Hello, my name is Tami. I am the Arzounis’ daughter and an MK (missionary kid) in Bamako, Mali. About a month ago, I experienced a miracle, and I wanted to share it with you.

I think that since the day I was born I have been horse-crazy. When I was about nine I started to save my money to buy one someday, somewhere. Finally, when I was fifteen in Mali, my dreams came true. The Lord also blessed me with a young riding partner, Alisa Kosheleff. Together we and our two horses, Jarabi (my horse) and Calypso (her horse), have shared many adventures. It is the last one which I’m going to tell you about.

We were coming home from a ride on the river’s edge. We took the dirt road that would take us right up across the street from Alisa’s house. On the right was a construction site, and fifteen minutes before our arrival, the dump truck delivering sand there had cut an electrical wire crossing high above the road, and fled in fear. We were caught unawares.

We came around the corner at an easy canter, and I was right behind Alisa. Two American Embassy employees were out on the road, chatting. Ahead of them on the left was a puddle from the last rain covering more than half the road. As we passed them, I saw a heavy, shiny wire lying through the puddle and angled halfway across the road. I remember thinking, “I hope that’s not dangerous.”

We were about to go through the puddle when Calypso, still in front of me, fell flat as though he had no legs. I stood in the stirrups and hauled back on the reins, sending Jarabi into a skidding stop. Then suddenly my horse and I were flying over Alisa and her horse. Alisa was thrown to the side. I was in the air wondering what happened, knowing I had been in control, that my horse had stopped, when I felt an amazing amount of electricity shoot through me.

When we landed on the other side of Calypso, we were in the puddle. My mare fell to her side - across Alisa! I had been thrown in the fall and had therefore broken contact with the live current. There lay Alisa under my horse, being electrocuted. The electrical wire passed completely under Calypso, under Jarabi’s legs, and they were all in the water.

In seconds I was at my horse’s head, and so were the American men, and the Africans from the nearby houses. Even though we kept feeling the electricity, we pulled until her bridle broke and the bit ripped out of her mouth. I was terrified for Alisa’s life. I put my arms around Jarabi’s neck, and with my mouth inches from her ear I pulled and yelled to her to get up, “Oh please, get up!” I knew she couldn’t though. She was completely paralyzed by the current.

I believe guardian angels then picked my horse up, with her legs shaking like Jello, looking like she was walking, and put her to the side. Our helpers kicked Alisa’s feet and pulled her out of the water and away from her horse. Alisa’s life was spared. She had no broken bones, nothing more than bruises and scratches, when my horse falling on her alone should have killed her. Her horse, however, never moved again from the place he fell.

If there had been no amazing circumstances, nothing so out of the ordinary as a dump truck that cut an electrical wire, the Lord’s power would not have been witnessed by the entire community, both American and African. Praise the Lord for His intervention, for signs and wonders.

Thank you for your prayers. I know they help me every day!

Tamara Arzouni