Tow Strap

I am busy in sermon prep for the am service tonight, so this will be a short post. We had a splendid day today, immersed in so many activities. The school meeting went well today, we just needed to connect with a few more children, but that is the way it is every year. We’ll get there. It was a very warm day, but we did manage to get the trailer off the dock. The first thing I wanted off the trailer was the new motor for our Toyota, just to get rid of weight and make room to be able to remove all the supplies that need to stay in town. Rob called me from the mechanics yard to tell me he had the trailer and I was supposed to come to him on a motorcycle taxi to see about getting it off. When I arrived, there were a couple guys sitting with Robinson under a shade tree on the hood of a vehicle I doubt will ever see another road day in its life, actually, there is no life left in it! He told me the mechanic was in Port. Just like everything else in this trip. I had to laugh. I said let’s go, we can get it later. I had seen our motor hoist was buried deep under the chaos left by inspectors, so I had no way to unload it. Rob asked me if I was sure, and I said yes. About this time our truck driver came around the corner with a tow strap he immediately reached down and wrapped around the motor. He stepped out and disappeared for another moment or two before returning with an 8’ piece of bent 2” pipe that was as smooth as silk. And then I knew. Two more guys showed up and four of us lifted the motor an inch. I thought to myself, well this will be the end of me. But now the Haitians are getting louder, one of them motions for me to get out of the trailer and takes my hand hold on the pipe, and then suddenly there are about 20 Haitian hands on that pipe and motor. I needed this moment on video I thought, and so I stood there while these guys took that motor and put it at a neighbor’s house by the mechanic for protection. Folks, it’s a thirty second video, and then it was done. I joked with the mechanic when he showed up at the church later that I wondered what time I could get my Toyota tonight. We laughed. A few minutes later Rob came to me and said the mechanic was going to do the motor for free but needed to pay some extra help, so he could have it to us tomorrow! Part of me doesn’t believe it, after the week I’ve had I’m plenty conditioned to not believe, but part of me still hopes. Then another part of me, the part that watched 10 Haitians unload and move a motor 50’ in 30 seconds, believes it just might happen. That would be a golden nugget in this chaotic trip! It would be awesome for a plan we have for Monday, it’s been a pain without the team transport vehicle. As I bumped along in the back of the truck today, sweltering in the mid-day sun with a few of the orphans, I was grateful for the ride, but miserable at the same time. So, it was a forward progress day today. We will see what time affords, we have very little left this trip. We have two full days of activities stretched out before us. Pray we end on a high note. I’m speaking in the morning and my laryngitis has taken a turn for the worse today. Fortunately, I will have the aid of translator, but I’m not looking forward to squawking away to a couple thousand people in the morning! Blessings from St. Marc.