It is in Dundee that one of the students, Nicole Letkeman was hit by a car while crossing a street. Things could have been so much worse, but as it turned out, she broke her ankle really badly and needs an operation. The Dundee hospital stabilized her ankle for traveling and, along with her sister Megan, they left the tour and as I write this post, they are now on their way home to Manitoba, Canada.
An incident like this is always hard to deal with, and much more challenging in a foreign country, however as we look back at the sequence of events we can see God working in incredible ways.
1- On this tour Olive Holm is with us and she is a nurse. Olive happened to be near by and heard the accident and decided that even though she was in a foreign country she should run to offer her help to the pedestrian. It was only as she was lifting her off the street with others, that she realized that it was Nicole and one of our group. Olive was so thankful that she could be there right away, and I imagine this was a blessing for Nicole. - Thanks be to God
2- Nicole and Megan both had their travel insurance on them at the time of the accident. – Thanks be to God.
3- When you hear that someone was hit by a car, the first things that comes to mind is multiple breaks, and very serious injuries. Fortunately, Nicole’s injury was only her ankle, while we don’t want to minimize the seriousness of it and the impact it’s had on Nicole, Megan and the team, it could have been so much worse. - Thanks be to God.
4- Before Olive started walking down the street, she had been sitting with Henry, Brenda and myself at a coffee shop. So as soon as Nicole was stabilized and safe, Olive came running to get us and we could all be there to help and support before the ambulance arrived and begin thinking about the next step. - Thanks be to God
5- We were in a large Scottish city – Dundee, that has a teaching hospital with good equipment and doctors. If we had been in one of the many small towns that we have been in, things would have been incredibly complicated. – Thanks be to God
6- The emergency staff were incredible. The police, who investigated the incident, also drove Randall and Olive Holm to the Hospital. Randall and Olive were able to be with Nicole and Megan throughout their time in emergency. – Thanks be to God
7- Randall, while waiting in the hospital emergency room, noticed a young boy who was upset and waiting to see the doctor. He pulled out his cards and showed the boy some card tricks. By the time the hospital staff were ready to see the boy, he was laughing and smiling. – Thanks be to God.
8- Henry was able to book tickets for Nicole and Megan at very short notice with help from our travel agent in Steinbach. – Thanks be to God
9- The minister of the church in Tayport drove Nicole and Megan to Edinburgh early in the morning to catch their plane back to Canada (this is an hour drive each way). – Thanks be to God
It is difficult to understand why an accident like this would happen. But the important thing right now is that we are feeling God’s presence and that he has given us peace. As the events were unfolding, all was calm. Nicole had incredible care with Olive, the paramedics and the emergency room doctors. God was with us, God is with us, God will continue to be with us. We are well taken care of. Thanks be to God.
Nicole and Megan are beautiful people and we already miss them. Brenda took this picture when they were exploring Shakespear’s cottage in Stratford-upon-Avon:
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