The Ghanaian priest David Obeng Paintsil, founder of the Global Rosary Network, has shared a testimony of faith about an episode that nearly cost him his life and from which he claims to have emerged thanks to the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The priest was trapped in his vehicle when it began to burn, unable to open the doors or unfasten his seatbelt. It was then, according to his account, that he turned to the Virgin, to whom he had entrusted his journey.
The experience, which occurred approximately ten years ago, was recalled by the priest in a reflection published on October 14, during the month dedicated to the Holy Rosary, as reported by ACI Africa.
«I knew it was the end of my life»
Father Obeng Paintsil was returning to his parish after preaching a three-day spiritual retreat in another diocese in Ghana. Before beginning the return journey, he had prayed the Holy Rosary and asked the Virgin Mary to accompany him on the way.
He had been driving for more than four hours when, about fifteen minutes from his destination, he heard a strange noise coming from the car. He decided to stop to check what was happening, without imagining the danger he was about to face.
«I had to stop and check what was going on. As soon as I parked and turned off the engine, all I saw was a huge fire. Boom! My car had started to burn», he recalled.
The flames began to spread rapidly, but when he tried to escape, he discovered that the doors were locked and that he could not unfasten his seatbelt.
«It was so intense… The car doors, when I tried to open them, were locked. My seatbelt was locked. And I knew it was the end of my life», he recounted.
In the midst of that desperate situation, the priest remembered that he had invited the Virgin Mary to accompany him on the journey. He then turned to the passenger seat and begged her to protect him.
According to his testimony, even before finishing the prayer, the doors opened and the seatbelt came undone, allowing him to get out of the vehicle.
The fire eventually engulfed the car, without him being able to recover even the bag he was carrying. However, he had managed to save his life, something the priest interprets as a providential intervention and a sign that the Lord still had plans for him.
«Here I am. I have my life. And I said to myself: well, God still has a mission I must fulfill», he stated.
The Rosary, a prayer that leads to an encounter with God
That episode holds a special place in the spiritual life of Father Obeng Paintsil, who has dedicated part of his priestly ministry to promoting Marian devotion and the prayer of the Holy Rosary.
The priest explained that he learned to pray it from a young age, thanks to family prayer, and affirmed that the Lord has transformed his life in many ways through this devotion.
«The Rosary is truly a wonderful prayer, a powerful prayer through which we can encounter God», he affirmed.
This conviction has led him to promote the Global Rosary Network, an initiative born during the pandemic that brings together the faithful from different countries around the praying of the Rosary and seeks to promote evangelization and the life of prayer under the protection of the Virgin Mary.
By sharing his experience, the priest wanted to encourage Catholics to rediscover the value of this prayer, deeply rooted in the tradition of the Church and recommended for centuries by numerous saints and pontiffs.
For Father Obeng Paintsil, the Rosary is not only a personal devotion, but also an instrument to bring souls closer to God and unite the faithful in prayer.
«Probably the Rosary is one of the best means through which I can gather people to worship God», he concluded.