Article August 21, 2000 Issue

SAFE IN A PROTESTING CROWD

Enrique Smeke

A few hours before I was to return to my country, my friend and his nine-year-old twin daughters took me to tour an old fort just outside their city. On the way back, we noticed groups of men and women walking hastily toward downtown. My friend seemed apprehensive and asked me to take the girls right home while he parked the car.

As we turned onto a narrow street just two blocks from my friend's home, a crowd suddenly appeared. They were running toward us, screaming, followed closely by policemen with tear gas. We lunged inside a nearby shop, where several other people had sought refuge as well.

Once inside, I kneeled down so that I could talk at eye level with the girls. We agreed that God is ever-present Love and that this Love is an all-inclusive power, protecting us as well as the demonstrators and police. Then we reminded ourselves of these words from the Bible: "God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore will not we fear..." (Ps. 46:1, 2).

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