Follow in His Steps… through the Minefield.

"For you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps." — 1 Peter 2:21 (NASB)

The following account comes from a seventeen-day survey trip while serving as a humanitarian aid worker in northern Afghanistan in July 2001.

It was the eighth day of our journey when we received troubling news: the trail ahead was heavily mined. According to the local villagers, our only alternative was to retrace our steps and return the way we had come, repeating the previous eight days of travel. Apparently, two neighboring villages had become entangled in conflict and had scattered enough landmines to destroy a small army. I did not know what lay ahead, but I knew what lay behind, and returning the way we came was not an option.

The villagers told us our only hope was to find a man named Mahmoud, a wealthy landowner who lived between the two villages and had managed to remain neutral throughout the conflict. So we set out in search of the man who would soon become our friend.

When we found him, we sat together, ate yogurt, sipped tea, shared poems and proverbs, and listened as he spoke about the hardships facing his country. During our time together, a genuine friendship developed. Rather than merely giving us directions through the minefield, Mahmoud decided it would be far safer if he personally led us through.

A short time later, we left the safety of his plantation and returned to the trail. At first, we saw no evidence of danger, yet we had been told that hundreds of landmines lay buried all around us. We cautiously followed our guide in single file. Every step he took left an impression in the sand, and we carefully placed our feet exactly where he had placed his.

At one point, the trail itself became too dangerous to follow, forcing us to descend toward the river. I assumed the detour would take us away from the danger, but I quickly realized I was mistaken. Looking toward the river on my left, the original trail on my right, and then at the now-visible explosives scattered across the ground before us, it appeared there was no safe way forward—and no way back.

By then I was weak and exhausted from eight days of walking and was leaning heavily on my walking stick. Without warning, our guide asked if he could see it. After examining the wood and making a few comments about its quality, he simply continued walking without handing it back.

I had no choice but to follow.

Now the ground had become much harder, and his footsteps left only faint impressions. We watched even more carefully, matching every step he took as we crossed sandy ground, stepped over rocks, and climbed across large boulders. So focused was our guide on leading us safely that he never seemed to hear me calling after him for my walking stick.

I had often heard stories of children mistaking landmines for toys or colorful rocks, only to lose a limb—or even their lives—when they picked them up. We now walked through the same deadly danger. Yet our guide knew the way. Step by step, he faithfully led us through the minefield, and every one of us emerged safely on the other side.

Once we reached safety, Mahmoud smiled, handed my walking stick back to me, and said something I have never forgotten:

"In a place like this, it is better for you to have two legs than three. But do not worry—if you had become too tired, I would have carried you on my back."

I smiled, embraced him, and thanked him for his kindness. It was not until several days later that I truly grasped the significance of his words.

Our friend willingly risked his own life to lead us safely through a field filled with hidden death. Yet there is One infinitely greater than Mahmoud who not only showed us the way but became the Way, laying down His own life so that we might inherit eternal life.

Sometimes, when fear overwhelms us, when we feel ready to quit, or when the burdens of life become too heavy to bear, our Guide removes the very things we believe we need most. Yet He does so only to teach us a greater dependence upon Himself.

When we do not understand, He does.

When we are weak, He is strong.

When we cannot continue, He carries us onward.

He upholds the weary. He leads us safely through the valleys. He remains mighty, righteous, and sovereign over every circumstance. When the heat of life's trials drains our strength, He shelters us beneath His wings. When darkness surrounds us, He hides us in the safety of His presence. His angels stand guard around those who fear Him, and His Word remains the sword He has placed in our hands.

Our responsibility is simple: let go of the world, take hold of Christ, trust our Guide, and faithfully place our feet in the footsteps of our Savior.