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Rafting On The Elbow

 

On May 17, 1987 a Christian friend called Paul and myself went rafting on the Elbow River, Alberta, Canada. We drove our cars west from Calgary and Paul left his car at a point called Richmond Road ( the proposed finishing point of our rafting trip). We then both continued in my car to Bragg Creek and parked close to the bridge at Bragg Creek ( the starting point of the rafting adventure).

We left Bragg Creek at approximately noon. After about two miles on the river, our path was blocked by a large tree (chopped down by beavers).

The raft floated into the tree and capsized. We were both thrown out into the river which was chest deep and cold. The raft came to rest under the tree and was snared by the branches. Paul freed the raft and I caught it as it floated downstream.

After rescuing the raft we realized that all the contents including food and rucksack with my car keys in them were lost. Paul and myself then started to walk downstream - he walked down one bank and I walked down the other. After about 600 ft. Paul proceeded to cross the river by means of a second tree laid across the river; after walking only a short distance on the tree he fell, he then stood up again on the tree and fell again at exactly the same spot. The second time he looked directly below into the river and saw the rucksack caught in a branch of the tree three feet below the water level of the river.

We started to paddle further down the river on the raft and then Paul realized that he had left his keys (to his car ) in my car at Bragg Creek.

At about 4:30pm, Paul had cramps in three places in his legs. I prayed that God would heal him and after a couple of minutes he was fine. About 30 minutes later, the same incident happened - he had cramps, I prayed and he was relieved of the pain.

At about 8 pm or eight hours later on the river, we arrived at Richmond Road. By this time we were cold and I began to shiver. We carried the raft up to Paul's car but could not open the car door. We then walked down Richmond Road about a third of a mile to a house ( to use the telephone ) but no one was home. So I said to Paul, `I will hitch - hike back to Bragg Creek.'

It was getting dark and as I waited fewer and fewer cars passed by. After about half an hour an old station wagon came by driven by a man accompanied by a young boy.

`Thanks very much!,' I said as I opened the back door of the car.

`We are just taking a joy ride out to Bragg Creek,' explained the man.

He explained that about 1 hour previously he felt impressed to drive out to Bragg Creek. Later I found out their names and the man gave me a business card announcing himself as an evangelist - God had sent one of his servants along to pick me up. I received a ride to Bragg Creek and then I drove back to where Paul was waiting.

On May 20th, I went to church and towards the end of the service a woman called Linda came to the front and explained how she had just seen a vision during the service. The vision she explained was quite gory and involved boats on a river, with a cliff adjacent to the river. I was supposed to give a testimony (account of what Jesus was doing in my life ) on the previous Saturday but there was no opportunity. However later on the night of the 20th the pastor called me to give a testimony.No one at that time in the church knew about the Elbow River Story except for about four people - the pastor did not know and Linda did not know ! I then told everybody in the church about the Elbow River rafting story.

Later I got my film developed (that is a miracle in itself because the camera was submerged in water several times and the prints which were pertinent were of reasonable quality ) and showed Linda the photographs of the cliffs and she said they were the same ones she had seen in her vision.

There was an obvious connection between the rafting story and the vision.

There are other related miracles associated with this story but the last item I will mention is that on May 22nd the evangelist came over to my house complaining of a bad back. I prayed for him using the name of Jesus and God healed him completely.

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