by Alex Arthur Knopp

“No vacancy,” Dad exclaimed as he hopped back into the van.

We four kids groaned. After a full day of sightseeing and traveling around Jasper National Park in Canada, we were ready to call it a day. We were a little disappointed not to be able to stay and do some exploring of the Columbia Icefields. However, after seeing a small avalanche from Ghost Glacier at Mt. Edith Cavell earlier that afternoon, we weren't too sure we actually wanted to explore on top of this massive piece of ice!

Mt. Edith Cavell “Well,” Mom said, “let's pull out the map and see how far it is to the next town.” Since I was in the passenger’s seat, I pulled out the map and began looking. Banff was the closest town, but it was in the opposite direction we were headed. We didn't want to backtrack, so we decided to keep going and hoped to soon find a hotel with vacancy along the way.

Low clouds and drizzling rain kept us from enjoying the majestic sights all around while traveling south on the Banff-Jasper Highway. Finally we came to a lodge near the David Thompson Highway Junction. I was looking forward to getting out of our cramped van. Maybe there would even be a pool for us to take a swim in.

This time there was vacancy, but only for a maximum of four people in a room. Dad sighed as he climbed back into the van. “I guess we will have to just keep going. It's too expensive for us to rent two rooms for all six of us. Son, why don't you check the map and find out how far it is to the next town.”

As I studied the map, Mom suggested we fuel up, but on my announcement that the next town was Field, Dad figured that we had plenty of gas to get there. So on we went in our quest for a room to stay in.

We arrived in Field two hours later. By this time it was growing dark, and all of us were anxious to turn in for the night. As we drove around Field we discovered that there was only one hotel and one gas station in the entire town! Though we had driven by Field before, we were shocked at how small the town actually was! The hotel was full, and unfortunately so was the one and only hostel. “Looks like I'm going to have to fuel up and keep going to Golden,” declared Dad.

We headed for the gas station back near the highway, but there was a very big problem--it was closed. A groan went through the van. “Great, we missed our fuel by only ten minutes,” Priscilla exclaimed after reading the sign on the front door. “Closed. Service hours 8 A.M. to 8 P.M.”

gas station “We can't make it to Golden on a quarter of a tank of gas,” Dad stated soberly. “Field to Golden is not a little ride--they're two hours apart and on the rockiest part of the Trans-Canada Highway.”

No one spoke for a few minutes. “W-e-l-l,” Mom finally broke the silence, “why don't we camp out in the van.”

“No way!” we instantly exclaimed.

Looking a little worried, my little sister, Shannon, asked, “Uhhhh, didn't you say that isn't the best thing to do?” I was seriously thinking the same thing. I could tell Dad wasn't too keen on that idea either.

“Hey,” responded my oldest sister, Katrina, “wouldn't that be a story to tell? Just kidding!”

“Why don't we pray?” Shannon suggested.

It seemed no one heard her, so I repeated, “Why don't we pray?”

So as Dad turned onto the highway, Mom thanked God for all the fun we had had that day and for keeping us safe thus far, and asked Him to please bring us to Golden safely. When Mom finished praying, Dad suggested that we turn on a CD of Pathways of the Pioneers, a series of audio stories on the history of the early Seventh-day Adventist Church, so the time wouldn't seem so long.

As we drove along the winding, steep road I kept praying silently, as I'm sure we all were, that we would have enough gas to make it all the way to Golden. If we ran out of gas there would be nowhere to go, for in many places there was no shoulder--it was a mountain straight up on one side and straight down into the valley far below us on the other side.

As we rounded each corner I hoped to see town lights, but it seemed to be taking us forever to reach Golden. Then finally, about two hours after leaving Field, I spotted the town lights in the distance. We would soon be there and safe.

The gauge was just above empty as Dad pulled up to Fas Gas. We prayed and thanked God for the miracle He had performed, that we didn't run out of gas along the way.

With our tank full we continued our search for a hotel room. The first one we checked had no vacancy. The second hotel we stopped at had only one room left. We took it, and just in time, for there was a lineup behind Dad as he was checking in. Not only did God work a miracle by keeping enough gas in our tank, I think God also kept that room for us that night, and we all had a good sleep.

Photos (including home page photo) from Wikimedia Commons

Golden Miracle

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Golden Miracle

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