June 16, 1989

For about a year now I have wanted to put my finger on the newsletter describing in detail Jim's accident and the events immediately following. Today, while unpacking more than 40 boxes of "stuff" (how we love our stuff) brought here about 4 years ago, I FOUND IT! Yay. We just "celebrated" the 20th anniversary of that unforgettable night.

I share this with you because of the amazing healing that has taken place since that day. Rejoice with us at God's mercy and kindness. The same power that raised Jesus from the dead also resurrected my husband.

I quote. . .

Jim Smith Update (written 7 months post accident)
January, 1990

"Fear not; for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine. When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the fame kindle upon thee. . . I am thy God; I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness." Isaiah 43:1,2; 41:10

The ministry of the Holy Spirit through these verses has been so real throughout our married life, but they remain ever new, and have ministered with even greater impact in the months since Jim's accident last June.

On June 1, 1989, Todd, Jackie, and Jim's cousins, Judy and Leon Knopp, from Pennsylvania, and I were scheduled to arrive in Kinshasa, Zaire, where Jim would be awaiting us. Judy and Leon made it. Jackie, Todd, and I had to stay behind because our flight on Northwest from Detroit to Chicago was cancelled due to "mechanical failure." Since Swissair only flies into Kinshasa on Tuesday & Thursday, we were forced to wait until Monday the 19th to attempt another departure to Zaire.

We were to depart at 1:30 p.m. However, at 3:00 a.m., the phone rang. Kathy Kirkpatrick, a friend, was on the line from Kinshasa. She calmly relayed the tragic news that Jim had been in a serious auto accident on June 16. This news was already three days after the face as the phone lines had been down in Zaire. This is what happened:

Jim drove Judy and Leon, Jacque (our mechanic) and Narro (Todd's buddy) to the lst checkpoint in Kinshasa before heding up to Nkara, the "bush" where we live. Sometimes the soldiers hassle their own people, so Jim felt that driving them himself that far would avoid any problems. Tim Downs, a fellow-missionary friend, followed in his Isuzu and would be driving back to Kinshasa with Jim. They passed the barrier with no difficulty, proceeded up the rod about a mile, had prayer together, and Jim bid them good-bye. Tim & Jim proceeded to return to Kinshasa; they left the others about 9:30 p.m. Jm had planned on flying up to Nkara the next day in our little Texas Tail Dragger, and would still beat the group as they had a 15-hour drive to cover the 400 miles to Nkara.


The enemy really came in "like a flood" that dreadful day and roared relentlessly throughout our family's stay last summer in Zaire. On June 17, one day after Jim's brush with death, Judy and Leon Knopp, cousins from Pa, arrived at our mission station totally unaware of what had occurred the evening before. Jm was to fly our Cessna Texas Taildragger to Nkara early that morning and arrive before the Knopps. At 4 p.m., a few hours after the Knopps arrived, a Mission Aviation Fellowship pilot flew overhead. The Zaireans (today known as Congolese) mistakenly took him for Jim and seemingly running out of the woodwork, many piled into our Chevy pickup we had just purchased early in 1989 through your contributions. They were going to meet him at our airstrip. Narro, Todd's good national friend, started the car and tried to make a quick get away, as he knew we don't allow the vehicle to be overloaded with passengers. In his excitement, he put the truck in reverse and floored it, smashing it into the side of our house. With the ignition still on, the truck then proceeded downhill in reverse toward our lake. Narro jumped out, circled a small area of the yard three times, and fainted while the truck ran over one of the passengers who had been thrown underneath the vehicle but was not touched by it. Judy and Leon were passengers as well, and someone reached over and turned off the ignition switch. The truck halted and has not been driven since.

MAF dropped a note telling Judy and Leon about the accident and picked them up the next day to fly them back into the city of Kinshasa, where Jim was hospitalized. About ten days later the Knopps courageously braved Nkara agin by flying back with Shawn, Todd, and Jackie to go ahead with as much building as possible and to handle the affairs of the Bible school, dispensary, feeding programs, orphans, general work staff, etc. Jim had just purchased a new TV for the school. Now they could see some of the people involved in the ministry of Laban plus videos on the life of Christ, ministry in Zaire, and so many other visual aids. But the TV and VCR only lasted a week as the electricity was mistakenly turned too high in its voltage, and both burned out.

The next catastrophe occurred when Shawn, Todd, and Jack were back in Kinshasa on their way to the States.