Don’t be afraid to put your trust in prayer!

One evening I had to drive three girls who had been sent to hospital in Geneva after a small accident on the slopes back to the camp. The van I was driving had no chains. We had looked for snow chains in multiple stores in Paris before the camp and couldn’t find any. When we were getting close to Faucille Pass, we got caught in a snowstorm. We were stuck on the road and we it was too dangerous to go any further or back up. I tried to do a U-turn without success. It was about midnight, but we didn’t panic. The Lord would not abandon us, I was certain of that.

I tried to do a U-turn again, and this time I was successful. We reached Gex, a mountain town nearby, but didn’t know where to go. I had to get these three high school girls to a safe place for the night. I drove on, trusting in Providence. And I prayed, inwardly and intensely, this prayer: "Holy Virgin Mary, I don’t usually ask for a miracle, but tonight, I am asking you for one!" We had tried 2 or 3 hotels but they were all closed for the night. All of a sudden I heard one of the girls shout: "There’s a Formula 1 Hotel! They’re always open all night!" So we went to the Formula 1 Hotel, where I found them a room. There was only one room left and it had three beds!

I was so surprised and happy that I almost said to the Virgin Mary, "I wasn’t expecting such a big miracle!" I went to sleep in the van. It was a cold night, but what mattered was that the girls could sleep in a warm room. At 6:00 am, I tried my luck and found an available room, and slept a couple of hours before we continued our trip. I had been able to find chains as well and we drove over the pass and reached the camp safe and sound.

Father Henri de l'Eprevier, priest of the diocese of Paris, member of the Aïn-Karem Community, parish priest of Sainte-Anne de la Butte-aux-Cailles (Paris)