In every life there sometimes come moments that try faith, resilience, and the human spirit. Sometimes these moments test even the strongest in faith among us.
In truth, Sybil stands as one of the giants of faith I’ve been privileged to know. At the age of 80, she still travels around and goes on mission trips, sharing about the surpassing love of Christ. Even with many health challenges and a serious accident that left her with metal rods in her leg, she is always jovial and sees the trials not as storms or curses, but as opportunities to glorify God.
For Sybil, the accident that left metal rods in her legs became one of the most powerful encounters she had with the Living God. The good that God brought out of it resulted not just in physical healing, but also opened up a mission field that impacted many.
An Ordinary Trip That Became an Extraordinary Trial
On 7 November 2020, in the middle of the pandemic, Sybil stepped out of her house to buy bread. The short walk home, so familiar and uneventful on any other day, became a moment that changed her life.
As Sybil was making her way back to her home, a deafening sound of a one-tonne lorry suddenly pierced the air behind her. Everything from that moment onward happened so fast. Behind the wheels of the lorry was an intoxicated driver. Before she could move, the lorry struck her from behind, sending her flying into another stationary lorry in front. Sybil felt the impact of that collision and heard her bones crackle and crunch. As she fell in a daze and before she could process what was happening, the driver reversed and hit her a second time.
Collapsing onto the road dazed, injured, and helpless, Sybil saw the lorry coming again, about to run over her a third time. This time, however, fortunately there were workers in a nearby shop who saw the whole incident. They shouted and ran towards her, stopping the lorry driver just in time.
A stranger came and kneel beside her, telling her gently not to move. Using her phone, he helped call her husband, and then an ambulance. Sybil remembers her body slowly going numb from the waist down as she lay on the road, waiting for the ambulance to come. She was rushed to Serdang Hospital where a series of X-rays revealed the extent of the damage. She had extensive fractures in her right knee, pelvic area, and ribs, but the medical team could not proceed with surgery as her haemoglobin and blood count were dangerously low.
This all happened at the height of the pandemic. The beds were full, the doctors were stretched thin, and even family visitation was restricted. Sybil lay in her hospital room, injured and alone. But she was not abandoned.
The Turning Point of Forgiveness
In the days that followed, Sybil wrestled with pain, confusion, and the traumatic memory of the attack. She asked God why this had happened but received no immediate answer. Yet there was a single overpowering conviction that surfaced in her heart and Sybil knew that it came from God. She needed to forgive the lorry driver.
Sybil shared that the moment she fully released forgiveness to God, something unexpected happened. “My haemoglobin and blood levels, which had been too low for surgery, suddenly stabilised,” she shared in wonder and awe. As the haemoglobin and blood levels stabilised, the medical team and doctor could finally clear her for the procedures she so urgently needed. The surgeries on her leg and pelvis were successfully carried out.
Though she still had pain in her ribs, Sybil recognized that this was the first quiet sign that God was working, even in the midst of her suffering.
A Mysterious Visitor in White
One evening at about 8pm, as Sybil lay in her hospital bed recovering from surgery, she heard someone walk up to her and address her gently: “Aunty…” She looked up and saw a tall man dressed in white, radiating kindness and calm. He handed her a breathing device and told her to inhale and exhale slowly, and that her broken rib would heal.
As she followed his instructions, a deep and overwhelming peace washed over her.
After he left, Sybil asked the three other patients in her room if they had seen the man. All of them, without exception, said, “No one came.” That moment became deeply etched in her heart. She knew she had experienced a divine visitation. God had sent help in a way only He could.
Miraculously, with the use of that simple breathing device, her fractured ribs recovered and joined back together.
Purpose in the Pain
In time, Sybil understood that although she never received an answer to her “why,” God was weaving purpose through every moment of her suffering.
Her hospital stay became a mission field. An 85-year-old patient in the bed next to hers came to salvation. Two others rededicated their lives to Christ. Nurses, visitors, and patients, many heard about Jesus through her conversations, her peace, and her testimony.
Almost 3 years later, Sybil met the driver who had hit her as she was buying mangos in the mart. He recognised her and called her “aunty”. Because Sybil had forgiven him and even prayed for him and his family often, she was able to speak to him calmly and share about the love of God. It was a moment she never imagined would happen.
This testimony, one among many in Sybil’s life, has since reached a multitude of people, both Christians and non-Christians alike. Each time she retells the story, it becomes another reminder of Romans 8:28, that in all things, God works for the good of those who love Him.
A Story of a God Who Never Left
Looking back today, Sybil remembers the whole incident vividly, not with bitterness but with awe. In the remarkable experience, she sees a God who sent strangers to rescue her, who strengthened her body when the doctors could not proceed with her surgery, who visited her and gave her peace that surpassed all understanding. Most importantly, she sees a God who turned a traumatic accident into a powerful platform for salvation and forgiveness that extended beyond her own circumstances.
Sybil’s story is a living reminder that God is close even in life’s darkest valleys, working quietly, faithfully, and lovingly behind the scenes. “God truly is so good,” she shares gratefully.
God is Ever-Present, Even In Our Most Unexpected Trials
Sybil’s journey reminds us that even in life’s most unexpected trials, God’s presence is near. When fear, pain, or uncertainty arises, we can choose forgiveness, trust, and hope, allowing God to turn moments of suffering into opportunities for healing, purpose, and testimony. Her story encourages each of us to look for the quiet ways God is working in our own lives, even when we cannot yet see the full picture.
All glory to God!
Christianity Malaysia would like to thank Sybil for her generosity and help in the production of this article as a blessing and encouragement for our readers. All photos in this article was very kindly provided by Sybil.
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