Today was a restful day for me and I think I needed it. I’m sure some other team members feel the same way. Just riding on these rough roads every day to work and back is hard enough, not counting the work in the heat.
Karl drove everyone down to the work site and I stayed behind to wait on the mechanic to drop the gas tank again to take the fuel pump out, so he could take it downtown. I asked him to take the ignition module also, to see if he could find one of those. While he was gone, Simon came to Dottie’s and we took care of payroll for the workers in Z’Orange for the week, cooks and materials for the workers. After we finished that, I actually took some time to organize my clothes and trunks so I would have that done before I leave. Usually, I’m so busy I don’t have time to organize my stuff, so this was a nice quiet time for me.
When I finished, Dino the mechanic came back and installed the fuel pump. He wasn’t able to find an ignition module. He fired it up and it seemed to sound okay for a while, and then it started cutting out again when he tried to give it gas. Simon and I took it out and it drove okay for about 20 minutes, and then it started the same old thing, but the good news is that when you would turn it off it would run for about 15 minutes before it would cut out. So there was an improvement. The fuel pump had a date of December 2001, so I think it needed changing. I’m going to bring the ignition module home with me, as well as the computer, and let a friend of mine take a look at it. He seems to think it is in the computer.
Simon and I had to go to the hardware store to take care of some bills; while I was there I asked Philip if he knew the owner of Toyota. He said yes and told me where his office was. Simon and I went by to talk to him and ask why the Land Cruiser was not coming in until March. He wasn’t there, but his secretary was, and she was very helpful. She looked up our order and said that it was ordered in November. I told her that I had sent the deposit transfer in August of 2010. She couldn’t believe that, so I had Simon go get my paper work and I showed her. She could not explain why that had happened, but she said there is no way we will get the Land Cruiser in March. We may get it in May, but she did say that she would give us a full refund if we wanted. I told her to hold off until I speak with the Board of Directors.
From here we went to a Ford Dealership where I had seen a Ford Everest SUV that looked pretty nice. It will seat 8. It is more comfortable that the Land Cruiser and costs less, but it holds less people. I talked to the owner’s son, and he said they sell a lot of them to the rental companies here and have for the last 4 years, and have had no problems with them. This has a 2.5 meter engine and manual transmission. He has none in stock right now but he said he will have some on Tuesday. I can put a small deposit down and he will hold one for me until I come back on the 19th of February.
The team did a great job on the roof today. They got one side finished and started on the other side. It is a team effort. There are people on the ground handing up tin and material and Annette lining up the tin by sight and the men screwing the tin down. Everybody’s job is important.
The team will hopefully be finished putting up the tin on the roof tomorrow. Karl and some men will take the tools back to Global Outreach to put back into the container. I want Karl to go with me to the Ford dealer so he can see this Ford Everest SUV and get his opinion.
God has blessed us as always on this trip. He has allowed us to transport everyone back and forth, even with all the problems we have had. Jesus said, &’You will have troubles in this world but take heart, I have overcome the world.” He didn’t say you might have troubles–He said you will have troubles, but He gives us the ability to get through them and learn that we can always trust Him, always.