Shot in the face by robbers, Caron Asgarali’s life changed completely in a
moment. She tells a story of grace and goodness

My car had come briefly to a halt at a minor road, when gunshots rang out in the stillness of the night. Car tires screeched and glass shattered as our car sped off. When the coast was clear and the car was out of gunshot range, I calmly relayed the news to the person driving that I was shot.

It was the night of Tuesday 29 January 2013, in Trinidad. The bandits who shot me had attempted a robbery and were on the run from the police. They had completed several other raids that night and were just a few streets away from the pursuing lawmen when they came upon my car. They wanted to take it to get away.

As we drove, the driver reacted to what I said in disbelief: How could I have been shot, and telling him this news in such a matter-of-fact manner? But when he saw the blood pouring out of my face, he started to scream. He drove faster as he realised the urgency of getting me to a hospital. The worst nightmare one can imagine had taken place, and yet I was strangely at peace.

My chin was shattered. My jaw was
fractured on both sides. I had lost several teeth and my tongue was partially detached. I was unable to speak for three weeks after the incident. I had two smaller bullet wounds on my chest and shoulder…

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This is an extract from the July/August 2015 edition of Reform.

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