Not Destroyed

VBS ended on Friday. And I got rear ended. 

Forging my way through stop and go rush hour traffic on a busy road about 5 min. from my house, I felt a thud and heard shattering. 100% OK but flustered, I managed to pull over and roll my window down, only to see the agitated motorcyclist who had hit me gesturing at a teeny cut on the inside of his lip. The only thing I knew was that I needed people on my side. Mentally crossing off everyone on home service and vacation, I finally reached Business Manager Blake, who had arrived back in Santiago earlier that day. He was on his way within minutes. Meanwhile, witnesses had started gathering. I knew the accident wasn't my fault, and they agreed. Despite the motorcyclist's insistence that I had slammed on my brakes, he realized he was outnumbered and took off.

I got out of the car only when Blake arrived. With nothing left to do at the scene, he followed me back to the office to inspect the damage. The point of impact was dead center, punching a hole in the bumper, denting the trunk, knocking the license plate askew, and shattering the back window into a million tiny pieces being held together by the tinting film.

First thing Saturday morning, I went to a body shop Blake recommended for an estimate...of labor only?! They couldn't give me any idea what parts might cost, instead referring me directly to a dealership. They also don't work with my insurance company, so I called Atlántica later that afternoon to inquire about my deductible and the claims process. The representative couldn't see my deductible amount but did outline the hoops I'd need to jump through before proceeding. Ahhhhh! I went back to Blake in a tizzy, having identified the alternatives but not fully grasping the ramifications of either. His recommendation was that I pay out of pocket, avoiding a potentially long and painful legal battle. I'm going to trust his wisdom, spoken from experience, and do just that. The dealership opens at 9 am tomorrow, so I'll know more then. In the meantime, the car is drive-able, but given that I can't see a thing out the back window, I'm only making necessary trips.

2 Corinthians 4:8-9 comes to mind:

We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed.

God's holy angels were protecting me on Friday, just as they protected the motorcyclist. This morning after church in Palmar, I witnessed a chancel full of VBS kids recite their memory verses, sing the song they practiced all week, and receive participation certificates. Trusting one of my amazingly supportive fellow missionaries to pick up my car if I must, I'll leave for Peru on Friday to accompany a short-term team as they shine Christ's light to His little ones through music. By the grace of God, I'll get through this affliction, this [literal] bump in the road, without being driven to despair. My bumper's a bit crushed, but I am not. My back window is destroyed, but I am not.

Until next time, blessings!