Spiritual Reflections
Tribulation came in the form of traffic fine Pat Ozment Jr. IMB Missionary to Ghana "Ihear a train a coming, its coming round the bend." Hi, I'm not Johnny Cash, but Thursday I was arrested on the way to Kumasi. It was about 2 p.m. We had been on the road since 8 a.m. I had taken several wrong turns, and the road was rough. The traffic was heavy, and we were miss-directed by a cab driver. Finally, we got back on track, except for a slow dump truck ahead. There was room to pass, and just as I got around him I saw a policeman standing in the middle of the road with his gun aimed right at me, his radar gun that is, high tech in darkest Africa. He waved me over. There were five or six uniformed officers there to take charge of those unlucky enough to be detained. The angry man with the radar gun informed me that I had been travelling 63 km per hr. and the speed limit was 50 km per hr. Sixty-three kmph is about 44 mph. Call me Kyle Petty. Anyway I was told to exit my vehicle, and was escorted back down the street to where a command post had been set up to process the criminals. I was beginning to feel a little desperate. I had been separated from Peggy who was still sitting in the truck. I did not know what to expect. I wasn't doing real well at communicating, and they were talking about an immediate court appearance, fines and who knows what else. The officer in charge had written a report, and I was instructed to sign it, so they could take me away.
Things were happening too fast, and I said, "what is the fine for 63 in a 50 zone," and they all said, "50 Ghana Cedis." That's $50 dollars roughly. " Do I have to go to court to pay the fine ?" "NO, you can pay it right here." "I hear a train a coming." I was railroaded, but I paid the fine, retrieved my license, and got out of there. We were just missionaries on mission for God, buying books for our seminary. Jesus said, "In the world you shall have tribulation." Tribulation? We almost had a trial, but He has overcome the world, so don't wear black, when they pull you over, just smile and pay your fine, and I'll see you in church.
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