Tract or speech or deed we testify

Today Oscar and I (Juan came along...for fun) went to Zamorano to see about bidding on a used tractor that was to be in decent condition, the idea being it could be a big help on the coffee farm in Sampedrana. 

When we got there...we saw the tractor and I thought “decent” must be a figure of speech. The main problems I immediately noticed was the age, the number of hours (about 3,700) and the rear tires that would need replaced. It took me just a second longer to see that instead of a tractor seat that the modified, highly complex seating position was in fact a folding chair.

Oscar got it started up (a new battery included is worth probably 1/5 of the starting bid alone) by using a key for his truck, and we checked the PTO worked, drove it a bit...and then realized there was no way to turn it off other than popping the clutch, which is always a good way to make life interesting on a tractor.

So, we placed a bid regardless. We will see if it comes to our benefit or not. Given our past experience with auctions, I am very comfortable that if it is ours to have, we will get it, otherwise, I know it was not to be. No pressure.  Perhaps there is a newer, 4x4 tractor out there somewhere just waiting for us...you never know! 

     

Making good use of the trip, we stopped back at the nursery where we had purchased such good plants for such low prices back in July to purchase another $20 worth of plants to keep things going on the property since some of the seeds we have planted have not worked out so well (donated seed packets that expired in 2009...some work, some not so much...but we keep using them!)  Some of the staff at the clinic had a few minutes...and boom tackled digging holes and otherwise getting dirty with the 40 plants we bought. I wanted to get some of these in the ground since we are still in the rainy season, although that will end in a little more than a month, and they can grow quite a bit before then and be good to go through next year.

And we are taking a small leap of faith again and hiring Miguel (some of you know him from the clothing ministry and helping with groups in the past) who is now a pastor at the Church (non-salaried) and has been without work for several months. It is not a full time position, and just until late November as a trial, but basically looking for him to help not just upkeep but improve the grounds, as well as be there in the mornings to help with devotionals and just be there to serve as a greater tie to the Church and get people plugged in there, and help fix anything that breaks, etc. So getting more plants in the ground to be watered, fertilized, etc. now is good. We might see if he can get weeds cleaned enough that we could actually plant some grass as well. Imagine that!  After November we will have to evaluate the possibilities of him perhaps helping even more, if we can swing it financially will basically be the question. 

Oscar and Juan were telling me today that people/patients not only comment on how nice the flowers look, but that they have seen people pose for pictures with them, and Valerie remarked at how many people love to stand out and see all the butterflies they attract. People come because they are sick, they have problems, etc....we provide help sometimes in more ways than we think or plan. Life is like that...some things you do not even think about are being closely observed by those around you. Are we giving God glory and shining light and beauty into the hearts around us?