Unexpected gift

It took five of my boys nearly an hour to drive this Tuk-Tuk to Daryl's house to visit me last Sunday.

A few days ago while I was still at Daryl and Wanda's house recuperating from Surgery I received a phone call telling me to stay put because I was about to get some visitors. No problem I have been pretty much staying put for the past 2 weeks and having to miss several wheelchair distributions, a day or 2 out in the villages and only being able to see a few of my kids once or twice was wearing on me but I promised that I would not wonder off any further than a few blocks until my visitors arrived. At Daryl and Wanda's house staying within a few blocks usually means not leaving the house but I did wonder out onto the street just to see who was coming. After walking a little ways I decided to head back to the house. I had no sooner turned around then I heard the blast of horn behind me. When I turned back to see who it was I was shocked to see Chris, Donna and Pat sitting in a brand new Toyota Land Cruiser. Other than about 250,000 miles less ware and tare, a fancy looking snorkel air cleaner, a winch and a different paint job it looked a lot like mine. Or at least what mine probably looked like 16 years ago when it was brand new like this one.

Chris had phoned me from the Toyota dealership in Guatemala City a few months ago telling me that he had found the perfect car for me. At that time I reminded him that I loved my old Land Cruiser and I wasn't all that sure that I needed a new car. Other than having the steering go out on me twice in the last 2 years. Having the engine rebuilt twice in 3 years Having the back wheel nearly fall off twice in the past month and a few other little things go wrong with it that had set me back at least $10,000 I felt that for the abuse it had taken it had been a pretty good car. Besides that the cost of a brand new Land Cruiser was almost as much as it had cost me to maintain mine for the past few years. I suddenly realized that I was talking my self into a corner. I told Chris that perhaps some day I would go and look at it but it was a lot of money and right now mine was still running. Chris didn't get pushy but reminded me how far I some times venture into the back country and how bad it could be if I broke down especially if I were transporting a sick child out to the hospital. He also reminded me not to limit God, Chris said that if God wanted me to have a new car He would provide me with one.

My immediate reaction when I saw Chris, Donna and Pat pull up at Daryl's was that they had gone to the dealership and picked up that car so that they could have me try it out. Nice gesture but my body is still a week or 2 away from going out 4 wheeling. When Chris got out of the car he had a funny smile on his face. Nothing that unusual for Chris so I thought nothing of it. Then I noticed that Pat had the same silly grin, but then again Pat can get that way at times to so I shrugged it off. But Donna really got to me. She had a funnier look on her face than either Chris or Pat and that is unusual. Then I noticed that Saul had followed them in with his car. Had he come along just in case this new Toyota was going to break down? Chris then reached out his hand and said "Here are the keys to your new car." I don't know if it was the pain meds or what but I was numb. I think that about the only words that I could get out were "Why? How? Who?" The only response that I got to those 3 questions were. "Because you needed one." "Because God provided one." and "Friends that believe in what you are doing, Lets just say that it is a gift from the kids that you work with." No other explanation just a big homemade card lying on the front seat that had the names of several of the kids at Hermano Pedro written over their fingerprints that had been painted to look like a bouquet of flowers. Chris said that he is swarm to secrecy and I will honor that, but I will try to never forget that it is not my car it is God's and I will do my best to see to it that it is used for His work and for His glory, and by His grace I will try to apply that to my life as well.

Pat has done a bit more Journaling this week so if you would like to see what she wrote just CLICK HERE.

Goodnight,
Yours in Christ: Dick