Segunda filha has parted

Our second daughter and her husband were with us for 10 days and it was probably 10 of the fastest days ever in my life. It seemed they had just arrived and then it was time to go. We enjoyed a long fourth-of-July weekend with them (no fireworks - :-( ). I'm not sure they really have any idea of how much they rejuvanated us just being here. It's always such a privilege to show people what God is doing in Mozambique and family is now exception. We always introduced Sarah as our segunda filha, (second daughter) and the name stuck and for the entire visit, her husband David started calling her "segunda filha", and so we started doing it also, and that became her name for 10-days.

On the fourth of July we woke to Sarah and David singing "America the Beautiful" at the top of their lungs, moving on to "Proud to be an American" - they wanted to be sure we knew it was the fourth of July! We laughed together. David is a bit of a cut-up and we truly enjoyed the time of lightness and laughter.

When we took them to the airport to leave, I (Dave) dropped them off out front and they went in to begin the process of wrapping the luggage in plastic, checking in, and the like. I'm double parked out front and go to start the car and turn the key and hear some clicks and nothing happens. I tried it again and again - but nothing. Everything lights up so I'm pretty sure the battery is fine. I round up a few guys to push me off (for a fee of course!) and we get it going and I run to the parking lot, praying, "Lord, we just spent alot of money on repairs for this car, we need a little break here!" I stop in the parking lot and check - still just clicking sounds. I parked in a position to make an easy push start again.

We visited in the airport until the last possible moment and we have many tears as they part but they are truthfully excited to be headed home as they have been away all summer between their ministry time in Lebanon and their time here with us. We all prayed together before they left and David also specifically prayed that the car problem would be minor.

We exited, arranged another push-start, and went home. The drive back I keep rolling through options in my mind - hoping it isn't the starter. When we get back, I open the hood and have Ann try to start it, running down the clicking sound, and finally find a relay that is related to the starter. Ann can only hear me say "try again" as I check different things and to her it looks like I'm just waving my hands over parts of the engine. But, I'm taping these silly relay switches - and voila, I tap one and boom - it starts. We try again, and no start - tap - and it starts. Now that is encouraging. So, it is off to Toyota and we buy the last relay of this type in Mozambique. Thank you Lord! So for 2000 mtn, we're back in business. It's a lot (26 mtn/$) for a little switchy thing, but I'm so thankful to have it fixed and it truly was simple. We are often in places where a push start is out-of-the question because of the deep sand.

Then, we looked at the mountain of administration staring us in the face, and get started. The phone starts ringing, the appointments begin, and we are running at 110% again. It was a nice break that God knew we needed.

They are now safely home with luggage - and we are thankful for that answer to prayer as well.

Have a great week. Thank you for standing with us. It is truly a privilege to represent you here in Mozambique.

Dave & Ann

"You will make your prayer to Him, he will hear you..." Job 22:27 )