«The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?» (Psalm 27:1).
WHITE MALE shot dead in Infiernillo.» «Underage people traffic in drugs in Infiernillo, bearing 9-millimeter weapons that they use indiscriminately against the police.» «Costa Rica law and order forces seize tons of crack and marijuana in Infiernillo.» «Two drug-trafficking clans band together to take control of the streets of Infiernillo.» «23-year-old man dies of a gunshot in Infiernillo for invading rival territory.» These and other news headlines are read daily in the newspapers of Costa Rica, crudely reflecting the reality that the inhabitants of that Alajuela neighborhood live. I found myself near that neighborhood one Thursday.
I had gone there in order to sing in some evangelistic meetings that were taking place in Quitirrisf. I went by Infiernillo at ten o’clock in the evening with Miss Mayela, a missionary—both of us in my car. The streets were empty, and there was total silence when suddenly, we heard the noise of a motorcycle. I immediately put myself on alert.
I continued driving as if nothing had happened, but the motorcycle began to follow us at Kill speed until it was traveling at the same speed we were. They’re following us!» the two of us shouted at the same time and with the same anxiety. The minutes that followed seemed eternal to us. With his maneuvers, that man wanted to force us to get out of the car and made gestures indicating that he wanted to kill us. Sweat was running down my forehead. «Cover us with Your blood, Jesus!» I shouted. I wondered how we were going to escape death.
Before that man had time to unload his weapon against us, an enormous, very uncommon bus appeared from nowhere and taking up more than half the street, crossed the highway, barely leaving space for a car. Knowing that that space was our lifeline, I dared to slip through it. Divine intervention provided us the bus as well as the ability to go through that space. Tie miscreant lost our trail in the darkness of the night.
God is the One who gives you strength; He is the light in your darkness; He is your salvation. When you go through your particular Infiernillo, trust in Him.