The Pickup

Thanks to the generous assistance from our dear support base, we were able to purchase a new four-wheel drive truck.  It is a basic truck - stick-shift, 2.5 four-cylinder turbo-charged diesel (guys want to know that stuff!).  It was quite a process but we feel good about it.  We need to get the required safety inspection in the next couple of days as well.  It is one step above the basic level of truck because we wanted air bags for the type of driving we do to the north as well as the ABS brakes.  Can you believe they sell cars throughout the world without these things?  Or, maybe you are thinking 'oh ye of little faith"  Well, possibly, but I know people who have rolled cars and had major accidents on our crazy north-south "highway" and so I also don't want to tempt fate.

This particular truck is not available in the US - but we have confidence in the brand (Mazda) and the dealer was the only one willing to work with us on the price.  It is my second silver Mazda as some of you well know from my pre-missionary days so maybe there is a psychological thing involved - but again, I digress.

We had the side lights riveted to car with metal strips, along with headlights, tail-lights, padlocking the spare tire under the back, acid etching the license number on the lights and mirrors.  Stuff you do to try to make them less desireable to those who love to pry them out with a crowbar and sell them back to you on the streets.  The locked cap also allows us to carry things in the back that are less likely to 'run away' and the next stop light!  A continuing sad commentary on life here but a true commentary on the natural slant and predisposition of man.

Our next challenge is a new law just passed which requires us to surrender our US driver's license and obtain a Mozambican driver's license.  We spent much of Friday running from office to office trying to figure this new law out.  We even ended up in the head office for the country (those crazy Americans who will talk to anyone) trying to figure this thing out.  Everyone gave us a different story - but it is clear that it is a long bureaucratic process involving tests, money, and lots of time.  We are trying to figure it out for all of us here.  They "promise" that we can have our stateside driver's licenses back when we return to the States; pardon my skepticism.  I guess that means all of us will have to report 'lost' licenses to our state-side license agencies.  Thank you God for this opportunity to learn more about humility, patience, and Your grace that covers me.  May I use the time in the lines to talk with people who live in a lost and dying world of the incredible peace and hope that you bring, for You are the God of Peace and Hope, which surpasses the understanding of both those who do not know you and those of us who do.

Blessings and thank you so very much.  We hit our support account very hard to purchase this car and appreciate very very much for your faithfulness to us.  During our last term we paid a fortune for a 1998 vehicle and poured thousands and thousands into it in repairs.  We really believe this is a better way for us to go to be good stewards of our time and resources in this term, and in the end, as those of you who own cars know, 'you will pay now or you will pay later, but you most certainly will pay!'

Our last term, our car was known for the kid stickers we had on the windows - the kids enjoyed them.  Ann brought some disney and other static stickers with her this term and decorated the windows today.  The box in the back contains wedding dresses for our trip tomorrow.

Ann says I should go drive it through a sticker bush hedge and sideswipe something and just get it over with!  There was the Darlington strip (for you NASCAR fans) when the cars would slide up the bank on turn four and brush the wall, and here there is the Chappa (mini-bus) strip where you get side swiped because 1/4 of an inch clearance is, well, too much.  I love this picture of her and just include it here 'just because!'

And as life would have it, the young saleslady we bought the truck from actually lives across the street from our seminary and remembered us from a trip way back when she was learning English as a second language at our our small rooms at the back of the property when we met with the class with a team from our home church.  She only spoke a little English and so we kind of found our way through Portuglais (part of each language!).  Her name was Ana also and as the process is long, we had the privilege to spend much time with her and we really do sense God's hand on her life.  We thought she looked familiar and it took a long time of discussion to finally put all that together.

Relationships - those we meet along life's way - they tend to come around - it makes you ponder what kind of blessing or curse we leave behind us as we walk life's highways.  May we be children of the blessing.....

Blessings.

Dave and Ann

"I urge your to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love."  Ephesians 4:1,2