Chapter XV A New Day on the Road

The next day, Friday was a new day for us. It was a beautiful morning and left nothing to the imagination that the day might not be as great as well.

Everyone was back to normal after the last two hectic days getting the coach repaired and having to travel through the night to get to Alexandria. No one knew what had happened the night before as I had not shared it with anyone.

To listen to the choir make their presentation to the First Baptist Church in Alexandria you would never have known they had faced anything but an ideal traveling conditions. They were sharp and clear in their presentation.

I had caught up with my sleep and was well rested. Our schedule today would be relatively light. It consisted of two concerts, one in the Pentagon and the other in the Russell Senate Building. After the concerts, the kids would be released for free time on the Washington National Mall.

Washington, DC is the capital city of our country. Washington, DC, formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply DC, is the capital of the United States. The signing of the Residence Act on July 16, 1790, approved the creation of a capital district located along the Potomac River on the country's East Coast.

At the close of the day, we stopped for our evening meal and returned to the motel for the evening. The kids were tired but ready to go for anything exciting. They eventually settled down as they knew the next day would be even more rewarding.

The next day met their expectations. It was July the 4^th and where better to celebrate the birth of our nation than in the capital city itself. Every corner, every nook, and cranny was covered in red, white, and blue.

It was agreed that the youth would gather near the middle of the National Mall in the afternoon for the traditional live military band concert. The Army, Navy, Marine Corps, and Air Force bands perform on alternating days throughout the summer since 1863.

At the end of the presentation, and with the day drawing to a close, we were treated to one of the most incredible fireworks displays produced. Only in Washington will you get the best of the best.

Everyone left the Mall that day proud to be an American. The history; the Smithsonian museums; the bands; the music; and the firework displays had moved all to a sense of patriotism.

By the time we loaded to continue our journey to Hagerstown, MD, it was late in the evening. You would think these kids would be worn out from a day of sightseeing, visiting the museums on the National Mall, and checking out the monuments.

But they were energized, excited, and could have gone for several more hours on the Mall. They had seen everything, done everything, and yet they were ready for more.

We did have to get to Hagerstown and get checked into the motel. The thought pattern, however, was evolving from the National Mall to the responsibility that lay ahead for the back-yard Bible studies.

The next day was a complete free day for the youth in Hagerstown. They could do washing; cleaning; studying; resting; playing; walking; or just laying in the sun. It was their day to prepare themselves for the week ahead.

For me, I had not forgotten what happened on the coach two nights prior. To be touched by an Angel that was dispatched by God Himself that saved our coach from running off the highway was indeed not something that you just overlook.

Granted life goes on and new events require your attention for the day, but in the back of your mind, you continue to wonder at the wonder of it all. I had by now come to the complete conclusion that something spiritual had occurred and I was touched by a spiritual being.

Questions no longer existed regarding who or how it might have otherwise been done. There was no other way. God used an Angel to touch me. The kids were saved from a terrible horrific tragic circumstance that can only be imagined in my mind.

I kept asking myself what did it mean for the choir and more importantly for me –what did it mean to me? In the midst of trying to understand, I chose not to share the event with anyone. I know this is strange not to share at the time, but I had several reasons for not wanting to let it be known.

First, I was not sure how telling what happened would be received. Would I be looked at as some kind of kook that was making up the story for my own selfish purposes? It could be received as such by those who were skeptical.

Secondly, I had a reputation to uphold. As a professional driver, I could have put the rest of the trip at risk in the minds of those on the coach. To admit that I had fallen asleep is not something that you want to jump and down about.

If you are a passenger on a coach, it is not something you want know about your driver. You might just find yourself watching his every move to make sure that it does not happen again.

Further you do not want anyone talking to anyone back at the home church sharing with their parents what happened to the driver. I could see parents going to the leaders of the church demanding a new driver to replace me.

It could be even worse. Parents could go to the company and demand that they send a driver out to take over for me. That would probably have done me in with the company and I would no longer be driving for them. They could not place themselves at risk regardless who was bringing the business to them.

No – to share what happened would not be a good move. Even to share with close friends would not be a good move. They could have gotten excited about the Angel and told others who in turn would have gotten the news out to everyone else.

For the sake of the trip I just sat on what happened. I thanked God every time I climbed into the driver’s seat. I knew what God had done and I wanted to make sure that He knew how much I appreciated what He did.

There would be a time and when the time is right, I will tell all. As you might have guessed by now – this is that time. It is a new day for me on the road.