OUR GOD IS GREATER

The Bible does not mince its’ words – it is the Truth. It is the Book of Life – the Book that brings life. God’s word says that the devil is out to kill, steal and destroy – but here’s the hope – there is a power greater than this and it is God Himself – abide in Him and He will never forsake you – I am not saying Christians don’t go through hard times, or that even bad things don’t happen to believers, on the contrary I know they do, yet the hope we have and the power and love we know He has, is what brings us through and gives us hope that even in the midst of disaster it does not break us but makes us press through, believing even stronger in what we know to be the truth!

The devil is out to kill, steal and destroy. On March 8^th we experienced a taste of this plan.  Matthew was installing internet cable on the roof of a friend’s house, when without warning the roof fell-in and Matthew with it. Matthew says he lost consciousness and when he awoke (maybe just a couple of minutes later) he could not move anything and was covered in blood from a terrible wound on his head. Within a couple of minutes he had regained movement and was able to get his phone out of his pocket to call me. Sealed away in the clinic only 100 yards away, I had no idea what was going on. Matthew said he had a fall and it was bad, I must come quickly as he was bleeding badly and could not stop the blood. I started running but realized I didn’t know where I was going - he didn’t say where he was, but the Mozambicans were already running to come get me as some witnessed him fall in, and were able to tell me where. I got to the house and encountered locked doors and barred windows – nobody was home and nobody could get in!! I was yelling through the windows and was relieved to hear Matthew’s voice, but could not see him or get to him. Imagine the panic that brought me. He could not get up so he remained out of site. Finally we kicked the door in and I ran in. The site I came upon was shocking, and I had to remind myself and him that it was okay, heads bleed a lot (that’s what I kept saying to myself). I knew we had to get him to the trauma centre in the city quick.

The Mozambicans were amazing!! Before we kicked the door open, two Mozambicans had climbed into the hole where Matthew fell to try to help him, others went to get a mattress and a hard wood board to stabilise it and to carry him out, others gave cups of cold water when Matthew asked. We are a Zimpeto family and this is the body of Christ!

It took us over an hour to get to the trauma centre - a stressful ride indeed. AMI hospital (and trauma centre) of Maputo is probably the most up-to-date private facility that Maputo has. As they assessed Matthew, as only a nurse wife would, I started recommending that he have catscans, etc. I was promptly told that the head doctor attending to Matthew was a neurosurgeon from Russia. In this I knew that God was already handling the situation!

today at physio (14.3.12)

After full body x-rays and cat scans of head & spine, it was confirmed that he had no fractures and his brain & spine were cleared. They said that he has spinal cord bruising and swelling and he experienced days of severe pain due to this. He also has quite a large wound that needed suturing on the back of his head, but he is experiencing no headache or head pain. He has had full neurosurgical, and trauma evaluation and I was very encouraged by the level of care he received and is receiving. Through every step Matthew has been communicating clearly and has been moving all extremities. The doctors say the spinal cord bruising and swelling will resolve without intervention, within a couple of weeks. He was finally discharged yesterday (6 days later). Pain was a real issue, but amazingly after his first physiotherapy session his pain has dissipated. The doctors say that Thursday was Matthew’s "lucky" day, as the injury would have been expected to be much worse. 

We all know without a doubt (and Matthew more than anybody) that although the enemy’s plan was to kill and destroy that day, that our God is greater and it was He himself who intervened!  Matthew’s recovery has already been rapid and it amazes the doctors that he is pain free.  

Gratefully our medical insurance is covering the entire hospital bill and has put us up in a hotel until the end of the week so that Matthew can return to the hospital for daily physio sessions and wound care. Our primary focus is rest and recuperation.

We are so thankful for so many of you who have prayed for us, thought of us, visited us, called us, etc (some even came bearing gifts of homemade apple crumble, and others bacon cheeseburgers, and others fresh fruit, all of which brought a smile to Matthew’s lips and tastebuds!). Thank you, it has all meant so much to know what a BIG family we have across the world and so often distance doesn’t really separate!

OUR GOD IS GREATER, OUR GOD IS STRONGER, 

GOD YOU ARE HIGHER THAN ANY OTHER. 

OUR GOD IS HEALER, AWESOME IN POWER, OUR GOD! 

AND IF OUR GOD IS FOR US, THEN WHO COULD EVER STOP US,

AND IF OUR GOD IS WITH US, THEN WHAT CAN STAND AGAINST US!

With so much gratitude,

Sheri and Matthew Steer