Greetings!

I do hope this finds you all well, although I've been hearing the Brits have been having atrocious weather, I won't mention our sunshine here.

The reason of this letter is two-fold. I want to let you know 'from the horse's mouth' about an incident last Saturday, and also that I can share something of what God has shown me through it.

Before I go any further I have to reassure you that I am very well.

I was involved in an accident last Saturday 9th February. I was traveling through to Jinja (an hour and a half drive away) to spend a few days with my friends Winette and Christine. I left Kampala around 9am (6am in Scotland) and the accident happened around 930ish. I was in a public transport taxi, a mutaata (15 seater minibus), and our driver was overtaking doing around 120km/hr. A vehicle in front of us, traveling in the same direction started indicating he was turning right, our driver tooted the horn loudly but that truck turned right, straight into our path and we hit him full-on on his side.

I was sitting behind the driver, and we all got thrown forward. We all managed to get out of the taxi, and a couple of us managed to get the people in the truck out. There were no deaths, and we all seemed to be 'walking wounded', as we would say in hospital. After only a few minutes it seemed that there were hundreds of people around, and I thought it was best to leave the scene. It was only as I was walking away that I realised my right knee was sore, I have a very small cut there.

I found a petrol station nearby and just sat with the attendants for a while. I remembered that Kristen Fry (another AIMer) and some friends were traveling through to Jinja that day. I phoned her and that was when the AIM family kicked in! She said she would find me at the petrol station and she would phone Christine in Jinja. Some other folk from the accident recognised me at the petrol station so we had a wee gathering and I got a ridiculous amount of sympathy for my cut knee. It did seem an age until Kristen came but she came and we left for Jinja. It was only in the car that I started realising what had just happened.

Since Saturday I have rested, rested and rested some more! I have been quite bruised and sore but that has now nearly disappeared, and I'm just loving having this rest. I was quite tired anyway on Sat, and it seems so providential that I have these 'extra' days to catch up.

Now to the most important part - GOD.

These are some items of praise and thanks:

I am alive. It is nothing short of a miracle that I and all the others walked away from that accident. I do not intend to be over dramatic and yet I cannot let God be given anything less than all the glory for His hand of protection then. I haven't been questioning why the accident had to happen but rather I'm amazed that I survived and I'm so happy to be alive!

That God was with me ALL through it. Just at that horrible moment when the truck was in front of us and we all knew we were going to hit it, I said "Oh my God". I cried to Him and He heard, it wasn't that He was far away, He was there all along. I kept hearing the words 'my God' in those next minutes and it took me a while to realise it was still me. And today He is still with me, and forever will be.

I am 33 and I have never been in a car accident. That in itself is a miracle that I have never been so thankful for.

Some 'little' things that turned mammoth!

I was one of the first in the taxi, and I was offered the front seat but I decided to sit behind the driver. Now all 3 in the front survived but they had worse injuries.

Kristen, Christine and I all had mobile phones and we were able to get in touch so quickly and coordinate so freely. Kristen and family were travelling through to Jinja that same day. Kristen's Mother has the 2nd (1st is my Mum off course!) best hug in the world. She was so lovely and gentle and she held me as we traveled.

Christine and Winette are such good friends and it was such a blessing to see them, and to rest with them these last few days.

Okay, I think that's it. It's not all I could say about God because that will take eternity.

God Bless and keep you all. I hope each of us can take a moment and a lifetime to thank God for life.

WITH MUCH LOVE AND THANKFULNESS

MARSALI