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The following is written in reverse chronological order. If you haven't read it yet begin at the bottom.
August 31, 2006 At 10 p.m. this evening we pulled into Panajachel and met with Hector and
showed him his new truck! He was a very happy man. Many thanks to Robert, Matt and Chris for rebuilding his engine
and to Jonathan and Katie for selling the truck. And a special thanks to Rani and Lucy whose help was invaluable.
And to God first and foremost for all his blessings-to all of us!
August 31, 2006 We left this
morning early as we wanted to get to the border as early as possible since we were contemplating a long drawn out process.
We anticipated several problems: the value of the truck must be ascertained so that taxes can be collected and the value of
the contents we were carrying in the back needed to be valued as well and taxed at up to 30% of their
estimated value. I have read many accounts of people arguing for hours over the unrealistic
values attached. And making it all the worse is the fact that we were carrying 15 cases of die cut sheets of papers
of pictures of butterflies. What's the value of that?
As we were packing at the hotel I thought about the task
ahead with the Guatemalan Customs and was interrupted by a man who came up speaking to me in Spanish. He was a nice
older man with a friendly smile and was telling me something about God being with us on our trip. Antonio, as his name
turned out to be, was a Christian and was just sharing that fact with the hotel guests as they were leaving. We had
a good conversation with him and then began our sojourn.
We pulled out of the parking lot and I thought about why we
talked to Antonio this morning, why he was there. I thought back to the story in Genesis of Joseph, and how he went
out to find his brothers as his father had requested. When he got to where they were supposed to be, they were gone.
But as Joseph was looking for them a man approached and asked him what he was doing, then told him his brothers had moved
on to a new location. I have wondered many times why this passage is included in the Bible as it doesn't seem to have
any basis in being there. It's like telling us something hidden, something we have to think hard about. I think
it's because God wants us to know that he is with us on our journeys, and gives us indicators if we are watching. Antonio
was just another indicator as God took us along this journey.
For several hours now each time we asked someone how far is
it to the border we get an answer like "four to five hours". Then we drive for an hour and ask someone else and they
give us the same answer. We never seem to be getting closer. But then we discover that the roads are so bad in
some places that we actually can be going backwards! I jest, but in seriousness, some of the roads are really bad.
And it is slow going over all the speed bumps or "topes" as they are called in Mexico. When driving through Mexico you
develop a severe dislike of these monsters. Nonetheless we press on.
At this point I should tell you that I had made a plan to tell
the Guatemalan border agents that I was taking the truck into Guatemala and would be returning in 30 days. This
would get me into the country and then allow me to have Jose Carmen, one of my friends in Pana, with me to better
argue with the customs agents in the city about the value of the truck. That, to me, seemed to be the best way to pay
the least taxes. But my friend Rani had a different outlook. He suggested I ask God to help us and then tell the
truth and let God work. It was an incredible concept, to ask for God's help and then to trust that he would give it
to you. How sad of me to have questioned God's ability. And so of course that is what we decided to do.
We prayed about it and waited for the moment.
We continued driving until we came about 30 minutes from the
border, where a strange thing happened. Two guys with badges around their necks (not police type badges but ID type
badges) ran out as we approached a city street and stopped us. Rani was driving and they began telling him that they
needed the license to transport the car through Mexico. They didn't look right and we were suspicious, but they insisted
and so we showed them the license. I questioned where was their office or their car and they said the office was 10
minutes ahead. I got out of the truck and went around to get a good look at the badges, which looked official.
They told me in Spanish that they were going to process our truck for the exit from Mexico and entry into Guatemala.
We were confused and it just didn't make sense. I looked down at a man on the side of the road and asked him in Spanish
was this correct? He shrugged his shoulders as if to say "I'm not going to tell on them." At that point I told
them no and instructed Rani to just go. However they persisted and said they would ride on the back so we acquiesced.
Rani then noticed they opened the back window to the camper
shell and I immediately rushed back there as my computer and money were right next to the window. One of them had rolled
inside on top of our suitcases and I immediately instructed him to get out. He complied and I locked the shell window.
He then stated they would ride on the back bumper and I returned to the cab and we left.
Several moments later we slowed in traffic and one of them
jumped off and came to the window and said he would let us go without him. We assumed his friend was still on the
bumper but neither of us could see him in the mirror. We began to be concerned as traffic approached 50 miles an hour
and we thought of him hanging on the back of the truck, knowing there was nothing to hold on to. We expressed concern
but we didn't know what to do. Were he to fall off at that speed and with cars behind us... you get the idea.
At this point a very funny thing happened. We began
to wonder if he was actually back there. Again traffic slowed and the man in the car next to us had just passed from
behind and pulled alongside. In Spanish I asked him was there a man on the back of our truck? He looked shocked
at first but then realized I was serious and fell back to look and then told us no, no one was there. I'm sure he had
some very funny stories to tell when he got home!
Next we tried to follow some signs and my memory only to end
up lost once again. Stopping to ask directions we were told to "just go straight up the road." In Spanish that
means somewhere up ahead, without regard to turns or streets our destination lies. And so we went only to find that
we had passed the inspection station and had to return.
Finally we made it to the inspection station where the young
lady processed the return of the trans-migrant license and we were off to the border to deal with the Guatemalan side.
I said another prayer as we approached the border.
At this point another interesting thing happened. Again we
were approached by a multitude of young men, all wanting to help us get through the border. I didn't want to listen
but Rani began talking to them and one in particular, Estuardo got his attention. We agreed to allow him to help us
and he immediately took control.
In front of us were maybe 40 cars waiting in line to be processed.
Engines were stopped and they were effectively parked, not moving and we had pulled into the line. Many of the men were
standing around talking and watching us as Estuardo told us to pull to the side and go around all these waiting cars.
Rani and I talked and I told him I didn't like taking "cuts" especially when the men seemed to be irate. How do I know?
Because they were approaching us and yelling "stop", "alto" and such indicators that they did not want us to go up the side
of the line. But the more they yelled the more Estuardo told Rani just go. And then Rani opened his door and allowed
Estuardo to hop on the cab so we could go faster, away from the angry crowd. And it seemed to be working-until we came
to a car blocking our way. I thought, this is not going to be good. But to my amazement, Estuardo found the driver
and asked him to move it, and he did! And we just cruised up to the front of the line!
We were instructed to drive up to a waiting area and we did.
He then took our passports (I went with him as I still didn't trust him totally) and got them stamped, releasing us from
Mexico.
At this point I needed to exchange my Mexican Pesos for Guatemala
Quetzales. A crowd gathered around me and I picked a man to do business with. It happened so fast that when it
was over, I got in the car and we left having exchanged $100 of pesos into $30 of Quetzales. I am a rocket scientist!
Nonetheless we moved to another waiting area where our helper, Estuardo took our papers my license and our passports to the
Guatemalan side. I was beginning to trust him and many of his friends were still with us. He was gone for maybe
30 minutes when he returned and told me he needed the complete name and identification number for the person who was
taking possession of the car. The problem was I didn't have Hector's ID number. He told me no problem, we could
get a sticker good for 30 days but he needed $130 to pay. And he needed a list of what was in the truck.
At this point he had all of our documents, my drivers license
and he wanted $130 cash. I told him I would come with him. He did not want me to. I explained that I needed
to tell the agents about the butterflies and other things in the back of our truck, things I thought would cost us hundreds
of dollars in taxes. Finally he agreed, hesitatingly. As we walked away I began telling him that I needed to be
sure he was legitimate. He then showed me his state ID. I told him I needed to talk to the agents. He told
me he didn't want me to talk to the agents and I realized what he was saying. So I exchanged $130 cash for his ID and
I went back to the truck to wait for him. Yes, I was wondering about this too. But things were going very well
up to this point.
As we waited we talked with the other people there. We were waiting in an area of cars and trucks, kind of an
impound lot. Many people were around us, watching and talking and just waiting. For what we didn't know.
We wondered if we had been had or helped.
After what seemed like far too long, there was Estuardo, documents in hand along with permits and the temporary license.
He instructed us to follow him and we began in the truck following him. He took us to the border crossing and told me
to come with him. He motioned me to come to the front of the line where an agent had me sign two documents and we were
through! I mean, we were through the border! No one looked in our truck, valued the contents, asked for taxes--
nothing! Less than $150 and we were through the worst of it. We all praised the Lord, driving off into the sunset
(yes, the sun was about to set).
You see, the battle belongs to the Lord, not to us. And when we try to take control we make it to where God cannot
bless us with his Providence lest we take credit for it. It's only when we trust in him to the exclusion of ourselves
that he can bless us to our fullest. And he really blessed us this day!
August 30, 2006 We
left this morning from the beach on the Emerald Coast and drove about 14 hours. From the Gulf of Mexico on the Atlantic\Caribbean
side to the Pacific Ocean on the West side! The road was horrible but everything went fairly well.
August 29, 2006 We
left from our nice hotel and began what we thought was say fairly straightforward journey down the new and modern freeway.
But things went wrong very quickly as we ended up on the wrong road and drove miles and miles, hundreds of miles out of our
way. But we met a very nice guy in a roadside café where we ate dinner. We ended up on the Emerald Coast in a
motel on the beach.
August 28, 2006 We begin the morning at Lucy's house,
where the task of the day was to load Lucy's things into the truck. We have decided to bring Lucy along the truck and
Rani had his hands full trying to
load everything we wanted to bring into this small space. It is an incredible thing to think that I thought there wasn't
enough "stuff" to bring on this journey only to find that there is no space! But finally it is done; Rani has succeeded,
against all odds.
We depart from Austin
to begin our six-hour journey to Brownsville,
where we will cross the border into Mexico.
An added bonus is that Jimmy speed lives just outside of our route and we will be visiting with him this morning. He
is a fine man and has a great testimony for the Lord and I'm excited to see him. When we arrive at his house we find
him working on an addition along with his father. His wife Charlyn along with their son join us for lunch. We
talk about the possibility of a summer trip to Guatemala
next year with his whole family. We will talk about this further!
We depart in the early afternoon for Brownsville in the
cramped cab of the pickup truck. In the morning it was not so bad with the temperature not to hot but now in the afternoon
it is a little different. As I look out at the Texas
countryside with the sun beating through the open window on my sunburned arm and leg, I realize that I'm not liking Texas.
I realize it's not really Texas it's my extreme discomfort. I withdraw my arm
inside my T-shirt, the sleeve flapping aimlessly in the wind. It is the only way I can keep the sun from hitting the
sunburned area. Rani
and I constantly want to drive as it seems that the driver is shielded from the sun. Conversely the passenger has it
very bad. Tomorrow we will find a sunscreen of the window. But that in itself is a problem because the window
must be rolled up provide a screen and the heat is intense with the window rolled up. Oh well, we'll make it.
At about five in the evening we pull up to the border of Mexico,
totally unprepared for the entry. Rani
has suggested we simply go to the border and see what happens. We agree and begin the process. To our amazement
we are inside the customs building for only 45 minutes before being released to go. But in that time we meet a man who
had come the previous Monday and had taken almost the whole day just to get across the border. He is now returning to
the United States
and as he told us his story, we considered what the outcome of our adventure would be. The man finally bribed the border
guard $20 and still was left with many problems. As we left the building we were amazed. It all seemed so easy.
It was!
As we began to drive away another customs agent came to the truck and ordered us to stop.
He demanded that we make a list of everything in the back of the truck. We parked the truck and began the arduous process.
After completing the simple list we gave it to the agent who began looking through the boxes. He was obviously unhappy
and sent me inside to deal with one of the other customs agents in the office. This man began itemizing my list by value
and then asked me about the boxes of paper butterflies. He then accompanied me to the truck to look at them.
At the truck he and another agent began to talk about their "find". The one motioned to me
to follow him to an office where he told me to be calm, that they have problems with people smuggling drugs in boxes of paper
similar to ours and they needed to do some more checking. He asked me where we were going and I told him we were missionaries
working in Guatemala.
We had a pleasant conversation and he seemed amiable. I was seated in an office while the two agents argued. After
five minutes the friendly agent came out and said it would be a little bit longer. The agent remaining behind the counter
began typing. I couldn't tell if he was typing something about me or simply making me wait. I continue to pray,
asking that God simply work this out according to his plan and we would go with it. There was no danger or fear, we
simply wanted to get on the journey.
After about 10 minutes Rani
came inside and said the other agents wanted me outside. I told the inside agent and left with Rani to go talk to the man in charge.
He explained that they were finished with their check and we were free to go. Praise the Lord!
We pulled into the street, now in Mexico
as the sun was going down and it was beginning to get dark. We began following the signs Victoria,
Mexico,
amazed that they were so well displayed. We said that if the signs continued to be this good we could drive into the
nighttime. It had cooled off substantially and was very pleasant to drive. As we came to the next intersection
we realized that somehow we were lost! How incredible! We were right there and then we were lost! Rani began
talking to the people outside his window as I began talking to people outside mine. The lady in the car opposite me
said she would drive us to the right road, that we should follow her. And so we did out of town, wondering all the while
if this were the right thing to do. Finally we came to a sign and we were back on track! We thanked her profusely
and continued driving into the night.
After about two hours of driving we came to a motel that looked fairly nice stopped there for the
night. We had dinner and Rani
and I took a swim; but not before we killed the scorpion on the roof of our room!
Talk to you tomorrow. God is great!
August 27, 2006
We drove about 150 miles into Texas last night. At the end of the day we were beat! It was hot and we have
to drive with the windows down to circulate the (hot) air. I am certainly aware of what I take for granted as I see
every car (literally, almost every car) with the windows up, air-conditioned. Not to mention the lack of wind pounding
in your face and the sun beating on your arms. But we give thanks to God for this opportunity in spite of our personal
shortcomings!
So today we slept until after 8 a.m. and got a leisurely start
to the day. We had about seven hours to drive. We were thankful that the day started cloudy, allowing us to drive
with the windows up so that we could talk and share the things that God had shown us.
We continued on our journey as the day got hotter and the
windows came down, the wind again blasting us in the face making conversation impossible. I began to notice the landscape
more barren and desolate with small cactus growing everywhere. The heat of the day was further complicated once the
sun came out as it beat upon the already sunburned arm of the passenger. Needless to say Rani and I both wanted to drive.
It was so bad that I pulled my arm inside my shirt as that was the only way to shield it from the sun.
We finally arrived at Lucy's house in Austin about 4:30 in
the afternoon; hot, thirsty and tired. And guess what? Lucy's air conditioning had broken the day before!
You know God has a sense of humor!
We had a great time of fellowship and counseling with a friend
in Austin for several hours. Another one of God's surprises. And tomorrow, we are stopping by Jimmy Speed's (he
came to Guatemala last spring to help us with the construction) to visit with him and his family on the way to Brownsville!
Surprise! God is so good to us.
Talk to you tomorrow, if possible. I am not sure of
the Internet situation in Mexico. Thank you for reading!
August 26, 2006 My brother Robert and his kids Matt and Chris did a fantastic job rebuilding
the engine in short time--and it runs like a top! After a few adjustments everything was in order and I was off.
Thank you guys so very much!
I left San Bernardino after 10:00 p.m. on Friday (because God orchestrated a $300 send-off gift!) and got a couple hours
of sleep. After driving to Phoenix to pick up Rani I found myself 2 hours early. And that was fine as a short
nap was in order!
We met up at 9:00 a.m. and left Phoenix for the 15 hour drive to Austin to meet with our friend Lucy. We had
breakfast and drove until 8 in the evening, stopping somewhere several hours into Texas for the night. We are here now.
Tomorrow Sunday we will drive to Austin (7 hours) and then to Brownsville (5 hours) to get ready for the crossing on
Monday into Mexico. We are excited to see what God has for us! Stay tuned...
The trip: San Bernardino, California to Panajachel,
Guatemala
The route: Southeast through Arizona, New Mexico and
Texas
The border in Texas: Brownsville
The border in Mexico: Tallisman
Estimated duration: 5 days
Plan: (guatemala)go with God
August 20, 2006
God has provided a truck
for Hector and his family (one of our workers in Panajachel,
Guatemala) and we will be driving it down leaving on Sunday, August 27, 2006. How did God provide this truck?
Thank you for asking...
Last week I was informed by my son Jonathan and his 1988 Toyota
4x4 pickup truck had a problem. He received the bad news (or was it?) that the engine had developed a burned valve, forcing he and his wife to make
a decision. He did not want to put the money into the new engine and they decided to sell the vehicle. I bought
it, and planned on driving it through Mexico to Guatemala where I would have it repaired by our friend Julio at a fraction
of the cost here in the United States. While driving it in this condition might be questionable, I felt confident that
God would get me to Panajachel... and he did! Or at least the provision for the bad engine.
My brother Robert owns a garage and he and his sons, Matthew
and Christopher have agreed to rebuild the engine free of charge. So the truck is there now and should be ready Wednesday.
God is good!
My friend rani from North Carolina has graciously agreed to
accompany me on this trip and we look forward to a good time, an adventure and a story (that's him on the left riding
in the back of a truck last year-for this trip I'll let him ride up front-I'll even let him drive!). Check back daily
as we will post to this page at every opportunity during the trip with pictures and commentary. And pray for this endeavor,
that God's will and glory will be seen through our efforts.
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...I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly...
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