Starting off with a Bang

We are back from our trip north to check on our church planting work in Zambezia and there is so much to write about; I'll have to think about the topics and try to consolidate a little. So, I'll start at the beginning.

This was a very quick trip as we had time pressures on both sides of the trip and actually needed several more days to accomplish our total agenda, but as it was, we still were able to do mostly what we set out to do. More about that later - But setting out - we left at daylight on Monday, June 1 loaded with materials, Bibles, supplies, and got about six km from the house - cutting across a road I just hate to drive (through T-3) because of the intense congestion that grows with each passing day. We're pretty much going against the traffic because we're leaving town - on a narrow two-lane road that curves through the suburb town of T-3.

I wind through a narrow business area and through a deep drainage dip hugging my side of the road. There are a bunch of chappa mini-buses in the other lane making two lanes out of one and there is about 4 feet of clear space between me and the nearest chappa going the other direction. A small truck ahead swerves around the mini-busses at a high rate of speed with all sorts of people standing and swaying in the back of the truck as he barrels to try and fit between me and the nearest chappa - I try to go left but a wall, a small kiosk, and pedestrians limit how far I can go and I think he'll stop - but no - he closes his eyes and tries to make a five foot car fit a four foot space - Wham - he drives right into my rear quarter panel, hitting right at the door and the rear wheel.

He's a little dazed and everyone is yelling at him about his foolishness. He admits fault (shock of all shocks - that has not been my experience here) and we trade information. It is his first day with his driver's license! AND!, he actually has insurance, although whether that will help us remains to be seen. I try to talk to a few bystanders but 'no one saw nothing, nada!'.

He wants me to drive into down to visit the insurance agent and we say 'no way' because the way that works here is it will take ALL DAY and some of the next several days. We get the information and decide to deal with it when we get back. The damage looks horrible but is cosmetic although the rear tire did take a big hit. We decide to simply continue on, thankful that one of the crowd in the back of his truck didn't get flung under us - thump thump!

The fellow works for the Ministry of Health and seemed like a nice enough fellow. I tried to be nice and encourage him to be more careful - that someone in the back of his vehicle could have been killed, etc. I keep wondering if this might develop into a contact that could be helpful with Ann's community health licensing and plans in the future - you never know. That will be next week's work - to try and arrange to meet with the insurance people.

Driving here is incredibly agressive. The Mozambicans are very courteous and gentle people until you put them behind the wheel of a car - then it is full speed ahead and 'take no prisoners'. We were literally run off the road on this trip more than once. Some missionary friends of our rolled their car a few weeks ago, being run off the road by a large truck (not hurt, PTL!).

But, in the end, no one was hurt, both vehicles remained drive-able, and it was nice to have enough language to deal with it - in fact, the last few weeks have been absolute immersion in language, that is for sure. I'm sick about the damage - the door lock is acting up now and that is a security issue for us. It knocked our alignment out a little (just had it aligned) so we have some adjusting to do as well. I went ahead and did the run north because I knew I'd need new tires when we got back anyway - so the pull to the left is just an irritant - so back to the shop! I pray that his insurance will really come through - that would be a pleasant surprise and our depleting account would sigh in relief. (Note on top of the car, we have two spares plus the one on the back door).

I thought you might enjoy this photo of some of the more entertaining pot holes on our travels - we swerve all over the place trying to avoid potholes as we drive - and then these kind jump up on you. Mile after mile - road workers had cut them out in preparation (some day) of filling them - miles and miles of these. Imagine hitting one of these babies at 60 mph - that's why we carry three spares! This is the major north-south road you are looking at!

In the end, like our dear Rev. Mike always says, "it's all good". It's so true.

Dave

"A man's heart plans his way, but the LORD directs his steps." Pr 16:9

PS - On our way back, I took the sand roads home - missing the T-3 road altogether!