I'm sure you've heard someone say "someday we'll laugh about this" maybe you've even said it yourself.
A few days ago we had a mid-week servolution. We went to this area called "El Indio" and gave clothes and shoes away in a school.
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| so many clothes were donated by people in our church! it was awesome |
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| one of the kids peeking through the broken door while we set up |
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| this little guy was so sweet, he kept asking me to take his picture |
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| Waiting to pick something out |
It was a great day and we got to help a lot of people. It broke my heart to see some of the people looking for something for their kids and happily taking newborn size clothes for their toddler or boy clothes for their girls. Really they took what we had because at least it was something.
One of the little girls came in at the end when we had barely anything left and she took clothes for her baby sibling and shoes for her mom. She didn't want anything for herself.
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| the team |
We always leave these time elated and exhausted. It's a lot of work ya'll!
We were in an area where there aren't a lot of taxis and it's at least 2 miles to the street
where you can pick one up.
Out of all the people working we had one car between us...ours.
Now, our car was given to us when we first got to Peru.
It has been through a lot, we have loaded it down with people many times.
(I should add there are no laws about seatbelts in the back seat and the speed limit in piura is something like 30 mph)
This time it was a little trickier than normal since we had 7 adults, 2 children 1 infant with a car seat, a stroller and about 5 folding chairs. (plus all the stuff that was in the car before we started)
Somehow we managed to all fit inside our car.
We got most of the way home when the car started to stall out.
This happens sometimes...
well, a lot...
ok, lets be real it happens every time we drive the car.
So nobody worried, Jose just put the car in neutral and tried to restart it.
Did I mention we were on a bridge?
Yeah, that.
So anyway, the car does what it always does. It makes it's little pre-starting noise
kind of like this "ngggngnngngngnng" but it never turns over.
We have been coasting this whole time which seems like it was maybe an hour but was probably a lot more like 5 minutes. People just pass us and keep going. That's Peru for you. Nobody is fazed in the least by the dying car full of people.
Right about now I was thanking Jesus that we had a car full of grown ups, 3 of whom were men. 2 of them jumped out and started pushing until we got off the bridge then Jose jumped out and did the push and steer until we got to a "parking lot" (more like a parking space) on the side of the road.
From here we all went our separate ways. The plan was to get a mechanic to come look at it (tow trucks are not the norm here.) So we got a Taxi to go home.
We got home and paid the Taxi driver with the only money we had between us.
It was a counterfeit bill, we didn't know.
Thankfully, Logan has a piggybank and is a saver.
We paid the Taxi driver.
Peru is not exactly a country where urgency exists. Mechanics work certain hours no more, no less.
So our car had to spend the night on the side of the road.
The next morning Jose went to try to figure out what to do about our sad little car.
This story just writes itself.
Someone broke the window and stole everything inside,
from the phone charger plugged into the cig. lighter to the toolbox in the trunk.
Even Logan's Astros cap (but they left his shoes...can't say that I blame them, those things are toxic)
We finally got the car to the mechanic (I'm not even gonna' tell y'all how. Some things are just too hard to believe if you don't live here)
The car won't start, that's true, but theres nothing wrong with it.
It just doesn't want to work anymore.
It just turned 30 maybe it's having a midlife crisis?
I guess it lost it's will to live.
Now, I would love to tell you I responded at each step with some of the grace that Job had when he lost his stuff.
I sound so spiritual and wise right?
But seriously Job may have temporarily reacted with grief but in the next verse he's all
well I came into this world naked I guess that's how I'll leave.
!
(warning, do not read this next paragraph if you like thinking I'm perfect and selfless.
It might ruin things for you)
Nope, that's not me. I had a nice little pity party.
I don't love that car I actually have been praying we could get rid of it and get one that is a little more reliable. You know little things like not stalling every time we drive it.
A working air conditioner too.. Those are my top 2 requests. But I digress.
I started telling God all the things we have done for him.
I'm all, we left our friends and family and church God.
We came here were we have no guaranteed paycheck.
We've given so much
We built this thing you told us to,
we've been obedient and we were actually driving home from helping people when this happened.
It's not fair! Why do selfish people get nice cars and we are giving everything just to drive this car that needs to be pushed 90% of the time. (yeah, I'm not selfish *rolling my eyes at myself*)
Then this thing happened. I don't know how to explain it.
It wasn't instant but it did happen. I stopped caring.
I started thinking about the lady with a baby that took the outfit that Zoe grew out of for her child who was clearly older than Zoe.
She actually smiled when she picked it up like it was the cutest thing she had ever seen, and it was hers.
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| The baby is on the right (her mom has the sleeper in her hand) |
I thought of the pregnant woman who made a beeline for the baby clothes pile and
I remember how I had to get rid of some of the clothes I was given for Zoe
because she was given so much and I couldnt bring it all.
I think about the basket of baby clothes I have. Full of stuff that fits my little one.
The other basket with stuff for her to grow into.
And then I told someone else the story of the car.
I laughed. I kept laughing. My "someday I'll laugh" happened today.
I joked "next time I'll be more specific when I pray we can get rid of something"
God answered my prayer. Ok, so we don't have another car.
Yes our car is basically worthless now.
But is that a surprise to God?
Is that more than he can handle?
Is that the worst thing that has ever happened to me?
No, no, no.
The theme of my life seems to be letting go of control.
Letting God be in control and not freaking out when I'm surprised.
Sometimes I get it right but most of the time I don't.
Most of the time I freak out.
I'm a control freak.
I "need to know" what is going to happen.
Someday I'll learn.
By the way, does anyone want to buy a "classic car" for display only?
it needs one new window
