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

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,  ‘be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armour of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world’” [Ephesians 6:10-18]. God reminded me in this moment to keep praying for our safety. 

Later, once back in the compound, it happened. John (the cameraman with us) had been talking on the phone to his fiancée Larissa just minutes before the bomb. If he had still been standing up, there is no doubt he would have lost his life. My room was pretty much destroyed. Although I had finished eating and kept thinking I should head off to bed, a small voice kept calling me to stay. If I had been in my room, I would have been very badly injured, if not killed.

At the time of the blast, we were chatting to a group of peacekeepers who let us know where to go and what to do. John and I could have easily been separated, but miraculously we were together throughout the ordeal. We were also protected on a much bigger scale: the Al Qaida insurgents who tried to enter the compound that evening were intercepted and prevented from entering. Although we didn’t know it at the time, we were safe in the bunker we had been told to go to. To this day, I believe that God heard the prayers of his people from all around the world interceding and pleading for covering and mercy.

I always wondered how I would feel in the moment that death came to meet me, and during that time in the bunker, I was certainly fearful of what man might do to me. But I experienced something amazing – in that darkest moment I felt an overwhelming sense of peace and the incredible presence of the Lord. I found myself filled with courage.

Fortunately, no insurgents entered the compound and mercifully we were evacuated by tank to a pseudo–UN military base hospital, where John could get his head seen along with the rest of those injured. In that bunker on that harrowing night, I tangibly felt the peace, power and presence of the Holy Spirit. In the midst of the most terrifying thoughts and fears, he was there. It is this moment that has left me changed forever. My business card says Karin Schermbrucker – photographer, but what I really am is a wife to Rob, a mother to Ethan and Emma, and most importantly daughter of Our Most High God. The story of what happened to us in Mali is a testimony of God’s grace and faithfulness. Through that experience I received a gift: seeing life through new eyes. Before Mali I only looked at life with my eyes, but I now look with my heart, which God has done a great work in.

Karin

Healed from fibromyalgia

Around two decades ago, I had been living with constant aching and fatigue in my body for a couple of years. It would feel as if a two-year-old were permanently sitting on my shoulders, weighing me down. I had just been diagnosed with fibromyalgia, which was still a relatively new concept and had only recently been recognised as a disorder. My doctor explained it to me as a diagnosis of elimination – when all other possibilities were exhausted and they didn’t have an official diagnosis, they would now classify it as fibromyalgia, part of the family of chronic fatigue and ME. It wasn’t much of a relief to me to have a diagnosis, as it still felt the same way in my body. 

I was desperate to receive healing. I heard about a healing event happening in Kensington Temple and went with a friend, eager and expectant. After worship and a talk, the pastor mentioned that Jesus wanted to heal physical illnesses and said they had received words about those he specifically wanted to heal at this event. The very first one that they called out was fibromyalgia. I was so shocked that anyone would even know the name of this illness, let alone call it out as the first one. I was the only person to go forward . I was prayed for, and I knew in that moment that I had been healed. I declared that Jesus had healed me in front of the entire auditorium. They spoke a lot about stewarding healing at the event and how important it was to stay in a place of faith in thought and word after receiving healing, thereby guarding against any opportunity for the enemy to undermine faith. I have remained free from this particular illness for over 20 years. 

Hannah

What’s your story?

Testimonies are an important way of encouraging each other in faith and we’d love to hear your personal experiences of God, whether that’s a miracle story or Jesus standing with you in the storm. 

Email us: womanalive@premier.org.uk

Please include your first name with your correspondence – but do let us know if you want to share anonymously. Entries may be edited for length and clarity.