. The only thing I could see was a big heap of chairs in the mud with two injured women on top. The force of the crash had propelled them and many of the chairs forward. I tried to help them, but was unable to do anything. Underneath the chairs I noticed a white leg. I knew it had to be Joke’s. There was no movement and I didn’t know if she was alive or not. It was a terrifying moment. The two women were rescued and carried off the plane. Then the rescue team moved to the other section of the plane where the tail was imbedded in the mud. The rescue workers could not reach the other passengers since the body of the plane was suspended in air. A bulldozer was brought in (construction work was going on at the airport at that time fortunately) to tilt the tail so the rescue team could have access to the other passengers. As I saw what they planned to do with the bulldozer, I realized that this would endanger Joke even more. I ran up to one of the rescue workers and pulled him over to where Joke’s leg was visible. The worker exclaimed “Oh, a white leg!” He then ran back to stop the bulldozer. It took a saw and a few of the workers to release Joke as well as a few other passengers from this horrible position. I was so relieved when I saw her and was amazed that her injuries appeared not to be more serious. She was taken by ambulance to the hospital. Then I suddenly became aware of my own injuries and was also admitted to the hospital. The tests showed that we had no broken bones nor need of stitches but we did have multiple bruises, abrasions, and deep muscle pain. Despite the shock and physical pain, we are joyfully celebrating the fact that we are alive. In a miraculous way God has protected us. For us it is a confirmation and encouragement that His call to work in Ghana is still as strong as before, perhaps even stronger. We are looking forward to what He has in store for us.

The following Scripture (Isaiah 43:1-3) goes through our minds as we look back on the events of June 5th:

But now, O Israel, the Lord who created you says,
Do not be afraid for I have ransomed you
I have called you by name, you are mine.
When you go through deep waters and great trouble
I will be with you;

When you go through rivers of difficulty
you will not drown,
When you walk through the fire of oppression
you will not be burnt up.
The flames will not consume you.

For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel
your Saviour.

In the aftermath of this tragedy we heard various reports concerning other passengers. Eight died, many had multiple fractures, wounds, broken bones, concussions and loss of limbs. It made us very grateful that our injuries were minimal in comparison.

Even so we have many questions: Why did others die and we survived? There were many passengers with far more serious injuries than ours. Why them and not us? Can we be happy while so many families are mourning over those they lost? Can we be at peace when some will be handicapped for the rest of their lives? The questions will remain with us for a long time. We can only look to God and believe that in all of this He is with us.

We would like you to thank God with us but continue to pray for complete healing and comfort for those who have lost loved ones. Pray that God will use this witness to bring people to Himself, especially those in Abukari’s family who are Muslim.

We also want to thank all of you who have sent letters, e-mail, notes and phone calls to express your love to us. We know that your prayers on our behalf have made a difference in our recovery both physically and emotionally. This kind of event reveals the depth and caring of the body of Christ.

May you be encouraged that we have a God who knows, who cares, and is in control. Abukari’s prayer was answered: we were truly kept “under the shadow of His wings.”

Abukari and Joke

June 2000