It was an equatorial hot November evening in the year 2008, Uganda, East Africa.I looked up in surprise at this ten year old slight of a girl, determined to conquer my fear for me.

I had been re-counting my story of walking alone to their group of thatched roofed houses in the dark.As I walked down the wide path, flashlight illuminating the red clay for my feet to trace, there, to the side of the trail was something black; something coiled.

Jerking to an abrupt stop, I thrust my light in the direction of what I feared would be a snake.There are pythons, green and black mamba snakes in Uganda, to name a few, and I was constantly sending up prayers to God to please not let my fear come upon me.

The Lord had miraculously provided the money, a windfall really, for my son and me to help in an African orphanage for a few weeks.We had been inoculated for various diseases, such as malaria, typhus and yellow fever.I would have loved to find a ‘snake’ vaccine, but unfortunately, there was no such thing.

Uganda, at the end of its rainy season is a beautiful, green, tropical country.The people are gracious, kind and loving in an amazingly quiet way.But when they laugh, oh, they fling their heads back, faces to the sky, and almost scream in delight!In many ways, it rivals any paradise on earth.My son begged me to stay, pleading for us to move and live there forever.But then, there are the snakes…

I confess I am a suburbanite, born and raised.I completely fulfill the declaration in Genesis 3:15a, “And I will put enmity between thee (the serpent) and the woman…”I fear and consequently hate snakes.The smallest ones make my skin crawl.Yes, without question, they are my enemies.

There was no movement of the black coils.I studied my suspected danger and realized that it was a black garden hose!Slowly, the beam from my flashlight surveyed every inch of the hose.My legs were still tense, awaiting the command to sprint to safety.Black mamba snakes are known to be aggressive and will chase after a human.I wasn’t about to take any chances.Satisfied that I was safe and that a garden hose could not inflict any harm, I continued on to visit my new friends.

When I told my story, I laughed at my own phobia.I thought the Ugandan family and children would laugh as well.Though they smiled, they saw past my joking exterior, deep into my heart.They wanted to try to alleviate my fears.

“Yes, let’s all go take a look at this black hose,” the mother said, rising from her chair.

As I was the only one with a flashlight, I led the way to the place of my unnerving encounter.It still made me feel a little wary of the area.Six or seven children and teenagers accompanied us.The talk was easy and joyful along the way.It felt like we were tourists on a little walking trip.

Everyone stopped when we arrived at the garden hose.I laughed, but I was the only one laughing.Each person took their turn to look the hose over, giving a comment of how they would have killed it, had it been a snake.There were some snake stories and then some laughter as we all returned to the house.

Anna stood right next to me, holding my hand, as my protector.For her love for me, she was ready and willing to do what was necessary to keep me from being scared.I felt like our roles had been reversed.I am the adult.I stand six feet tall and am not slight!But I was the one that was afraid.

I learned a lesson that night.Regardless of your size, strength and ability, fear can make you cower.It can make you weak and paralyzed.Love on the other hand, can make you brave, disregard any idea of capability, even practicality and motivate you to do the seemingly impossible – even if you are only a ten year old girl!“There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment.He that feareth is not made perfect in love” (I John 4:18).