Lima, Peru — Ricardo Escudero recounts the night of rain and hail in which he experienced the intercession of St Josemaria when his car was entrenched in a landslide. He had already driven some 295 km from Lima for more than 6 hours when he encountered trouble on the mountainous highway after passing the silver mines at Cerro de Pasco, one of the highest cities in Peru in the central highlands at 4380m.

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I was driving down the motorway from Lima to Huanuco, about a seven-hour trip. The night was very dark and as I came through Cerro de Pasco it was raining and hailing very hard, and extremely cold. I had to get to my destination for a work-related matter. Coming down towards Huanuco, the rain got still heavier, but there was nowhere I could stop.

As I came round a sharp bend in the road I hit a landslide. The road was covered in earth, water and tree-branches. I braked, but could not reverse. I tried to drive forward, over what looked like the firmest part, but the car stopped and I couldn’t move it. The water and mud, the rain and darkness had me really worried.

There was nobody I could ask to tow me off with a rope. I prayed harder than I’ve ever prayed before, and asked for the intercession of Monsignor Escriva.

In the middle of the night, where there was hardly a glimmer of light, an ordinary-looking guy appeared, waving and beckoning to me. I made my way over to him, and he held out a long chain, which between the two of us we managed to attach to the bottom of the car. We were wading in mud up to our waists and in constant danger of being swept over the cliff.

I didn’t stop praying for an instant!

This guy pulled the chain to a truck which had appeared out of nowhere. The truck hauled my car out of the landslide, freeing me from my anguish. I thanked the guy for his kind help, and drove on with great difficulty as the car was going very badly.

When the sun came up in the morning I saw that my car was badly damaged and took it to be repaired.

I went returned to Lima by the same route two days later. The rain had stopped, and I stopped near the landslide, and saw a wrecked car.

There were some people looking at it, and they were saying, “No one could get through that night.”

I told them that I’d gotten through with the help of a truck-driver.

They replied, “That’s impossible, Mister. Nobody got through, and the road is still impassable. They’re digging out a path right now.”

But I had gotten through because some good guy helped me. Where did he appear from? Who was he? It was a miracle through St Josemaria’s intercession. I have no doubt of it, and it has strengthened my faith.

Ricardo Escudero, Peru

January 12, 2009