I’ve Got a Testimony: God Protected My Family By Missionary Danielle B. Powell

My name is Danielle and I’ve got a testimony! It was almost a year ago on a Sunday morning in March 2019. My family and I were travelling down I-95 on our way to worship with the saints during the Worker’s Meeting of our Historic First Jurisdiction of Virginia in Richmond. We had been on the road for less than 30 minutes, when all of a sudden, we heard a rumbling coming from our vehicle and my husband began to see smoke emerge from under the hood. As safely as possible, he quickly pulled over toward the median and stepped out to take a look.

“We have to hurry and get out quick! There’s fire under the truck!”

Those words immediately washed me with fear and catapulted me into action. From his side, my husband opened the passenger door and began pulling our four-month-old daughter, strapped in her safety seat, from out of the car. With little concern for the oncoming traffic (something I would not recommend), I opened my door – and the Lord directed me to do this – went to the back of the truck, opened the back window, and as my mother unbuckled our four and two year-old boys from their safety seat, began to pull them from the back and out of harms way.

It was one of the scariest thirty seconds of my life, as we worked as fast as we could to remove our children from the truck, not knowing if we were mere moments from a full-blown car explosion. Once the boys had been released from their seats in the third row of our truck, my mom also quickly exited the vehicle.

As we all ran to the grassy median, we could see the flames under the truck and the smoke coming from the hood. Soon after, police, firetruck and ambulance came as my husband and others passing by called 911 and offered assistance. We were shaken and wet from the rain that began to fall… but we were safe and alive!

It took about an hour before we were all on the road again – separated in different vehicles because, well, we’re a large family by today’s standards – but I can truly say the Lord had His angels watching over us that day. He covered us and guided my husband to safely move the car off the highway and into the median. He kept us as we pulled children out of the car and away from other vehicles speeding down the road. He showed His compassion in the many strangers, church goers, and family who stopped to check on us, offered assistance and provided transportation to make it safely home.

Nobody but God could have done all of that! He deserves all the glory and I thank Him for His covering and protection. And that’s my testimony!