1985: Аўтобусы і анёлы

Getting to school in the 80s in Subang Jaya, Malaysia was a lot of fun. If you took a bus to school, you had two options: private or public buses. If you had a private bus option, you probably took the ubiquitous “yellow colored uncle or auntie” school bus. Alternatively if it’s the public bus option, in my case I could take the famous “Sri Jaya” buses (see picture). Mind you, there was no such thing as an air conditioned bus option because they were so rare!

One afternoon, I had to travel from Subang Jaya where I lived to my Secondary school (Sultan Abdul Samad) located in Petaling Jaya. Тады, most bus stops in the neighborhood were pretty much a vaguely marked pole with a metal bus flag stuck in the dirt. Bus shelters were a luxury, and there was NO way you can sit down to rest because there were no seats! Essentially, you flag a bus down by waving your hands frantically at the looming bus that’s approaching you, and hope the driver catches your attention and stops the bus.

A Sri Jaya bus (likely a route #252) was looming when I saw it chugging down the main road. I quickly ran towards the approaching bus, struggling with my heavy school bagpack on my shoulders. As the bus slowed down, I hopped up clumsily onto the rear entrance of the bus with one foot. I literally ‘jumped’ onto the bus, whilst my other foot was hanging off the bus.

The bus started driving off and picked up speed. I doubt he could tell if I had boarded the bus or not because I was semi-hidden by the rear door. Furthermore, you had to climb up 3 or 4 steep steps in order to be fully visible. I was just on step one.

One foot was on the bus, one foot was off the bus. I started to lean backwards and I wasn’t holding on to the rails

I knew I was going to fall off the bus.

Not good.

To my amazement, I felt a strong hand holding my back that prevented me from falling off the bus. That invisible hand steadied me for the split second until I could grab one of the handles and drag myself up the bus.

Panting, and with my heart racing at 100kms/hr, I sat down and recalled what happened. I didn’t fall off the bus and hurt myself! I knew I had experienced God’s protection.

Bottom line, I find God and His protection real.

Псалмы 91:9-11 “If you make the Most High your dwelling – even the Lord, who is my refuge – then no harm will befall you, no disaster will come near your tent. For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways”