Sent by Phoebe Wong • Aug 27, 2023

It was our first official camping experience as a family. We were joined by our neighbour and 3 other families, who were considered seasoned campers. My husband Nic was also accustomed to camping due to his involvement with Boys’ Brigade. To him, this camping trip seemed quite luxurious since we had access to a fan and lights. However, things took an unexpected turn.

During the trip, we encountered a major heatwave. The extreme heat led to a ban on outdoor activities due to the risk of heatstroke. Adding to the challenge, I have hyperthyroidism (which I didn’t know of until after the camp), making me even more sensitive to heat. Despite a nearby waterfall and air conditioning in the car, the heat was still unbearable, and I was nursing a baby at the time.

On the third day, which was supposed to be our departure day, our car refused to start! Although it had started a few minutes earlier, we had left the engine off while taking photos with the other families. Panic set in when we realised the car wouldn’t start. It took us a while to find a place with cell reception to call for a tow truck.

When the tow truck arrived, directing him to our location proved challenging. He was quite rude and argued with Nic, refusing to come to where the car was because it was off-road. He even stated that no matter the payment, he wouldn’t drive in.

I decided to take the kids home first. Our neighbour kindly offered to take us to a nearby KTM station where we could catch a train home. While I was rushing to get last-minute tickets, my daughter entered the train carriage without us. When the doors started closing, she got caught in between. Frightened, I cried out, but we managed to open the door and free her. Fortunately, she wasn’t hurt, just scared and not wanting to be separated from the family. She shared that she felt no pain at all because the door was really soft. As I reflect upon this today, it was as if God placed cushions in between the doors so that my daughter Faith would not get hurt.

Nic had to stay behind due to the car situation. He called a mechanic who advised against jumpstarting the hybrid car, fearing it might explode. Others with similar cars were unsure too. Unable to reach the mechanic, Nic ventured out and eventually found him. Although it was the mechanic’s first time jumpstarting such a car, Nic declared in the name of Jesus and attempted to start the car. Miraculously, it worked.

Nic then took the car to the workshop for battery repair, despite the cost. The family was thankful as long as it wouldn’t break down again. He even managed to get to his prayer meeting in time.

Despite the challenges during the trip, everything eventually fell into place. A few weeks after the trip, as we shared with Pr. Gan and his wife Jennice, he said they had been led by the Spirit to pray for us. We surrendered the experience to God again. We thank God for protecting our daughter during the train door incident, for the families that stayed behind and helped us, and for the health of our baby.