Diverting Pirates with Band-Aids: Cool Story from the Field
Every missionary has stories to tell. They are stories that make you think, make you laugh and make you realize that there’s more going on in this world than what we see with our eyes.
Here’s a great one coming to us from Mission Network News, Piracy staved off by timely Band-aids:
Rather than risk a run-in with pirates and lose an entire cargo, more ships are opting to go around the Cape of Good Hope instead of the Suez Canal.
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Ministries are not exempt from the situation. Africa Inland Mission ships vital supplies to their teams using these lanes.
Here’s the story as it unfolded: AIM’s Mark Wilson was still learning the ropes in his new ministry as Logistics Coordinator for AIM’s U.S. Headquarters, when a call came offering a supply of free Band-aids. Not thinking much of it, he gladly accepted the offer. “I am always looking for ways to fill ocean containers,” said Wilson. “I realized my mistake when the second UPS truck full of Band-aids arrived.”
“In packing the next ocean container [full of valuable equipment], I had room left over after everything was packed—I saw my opportunity to get rid of some Band-aids and filled the empty space in the back of the container.”
Later, they got word that pirates did board a ship and break into one of AIM’s containers. Upon finding the Band-aids used to fill extra space in it, they went on to the next container, leaving AIM’s equipment untouched.
God had a purpose for using those many Band-aids to protect AIM’s vital supplies. Keep praying for protection for ministries shipping resources.
“I stand amazed at the faithfulness of God,” says Wilson, “even in what I would consider my mistakes.”
Do you have any favorite stories from the mission field? Have you heard any good ones?
