Pit Bull Nemesis

Abby Farber and her missionary companion were serving in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.  It was a dangerous area in many respects; but the missionaries were fearless, prayed daily for protection, and were kept from harm.

One day they were walking down the side of a country road that had no sidewalks.  A van pulled up behind them, and began following closely in a menacing manner.  Inside was a woman driver and four ferocious pit bull dogs.  The pit bulls were snarling, barking, and lunging at the windows trying to get at the girls.  Abby turned and saw the woman roll down a window.  A pit bull leaped out.  It landed on its outstretched chin.  Abby heard a loud crack, and saw the dog’s eyes roll up to the top of its head as it died on the spot.

The woman stopped the van, and jumped out swearing and cursing.  Her swearing and cursing increased as a bus pulled up behind her and began honking its horn.

Abby and her companion judged that the best thing for them to do was to just keep walking.

Pit Bull Protector

Ila Farber and her El Salvadoran missionary companion were serving in Costa Rica in an area where there were many wild dogs.  Some areas were also infested with drugs and many users.

The girls found a family that consented to hear the missionaries’ discussions.  Because of the family’s schedule, they could only meet with the missionaries after 6:00 at night.  This presented a dilemma for the missionaries because the family lived in a dangerous area, and two girls visiting there after dark would not be a good situation.  But the missionaries decided that it was their duty to teach the receptive family, and boarded a bus to go.

The bus deposited the girls in a very unsavory-looking area.  They realized that in order to get to the house where they had the appointment, they would have to thread their way through people who were openly using drugs.  They hesitated, but decided to proceed.  Around the corner came a huge pit bull.  They froze.  The dog headed straight for them, and stopped beside Ila.  Hesitantly Ila reached out and petted the dog.  The three of them then headed off to keep the appointment.  The dog walked beside them the whole way.

When the missionaries were done with their teaching appointment they exited the house, walked a few steps, and were met by the pit bull.  It escorted them back to the bus.

Thereafter, every time the missionaries went there in the dark to teach the family, the pit bull met their bus, escorted the girls to the house, and back again to the bus afterward.  Ila thought, “What a coincidence that this dog is always here.”  Only later did she recognize the miracle that was involved, and that in missionary work, there are no coincidences.

(See related stories in Selected Sermons, page 116).