Sometimes that takes different forms, but our plan (Oscar was with me, as will soon be evident) was to drive to Comayagua, pick up the ailing Mistubishi, and drive back to Teguc. I had (and still have) more paperwork to do than I can organize, plus do sermon prep for preaching in a few weeks. So, we go, we get the truck, which we were assured was done, fixed, ready to go, and get back here before lunch. No muss, no fuss. Ah, you are ahead of me by now.
So two and a half hours later, we were still waiting. It turns out that when we were following Gender in the Mitsubishi, we heard a loud repeating noise. He thought it was the brakes that were recently adjusted...maybe too tight. Turns out, it was a CV joint or something...long story short, we would not have made it to Teguc with the way it was. Good thing the mechanic that did the repair will have to take care of it.
In those two and a half hou
rs though, we had an informal meeting with Gender, talking about...his struggles, the Church's struggles, praises in what is happening there (five more baptisms next week, two more weddings) the two families being sent to the Bible Institute (we are sending one, the Church sending the other that feels the call to leave their property, crops, etc. and follow where He leads them), the soccer field, and our plan to buy more property up there to grow more coffee, for us to sell that coffee (to people like you!) and thus provide future financial security for a pastor, as well as for the Church. That part was frustrating (sitting outside the shop, etc.) but even when it was happening, I think we all knew it was good.
rs though, we had an informal meeting with Gender, talking about...his struggles, the Church's struggles, praises in what is happening there (five more baptisms next week, two more weddings) the two families being sent to the Bible Institute (we are sending one, the Church sending the other that feels the call to leave their property, crops, etc. and follow where He leads them), the soccer field, and our plan to buy more property up there to grow more coffee, for us to sell that coffee (to people like you!) and thus provide future financial security for a pastor, as well as for the Church. That part was frustrating (sitting outside the shop, etc.) but even when it was happening, I think we all knew it was good. We also talked about how we are taking the Mitsubishi, what we are going to have to do to get a good, reliable, easily fixable, easy part availability, vehicle for Sampedrana. There is still work to be done on the soccer field (slowly but surely) and eventually more to be done with the coffee, as well as people needing rides, baptism services, soccer games down the hill, etc. Our options are limited to two Toyota pickups here both with 
solid front axles. I will spare you all the other interesting details on why they are the best for that area and what they are (unless you write me interested.) The bottom line is, despite what we have saved up, scrounged, and other areas of ministry are contributing to the effort (around $7,000), we figure that when we find one (they are not terribly common...for sale) we will be short $6,300. Getting something tough and reliable does not come cheap...and that is for a vehicle we figure being a minimum of 11 years old. For the time being, he has a twenty five year old Nissan (supposedly already sold to his uncle, who has not come to claim his purchase yet...see picture left.) but that is definitely not a long term option, especially with the work there is left to do there, and of course the basic mountain transportation needs. So, we have that to put into God's hands, and keep praying He would reveal one way or another what we need to do there.
solid front axles. I will spare you all the other interesting details on why they are the best for that area and what they are (unless you write me interested.) The bottom line is, despite what we have saved up, scrounged, and other areas of ministry are contributing to the effort (around $7,000), we figure that when we find one (they are not terribly common...for sale) we will be short $6,300. Getting something tough and reliable does not come cheap...and that is for a vehicle we figure being a minimum of 11 years old. For the time being, he has a twenty five year old Nissan (supposedly already sold to his uncle, who has not come to claim his purchase yet...see picture left.) but that is definitely not a long term option, especially with the work there is left to do there, and of course the basic mountain transportation needs. So, we have that to put into God's hands, and keep praying He would reveal one way or another what we need to do there.We get back to Teguc, and almost as an after thought, I mention to Oscar about the 4x4 hubs we bought for his truck. Our mechanic said they 
did not fit. I maintained...that they were what the website said we needed. He just happened to have them in his Toyota. So we sat down to see what the problem was (with my Ford as a guide) and discovered that my original hubs were ready to break sooner than we thought, and after some work installed the new ones. That night I ordered another set for Oscar's Ford. Price difference? Priced here locally...$1,000 for one truck. I spent $400 (for both trucks) and these replacement hubs are guaranteed for life, and better hubs than factory.
did not fit. I maintained...that they were what the website said we needed. He just happened to have them in his Toyota. So we sat down to see what the problem was (with my Ford as a guide) and discovered that my original hubs were ready to break sooner than we thought, and after some work installed the new ones. That night I ordered another set for Oscar's Ford. Price difference? Priced here locally...$1,000 for one truck. I spent $400 (for both trucks) and these replacement hubs are guaranteed for life, and better hubs than factory. After that, we went to test our work on a hill near here (to make sure the hubs worked, and we did not screw them up, before I ordered a pair for the other Ford.) On our way, through some back streets...we see a place selling materials used for walls, counter tops, etc...just the thing we were needing to see for the new clinic, the divisions in the bathrooms. From plain, to colored, to a wood veneer, we were very happy we stopped...especially with the prices.
Neither of those things would we have done had it not been for the earlier "inconvenience." It was a very productive day.
Often times we should thank God for what we intially see as inconveniences in life, it may sound corny, but they really are opportunities to do something, just not what we wanted/planned/thought....and really usually that is probably a good thing. So the next time we get stuck in an hour line at the bank, or traffic is backed up because of a cow in the road...or there is 5 o'clock gridlock, or three people in front of us at the grocery store...instead of thinking what else could we being doing...why not think about what we are doing, right then and there? Read your Bible if you have it with you. Actually talk to those around you, no matter how crazy they think you. Or if you really want to look counter culture...pray. Either silently, or even out loud (but not loud of course.) If we are different, should we not look it? Ah, but I am starting a rant. Inconvenient to what I had planned, but so much the better.
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