I haven’t experienced the Lord move so noticeably as He has
in the last month! First we received Avi’s birth certificate in the mail after
finalizing our adoption (a process that could have delayed our ability to apply
for a passport for Avi). Then we received two offers on our house (one we
accepted and are waiting to hear from the bank for approval since we are short
selling). Meanwhile, we have been toying with the idea of getting a dependable 4-wheel
drive vehicle to use in Belize. Last weekend we went up to Sun Valley to look
at a Wagoneer that Mark had found. The owner knew we were coming to see it. When
we arrived in town, we called the guy and he said he sold it that morning! We
were so bummed (and disappointed he didn’t give us a heads up)! After that fiasco
we decided we might as well just make some repairs to the Durango, take it to
Belize and hope for the best.
Then last Wednesday, out of the blue, we received a call on
our Craigslist ad for our Durango (it has been posted for at least a few
months). The couple came out to test drive it and made us an offer we couldn’t
accept (especially since we were undecided about whether to take the Durango to
Belize or not). We told them we were firm on our asking price and with mixed
feelings, watched them “walk away.” They ended up contacting us the next day,
offering us our asking price! We cleaned out the Durango and it was gone within
an hour! It’s funny how sad I was to see it drive away. I was more tearful
about this car than I was about our house (of course we technically still own
the house so grief over that may still be yet to come).
Sometimes things just work out differently than you think. We've
been looking for just the right vehicle to take to the mission in Belize, Wagoneers,
Scouts, etc. Well, this morning Mark began looking at a seemingly less
conventional option… 15-passenger vans!! These are completely unlike what we’d
been wanting, but as we’re learning in this mission process the Lord is lining
up our hearts up with His.
Belize Mission and Retreat has a 15-passenger van, but it is
on its last leg (or wheel). Basil (one of the founders of the mission) calls it
his 1-wheel drive van. The back doors have to be wired shut, the side sliding
door hardly opens, every time they make a stop someone gets out to tighten the
bolts on the wheels and there is a hole near one of the wheel wells in the back
of the van that sprays muddy water on passengers and the ceiling whenever they
go through a puddle!
With a van of our own we could assist in transporting teams
visiting the mission. But what we’re most enthused about is providing villagers
with a ride to the city. Most don’t have a form of transportation so they sit
at the edge of the village hoping to hitch a ride with whoever is headed to the
city. On the last day of our visit Basil picked up about half a dozen ladies
who needed to get to town to do some shopping (there are no stores in the
village). With a large van of our own we will be able to accomplish more for
the villagers and the mission. The Lord is lining our heart up with His… this
search for a new vehicle is now about serving the Lord better and less about
what we’re comfortable in. I’m so grateful the Lord is working in the logistics
of our journey and that He is moving us along in our mindset and heart. Please
pray for the perfect vehicle to come across our path and that the Lord
continues to open our eyes so we can open doors beyond our expectations.
