BENIN

True Missions Story

Green Mamba
(Picture 1)

Missionary Charles Petroskey stood in the corner of his room, staring in fear at
the big green mamba snake. That snake was going to kill him.
The green mamba is one of the deadliest snakes in Africa. The green mamba is
so deadly because it will kill anything that it thinks is threatening it. It’s also
called the “two step” snake because the local people believe that if it bites you,
you take two steps and you drop over dead.
(Picture 1)
Missionary Charles Petroskey lived in Benin, a country in Africa. He and his
wife Frances had come to Africa to try to win as many French-speaking
Africans as they could to Jesus. They had to learn how to speak and preach in
the French language.
Before long, the Petroskey’s began to have problems with green mambas. One
snake had moved into the same area as the Petroskey’s house. Charles Petroskey
was alone in his house when suddenly, coming into the house straight for him,
was a green mamba! It meant to kill him.

(Picture 2)

Missionary Petroskey rushed to get out of the room, but the snake was too fast.
It cut off his route to the door. Missionary Petroskey headed for the window,
but the snake cut him off there too. He was cornered in the room.
Missionary Petroskey tried to think what he could do. He had no weapon. He
(Picture 2) was alone. The snake was fast, and it had him cornered.
 (Picture 3)

Missionary Petroskey closed his eyes and prayed. He called out to God for help.
Suddenly God did a miracle. When missionary Petroskey opened his eyes, he
found himself on the far side of the room by the door. The snake was still in
the room, staring at the empty corner where missionary Petroskey had been.
God had miraculously picked up this missionary and moved him.
Missionary Petroskey didn’t know how it happened. All he knows is he was
(Picture 3) cornered, and God zapped him out of danger when he prayed.

Information for this story was provided by missionary Charles Petroskey and is
used with permission from Assemblies of God World Missions.

©2004 by BGMC of The General Council of the Assemblies of God. All rights reserved.
Permission granted to reproduce and adapt lesson components for exclusive use in the local
church. Any other use requires written permission.
 Missionary Charles Petroskey stared in fear
at the big green mamba snake.
Benin 1
 He rushed to get out of the room, but the snake was
too fast. It cut off his route to the door.
Benin 2
 When missionary Petroskey opened his eyes, he found
himself on the far side of the room by the door.
Benin 3