“Help! Help!”

Not something you hear every day… Not very loud…

Jacqui and I were busy talking as we came over the hill on our morning walk. A day off work for me to spend with Jacqui celebrating her finishing her first Semester of Uni. She was joining me on my morning walk – a little later than I normally walk to fit with the relaxed day and Jacqui sleeping in.

What was that?

Then, it came again – a little louder and clearer “Help Me! Help Me!”

It was then that I spotted that there was someone in the creek – so I yelled to Jacqui that I could see someone and took off running towards the water. The creek was up and running fast, swollen after a night’s rain.

Rounding a tree, I came upon an older woman up to mid chest in the cold, fast flowing water of the creek – desperately holding onto a pram and holding a little boy out of the water by pulling up on his harness within the pram. I let her know we were there by touching her on the shoulder – behind her on the bank of the creek. Jacqui quickly took her shoes and socks off and got down close to the water.

We met Harry then – the little boy in the pram. As Nanna released the harness while continuing to hold it up and keep him out of the water, Jacqui managed to grab his arm, and then under both arms and pull him out of the harness and pass him to me.

I took him back up to the track by the creek and asked his older brother – his name was James, he told me – to look after him and make sure he didn’t come back near the water. When I turned around again, Jacqui was helping Nanna to empty the water out of the pram so that it could be lifted out of the water, and then we helped Nanna up out of the water.

With everyone now safe – although Harry and Nanna very wet and cold, and Nanna with a sore (sprained?) ankle, we walked to a nearby seat where we stripped Harry of his wet bottom’s and wrapped him in my jumper, while Nanna called for Briony – the boys’ Mum, to come and get them all from the nearest car park – thankfully not too far away.

Mum arrived and our little wet group was assisted back to the car by a couple who stopped and offered their assistance after they saw what was happening. Mum took her boy and we saw the family back to their car, where Mum stripped Harry and found a new nappy and top and then wrapped him in a towel and tucked him into his car seat safe and sound. James’ bike was loaded in the back on top of a still dripping pram – and we said our farewells.

Praise God that He ordered our day and our morning to ensure that we were in exactly the right place at exactly the right time. Nanna told us that it had only just happened when we came along. We were able to be a blessing in a time of need – and being that blessing, and making such a difference in someone’s life, was also a blessing to Jacqui and me.

For me in particular, a timely reminder – in this crazy COVID world of disconnect – that we all have our important part to play in God’s plan, and also a reminder of His amazing love for us and reinforces to me that He watches over us all.

Joanne Challinor-Rogers