I was saved from death in one of the most dangerous countries in the world

Signs & Wonders in everyday life. Your stories of God’s intervention…

Saved from death in Mali 

In 2007, my husband and I set up Slingshot Media (slingshotmedia.co.za/about/) as we felt called to help the vulnerable and oppressed in the hard places of the world. We have travelled all over the world, meeting the most amazing people. My camera has been a bridge. But Mali? It was the most dangerous country the UN works in and had a security risk of five out of six. I had been to Iraq three times, but that was a four. To make matters worse, Gao is a small town in the northern part of Mali in the middle of the Sahara desert so the only way into the region is via a small UN plane. Praying about the decision, we were led to Psalm 23, which calls God’s people to trust and go fearlessly and courageously. The UN security team also gave the green light.

Nobody anticipated the attack. When we flew into Gao in May 2016, there was a tremendous heaviness in the air. In the hour we had to prepare for a photo shoot that afternoon, I felt a deep fear and disquiet in my spirit. I lay on my bed in the small army-like room in the UN compound and wept. I felt an undeniably strong call to get on my knees and pray for our safety and protection. As I prayed, God brought peace. Our lives were in his hands. He gave me this verse: “Therefore we are always confident and know that as long as we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord. For we live by faith, not by sight” (2 Corinthians 5:6-7). Amazingly, my parents and the cameraman with us had the same disquiet that entire day and were all called separately to pray for our protection and safety. By the time we went into the village that afternoon to film, I was full of peace. I knew that God was with us. 

We spent the afternoon with a grandmother and her brave grandchild Adeoula, who had lost both her parents during the conflict – her mum died while giving birth to her brother during an attack by insurgents in 2012. It was the most horrific situation, and yet here they both were, picking up the pieces of a shattered life and bravely stepping toward their future. Their story gave me courage and offered perspective into a pain I could not fathom, confirming the reason we were there. 

As we drove back to the compound at sunset, I felt a physical force turn my head. And as I turned, I saw two men covered from head to toe in black robes. They were walking down the dusty road hand in hand. I heard God say: “There is a battle here,