An Iowa Cloud Burst

       I was in 6th grade. Mother, Lorraine, Billy, and I were traveling by bus, from our home in Waterloo, Iowa to a camp in Wisconsin, where Dad was waiting for us. It was a cloudy, rainy day. Iowa is a state with rolling hills and lovely picturesque farms.
       It was raining hard...then harder. Suddenly it was like a cloud burst! Water began filling valleys, cows were soon standing in water. Fence posts disappeared, now cows were in water up to their bellies and higher. In small valleys our bus driver drove through water. We were all frightened.
       Seeing water rushing across the highway up ahead, our driver stopped, went outside, and began unloading all the luggage from the outside compartments, and putting it inside in the bus aisle! Well, atleast he was trying to protect our belongings... We started out again. Slowly.
       Water was rushing across the highway, like a river! Our driver continued on, slowly. Then suddenly we tipped to one side! People began screaming! He couldn't see the edge of the highway and had gone on the shoulder and off, sliding into the ditch. Over we went...but not all the way...! What stopped us?
       Everyone was yelling, crying, screaming... It was total mayhem...until the driver shouted and quieted everyone down...momentarily. We were told to stay as still as we could to keep the bus from tipping over completely; to stay calm; to be quiet; help would be coming. As soon as the instructions were over, the crying and yelling took over again. Everyone was terribly frightened.
       I could see Mother's lips moving. She kept us, children, close beside her. I knew she was praying.
       A woman near by, noticed Mother's quietness and calmness. She suddenly stopped crying, and demanded of her some answers... "Why are you so quiet? Who are you talking to? Why aren't you and your children crying and screaming like everyone else on this bus?"
       Mother, in her quiet way, replied, "We're scared too but I'm praying for God's protection. My children are also praying. We're trusting in God to take care of us, and He will!"
       Soon fire trucks and army trucks were seen approaching off in the distance. They stopped at the water's edge. Big logging chains were attached around a couple of firemen and they slowly made their way through the rushing water; like an angry rushing river! The bus emergency side door, had been opened. The driver and other men, took charge. "Okay, children and women first."
       One by one, we were lifted and handed to the waiting firemen, who carried us through the rushing water to the waiting army trucks.
       It was a very scary ordeal. We waited our turn; finally Lorraine and Billy were carried through to the waiting trucks. It was my turn, I looked at Mother. She was so serene, so sweet. I suddenly couldn't go! I said, "No, you take my mother first!" The men were tugging at me and I was bulking. "You take my mother first! I can't leave her here!"
       Mother told me to go but finally out of desperation, she said, "You may as well take me, then she'll come. We're wasting time here."
       So we were all rescued and taken to the previous town to a hotel for the night. We knew God had taken care of us. There was no doubt. What kept the bus from tipping over all the way? A telephone pole...! That doesn't seem possible! What kept the pole from snapping in two? We knew the answer to that question. God had protected us! He had had His Hand on us, there was no doubt.