The Flores Journey

Boy did we ever have a crazy night a while back. So all of you know everyone in South Africa has some sort of Security alarm on their house with an armed response. You see it on every house you drive past. Our security system is called Chubb. The reason that everyone has these kinds of security systems is because their tends to be a lot of break in's and armed robberies in South Africa. Every time I pick up the newspaper, there is another story about a robbery and break in that occurred during the week.

Claire and I just finished watching a world cup game and headed off to bed. Before I jumped into bed I armed the security system which secures the entire house. As we were drifting off to sleep, we heard a large crash downstairs and instantly the Chubb security system started blaring throughout the house. I was half awake when the alarm started blaring and immediately my heart was in my chest. Someone was downstairs!!! I told Claire to grab Peyton and jump on the other side of the bed away from the door leading downstairs to the ground floor. As I stared at the door my hands fumbled for anything that might serve as a weapon to protect my family. My hand rested on the large bedside lamp that was plugged into the outlet on the other side of the bed.

Our phone rang and Chubb was on the other line. They asked what was the problem and though my voice was shaking I told them what had happened. They told us that an armed response was en route to our area and would arrive shortly. They remained on the phone with me and as Claire recounts, "She was preparing herself to die. I don't know how to explain the terror that grips you when you are expecting men with guns or much more likely crude knives coming through the door. We have a window upstairs and we waited for Chubb to arrive the pulled up and the dispatcher asked me to go downstairs and let them in. I tiptoed down the stairs listening intently to hear if their was anyone else in the house. I opened the door to see three armed Chubb men completely decked out with body armor and weapons drawn. I was very impressed. One went outside to secure the grounds while the two others secured the downstairs. To Claire and my great relief, and yes embarrassment we saw our intruder that had us bound in fear upstairs. It was the T.V. It had fallen over from it's position on the couch. Claire had pulled the sandle that was propping up the T.V. when we had gone to bed.

If it had been an intruder I don't know what we would have done. I don't know how to communicate this but in that moment we felt like our house, the place of security, had been compromised. The one place that I feel safe in, My castle, My last defense didn't feel so secure in that moment. Praise the Lord it wasn't what we had thought.

I am grateful for Chubb though. They came very quickly, though it seemed like forever at the time.

Bryan