Travel Stories (to Sinazongwea)

3/17/09
Well today was a travel day from Livingstone to Choma and then we went to Sinazongwea. The most interesting part of the trip was on the way to Sinazongwea, it was absolutely raining like crazy all week but the last 2 hours while on the road to Sinazongwea it was pouring. We turned on a road to go into town and there was a stretch of road about ½ km long that was nothing but mud and puddles. There was a large truck attempting to go through the road and of course it got stuck in front of us. Right in the middle of the road so there was no real chance for us to go around the truck. But our driver felt like we could go around so he attempted on the left side. As Dan Roberts and Mike Priest were telling the driver there was no way we would make it the driver continued and slid right into the ditch on the left side. Stuck was our van. At first we were frustrated, but then a group of men and kids showed up to check out the scene. And they continued to show up. Now you must understand that it was raining like crazy and all of these people are soaking wet with no shoes and one layer of clothes (typically a torn shirt and pair of shorts, occasionally they will have some sort of flip flops.) As we found out later, these were most likely there only set of clothes. I took the chance and got out of the car and started to video and take digital pictures of the kids and some of the young adults on my camera, what they loved the most was showing them their picture on the camera. I also took video of the kids and then played it back to them. They loved talking about their friends on the video as they were shown. Their smiles and expressions are something that I pray I do not forget. So here is this frustrating event (to silly Americans) that turns out to be an EXPERIENCE. I remember getting back into the van and realizing that God just showed me how he goes to work… every single minute of the day. We also needed a large tractor to pull us out and that would not have been available if that truck did not get stuck in front of us first, because it was that truck that radioed for the tractor. God definitely showed up before us to show that He is in control and we must rely on giving that up to Him. Lets face it, He gets it done.