Avis WooleyIn 1980, after the loss of my mother, I, like many other people, experienced a great void. She was taken early from us, at the age of 54. Our mother was a strong-spirited lady who kept the family intact, and our father was the major breadwinner; they both were Spirit-filled. I was raised in a Christian home where the teachings of Jesus and his angelic host were a part of our upbringing. We knew that sometimes angels dwelt among us in many forms, for the Bible tells us, “Let brotherly love continue. Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares” Hebrews 13:1-2. So, the spirit of hospitality was how we lived.
There were nine girls and five boys that lived out of fifteen. My parents had their hands filled with keeping us all on the right path. My family was highly respected in our community. We did not give our parents trouble because we knew the family rules. We girls did not learn much about automotive stuff; we were concerned more about taking care of the home and preparing ourselves to become more than our parents. Our father and brothers took care of those things for us. All I knew about cars was to keep the gas tank filled and do not drive too fast.
After graduating from Brunswick Jr. College, I moved to Atlanta, Georgia, to finish my college education. Single, excited, and filled with the Spirit of Christ, I began to live out the life I was taught. I armed myself to serve faithfully in my home church while working full time at Crawford W. Long Hospital as a Medical Laboratory Technician in addition to taking college classes at Georgia State University. My life started to take form; I was beginning to understand more about my life than I did while living at home. After a year of working and saving my money, I asked my father to start looking for me a car. Months later, he found one; I went home and returned to Atlanta with my new Dodge Volare’. I was truly fortunate that I did not have to drive to work. I lived across the street from the hospital. All was well, I only drove when it was shopping time and going to church services.
Before the passing of my mother, I would spend my vacations at home. I would visit with an old friend and, of course, spend time with my parents and remaining siblings. This I did for several years. Then when mom was taken from us, I did not know what to do with my time. A friend of mine, Constance, asked, why don’t we take a cruise? She saw the hurt and pain that I suffered, so I agreed. To meet the cruise’s financial obligation, it meant that I needed to take on a part-time job. I was able to secure a second job for the sole purpose of having extra cash for the trip.
One day on my way from the second job, still grieving from the loss of mom, I was feeling some kind of way, just different. I was traveling on Ponce de Leon; the traffic was heavy and moving quite swiftly. Then suddenly, my car stopped. There were cars all around me. I began to panic. I started feeling the eyes of everyone around me, wanting me to get out of the way. These were the days before cell phones, and I had no one to call. I could not get out of the car and locate a payphone! I just panicked.
My head was slightly lowered, and I began to pray. Suddenly a police officer came to my driver’s window and knocked. He said to put my car in neutral and coast down to the street on my right and turn in there. I did as I was instructed. My thoughts were running all over the place. I was crying. I could not focus. I recalled an amazing thing: it was only the police officer and me on that busy street—no cars coming in either direction. After I pulled over, still feeling a little nervous and shaky, I got out of my car, turned to thank the cop for helping me. That’s when I noticed that there was no police or police car. They both were gone. And the traffic appeared as normal. Cars moving swiftly in both directions. I got back in my car and turned the ignition, to my amazement, it started. Right then, I realized that I had seen an angel from the Lord. He came to rescue me in my minutes of distress. I knew that God was always with me, and that is why I prayed, but to see an angel made the reality of Christ more believable.
I shared my story with others, but they did not believe me. I could see the disbelief in their eyes. It has not deterred me from believing in angels, and I still tell my story. This would not be the only time an angel of the Lord visited me. God continues to show his concern for me, angel, or no angel, so many times. I am grateful that in my time of need, whether feeling down or just some-kind-of-way: Christ has always been my protector and the one I could depend on.
I thank God for that experience. I use it as a witnessing tool to share the reality of Christ and his angelic host with others.
Blessed and highly favored
Avis D. Brownlee-Wooley