On October 8, 2005 the Minutemen Evangelistic Team was traveling between Green River, WY and the Denver, CO area. I was traveling with my family and Beth Goodwill, who teaches our three girls. The three college age young men were in the equipment van behind us. I was driving a 2004 Chevy van with a 35 foot travel trailer behind it.

I had noticed that it was very windy, but because there were no trees, I could not tell how windy it really was. I was descending a hill about 30 miles west of Rawlins, WY when my trailer began to sway. I was in the right lane on Interstate 80 just before mile marker 192. A semi was beginning to pass me on the left which also caused some wind issues. As the trailer began to sway we evidently were hit with a wind burst. The guys in the van behind us told me later that the trailer went up on two wheels. The semi blocked most of the view of the accident from the guys, but here is the best we can tell happened. The semi saw my dilemma and slowed up. We wrecked in front of him. When the trailer began to sway violently I knew we were going to wreck. It was thrashing back and forth and drove us onto the median (which miraculously was flat and large). At once time the trailer came up and hit the back corner of the van on the passenger side. The back window blew out. We heard and felt the trailer thrashing back and forth. Evidently when we hit the median the trailer flipped over on its side and was torn off the frame. It may have flipped end over end because the wreckage was backwards. Somewhere during the violent thrashing of the trailer the trailer hitch popped off the ball mount where it was locked. I never found the padlock. When the trailer fell over and came off the frame, the frame evidently continued to flip over. It was now only held by chains. When we stopped the trailer frame was dragging behind with the wheels in the air. When I got out of the van I was in shock. I could not believe what I saw. Amazingly the van never flipped over. The guys said they saw the van on two wheels. I believe the Lord kept it upright. Everyone in the van was fine. We were shaken up, but glad to be alive.

The guys parked the van and came running. Once we knew everyone was alright, we began to salvage things. The wind was really blowing so it was an immediate need to work fast. The truck driver stopped and told us he was a Christian. He began to help. A pastor and his wife from Florida stopped and helped us for awhile. They graciously left all their food and water for us. Needless to say, my family and I were almost useless for a few moments. We were in shock. The three guys on our team were a great blessing as they dove right in to salvage our earthly goods. The state trooper who showed up was a Christian as well and offered to call his pastor if we needed lodging that night. Something else worked out, but it was an encouragement.

There a few things about the wreck that were a blessing. First, there was no propane in the tanks so there was no danger of fire. We were just about to fill a propane tank in about a half hour. We also had dumped the sewage tanks so there was not a lot of that problem in the salvage work. (The sewage tanks were broken.) The locked hitch popped off the ball which, I would think, contributed to the van staying upright. That was a miracle and blessing.

For about the next four hours, we salvaged things. The wrecking company came and helped us with the project. Their bill for the salvage and towing ended up being about $3000. Thank the Lord Allstate paid it.

I realized we were going to have to get lodging in town for the next few days and put things back together. I also figured I would have to get a UHaul in which to put our things so we could take them from the site of the accident. Finally we headed into town (Rawlins, WY) with the Chevy. It was still drivable. We stopped at the UHaul and then went to an auto parts store to get what we needed when Mike Holmes called. Mike went to BJU for a year. Both my wife and I knew him and respected him. Of course, we have not seen Mike since college. My sister in law had called the pastor we had been with in Green River, Ted York, and told him about the wreck. Pastor York then called Mike Holmes. Mike had a youth ministry headquarters in Rawlins about thirty minutes away. Mike said, “Jim, we heard about the wreck. We want you to know we have rooms for you and meals for the next few days down at the Mission.” When I told him about the UHaul, he told us we could use one of his. It was the like the Lord was telling me not to worry, He had everything in control.

The next few hours were a blessing as we got one of Mike’s storage trailers, filled it with our stuff and headed to the Mission. The folks at the Mission were like angels. The Andersons live on site and were an unbelievable blessing in providing meals and encouragement. Mike’s wife and family had us over on the next day for lunch and were a great blessing as well. These folks in this corner of the world are some of the finest of God’s servants.

That night my wife and I could not sleep. We would dose for a few minutes and wake up, doze for few minutes and wake up. We kept reliving the accident and what could have happened. The next morning we went to church with the folks from the Youth Mission and the Lord ministered to us in Sunday School and church. The Sunday School message had things in it that seemed just for us. That afternoon I still was nervous and could not sleep. I went down stairs and read some in a devotional book that went through some of the passages in the Bible that talk about crying out to the Lord in our need. The passages touched my heart and I cried out to the Lord for deliverance. The Lord met my need and encouraged my heart. That night I slept fine.

That Sunday morning the pastor asked me to preach that night. As a result of the Lord delivering me from the tension of the wreck, I sensed great liberty and I was very encouraged with the response of God’s people to His Word. God began to minister to me. It was going to be alright. He was taking me by the hand and leading step by step.

The accident occurred on Saturday and on Monday I was to fly to Milwaukee from Denver. Obviously that was not going to happen. When I called United, I was basically told there was nothing I could do. I was going to have to use a change fee to rebook the ticket, but God had other plans. He sent a snow storm to Denver so my flight was cancelled. When I called in the second time to ask about the cancellation, they told me I could get a full refund. I told them the full story to be ethical, but since they cancelled the flight I could get the refund. This was still another evidence that the Lord was working.

After a few days in Rawlins, we were able to tie up loose ends and make plans to leave for Denver. Fortunately, the week after the wreck the team had a “rest week.” Besides a trip home for me, the team really had no obligations. Before we headed for Denver, the team gathered in one of the big rooms at the Youth Mission and sang “Great is Thy Faithfulness.” Needless to say I could not finish the song.

We were scheduled to be with Highlands Baptist Church south of Denver the week after the “rest week.” Pastor Jeff Musgrave called us while we were in Rawlins. He was a great comfort and encouragement. He worked it out for us to stay with his in laws in Denver for a few days. Mr. and Mrs. Mitchell are old friends of my father. They were a great blessing. Their very presence was a comfort. When the week of ministry began, we moved to Pastor Musgrave’s home. Pastor and Mrs. Musgrave really met a need that first week of ministry without the trailer. That began a string of unusual provision of lodging for my family. Each situation was tremendous. It was evident the Lord was taking care of us. In Arizona we stayed in someone’s home for three weeks. They were retired couple and were out of town during that time. I am grateful for their willingness to let us do that.

There were some folks in those days immediately after the wreck the Lord used to confirm to me He was going to take care of things. A man pulled $350 out of his wallet a few days after the accident and gave it to me. It was a comfort to me. The Lord would provide. Another evangelist and his family sent us gift cards from Walmart as well as a check very soon after the accident. A church I have never been to sent us a generous gift. God used these things to remind us of His tender care and provision.

While in Denver, I knew I needed to get the van fixed. The window was broken out and needed to be fixed along with some body work. Rhonda’s brother, Rick Cross, pastors in Longmont and they graciously allowed us to use a church van while our van was in the shop.
On Friday morning I knew that I needed to get our van in a body shop in the Denver area. We were going to be in Denver for two weeks and then we were going west and would need the van fixed. That morning I called Allstate about going to an adjuster and was told I probably could not get an appointment. I asked her to check for anything in the Denver area. She was surprised when she found an available appointment in Boulder. I was amazed. My brother in law, Rick Cross, had someone in his church who worked at a body shop in Boulder. I had talked to him on Wednesday night and was hoping to use his shop. This gentleman went to the same high school as my wife did in Georgia! I immediately saw the Lord’s hand in it all. I took the Boulder appointment and before Friday was out (six days after the wreck), the van was in the body shop. I did get the van back in time to make our journey west two weeks later. The Lord was leading each step of the way.

Evangelist Tom Farrell found out about the wreck a week or so afterwards. He called me and graciously told me the Lord had laid it on his heart to write a letter about the wreck asking people help us transition to a truck and fifth wheel. Evangelists Steve Petitt and Morris Gleiser joined with Brother Farrell to do this. To make a long story short, the Lord has brought in most of what it will take to move from a van and travel trailer to a truck (with dual rear wheels) and fifth wheel. Rhonda and I have been overwhelmed at the response and generosity of so many folks. Of course, the story is not done. It has been amazing to watch the Lord lead and provide. We have been thrilled at what the Lord has done. The Lord provided a diesel 2001 F-350 Ford pickup truck with about 53,000 miles on it. Brother Farrell sold this to me for a much reduced price. The truck is in unbelievably good condition.
The only problem initially was that the truck had five seats and we needed six. Well, the Lord did it again. Ben Farrell found the middle seat on the Internet. I bought it and had it sent to Greenville, SC. The gentleman who put it in was a Christian and did it for no cost. The seat looks like it just came off the line. The leather matches perfectly. This was another one of those things the Lord did that blessed our souls.

The rest of the tour was a great blessing. It seemed God’s blessing increased each week. The lessons God has taught us are many. I remember asking Stephanie, my daughter who is ten, what the Lord had taught her from the wreck. She responded with, “Things aren’t that important.” That really is true. God has taught me many things one of which is this. God is our Father and He will take us by the hand and lead us. It has been like I have not even had to make a decision. Each decision has been so obvious it is like the Lord makes them for me.

Well, the story is not finished, but the Lord has already done so many things through this traumatic event in our lives. Please join us in praising Him for “great things He hath done.”