We continue to have daily vehicle problems. We've had a van without a transmission ever since before I arrived. We finally got it going last week but cranking it and driving it only revealed other problems. I think the initial cause of the most of the problems is bad fuel combined with poor maintenance like changing filters, etc. But now the problems are greater- likely fouled up injectors and sensors and the like. We need a really good Diesel mechanic and maybe a portable code reader to get everything back in order.
Everyday is a juggling game in terms of who gets which vehicle. We have a team that conducts Discipleship among local Pastors and they also coordinate a partnership between Haitian and non-Haitian Churches....this requires local travel 2-3 days a week. Our Set-Up Team is constantly evaluating Ministry sites and homes where our teams live during the week...they need transportation to do that. We have airport pick-ups and drop-offs as well as "lost-luggage" runs a few times a week. We generally need to resupply our short-term teams with perishable food on Wednesdays. If we provide any other supplies to the teams- like Food for a church or Building supplies- then we do that on Wednesday and Thursday. Also Wednesday-Friday, we start planning for the next week so we make massive shopping runs. Our Directors here need to visit local orphanages about once a week. If a vehicle needs a part, we usually have to take the part we need off and then take it into the city to find a replacement, thus using 2 vehicles! Finally, on Saturdays we have to make multiple airport runs for departing teams and on Sunday we make multiple airport pick-ups as well transport our Project Leadership teams and all the supplies they'll need for a week to their sites.
Having a "down" vehicle complicates the heck out of everything!
If we have more than 15 or so people departing or arriving then we usually hire a local bus-driver- here's what one of our airport pick-ups looked like yesterday morning with a team of 21 people:
3 comments:
I just read your post to Daddy. He says it sounds like you're staying pretty busy, and he hopes you're getting enough rest and food. He sends his love. We send ours, too... love you, love you, love you... and praying for you always...
p.s. just called and read it to Momma, too... she
Momam says she wishes she had the money to send you a new vehicle down there, but she doesn't, so she's going to pray someobody else will open their billfold and send you one. She says she knows there's someone somewhere who has the money to do it. Sje also says she loves you and thinks about you and prays for you every day.
praying for you!!!
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