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Nov 23, 2015

As things begin to break down, natural reactions are to start shopping for new. You have become accustomed to having this item in your life. You are not interested in adapting to life without, instead you choose to replace. That is easier said than done in this place.
As many of you know, we have had the same, simple 30 year old work truck since the beginning. We are so blessed to have this truck and thankful that it has continued to work for us, amidst all the many repairs over the years.
This blog is a tribute to God’s hand that has held this fantastic piece of man-made machinery together for all of these years and all of these awesome adventures.
We have held countless crusades, hauling speakers, boxes, musical instruments etc. throughout Mozambique and South Africa. We have collected and delivered thousands of bundles of kinesu to the center, sacks of cement, hauled water, used it for a church bus, a clinic bus for the sick and woman in labor, relief services for flood victims, fire victims and more. We continued to pray that God would hold it together for us and not let it wear away until a new truck was brought to us.
We did go look for new trucks. New ones were extremely expensive and took months of pre-order and the “new” ones in country were older than 1997 because a fuel pump mechanism upgrade.
One afternoon, I received an unexpected email from an amazing couple that was moved by the Lord to send us the money for a brand spanking new work truck! You can only imagine the joy and excitement? When I told the work crew that soon, they would not have to push start that truck every morning before work, after a sand run, after lunch and at the end of the work day, they danced, jumped for joy and shouted ‘Hallelujah, thank you Jesus!!!” To say our joy was full is an understatement.
Just knowing the money was on its way started a searching frenzy! Trips to South Africa, meetings with customs officials, declarations processes, etc. Only to find out that we can no longer import and must purchase from authorized importers in Mozambique (Unless we wanted to pay the full value of the vehicle in tax to Mozambique). Searching in Maputo, capital city and to make a long story short, we found it…brand spanking new work truck. It was beautiful! It was white and shiny! It had a 6 cylinder in line engine. It was a 4.5 ton hauling capacity! It was beautiful! Unfortunately, since we started shopping the year before so we would know how much money we needed for the truck, to the time the money was sent, taxes on imports had gone up and we didn’t have enough for that shiny, beautiful new truck.
So, we prayed, and we waited and we kept looking and knowing that new truck was coming…one way or the other…but, that fantastic 30 year old truck kept going. Push starting and moving, it just kept going.
A month later, we woke to an extremely volatile international market shift. Now, unless you are involved in market management or forex dealing or trading currencies for a living (Missionaries and foreign aid projects usually qualify for this last category) this meant nothing to you and you went about your life like nothing happened. However, us missionary/foreign aid folks watched intently and began to make plans. You see, with American dollars changing one day for $1 to every 30 MTN (Local Mozambican currency), the very next day was trading at $1 to every 50 MTN. Yes, overnight God had multiplied our dollars.
Immediately, we had a plan. Called the sales man about that shiny white truck sitting in the back of the lot. He said the price he quoted us the week before he could honor for one more day (legally 7 days). We told him we were on our way and we would buy it. We arrived the next morning and signed the paperwork. We discussed payment options of half down and half upon delivery after all of the government forms were completed (another 7 days). We asked if we could pay the entire amount and he agreed, although explaining how rare that is. Off to the bank we went, deposited the entire purchase price (leaving us with just a couple hundred dollars for the insurance) and back we went with the bank receipt for him to start the government process. 7 days and counting for that new work truck!
We head back to Chibuto and wait. The sales man calls to tell us it will be ready on Monday afternoon/Tuesday morning and asked when we would be coming to collect it. We told him Tuesday morning at 9 AM. He said it would be ready and hung up. Of course, we have been telling the workers about this new truck for almost two full months. By now they must have thought we were lying.
In preparation for another trip to the ol’ capital city of Maputo to pick up this new truck, feeling inspired we decided to do a bit of maintenance on our personal vehicle, ie. fuses, oil change, etc. So, on Monday afternoon, Jonas (one of our workers) comes to chat. The conversation was strange and it was difficult for me to understand what he was trying to tell me. After a bit of what I like to call round-the-block conversation, I finally notice a pattern and realize he is telling me that the old work truck has caught on fire. Immediately, I start laughing. Seriously, what else can one do but laugh?
This fantastic old truck has done so much over the many years and held on to the very last minute of the day our new truck is ready to go. Jonas must have thought that I had lost my mind. He tried to console me a bit and he thought I had misunderstood what he was trying to say.
See this from my perspective… The old truck stayed in service to the very last day. The market had shifted in our favor over night to multiply our dollars. Can words express these miracles? One last note on this, had we not paid in full that day, the sales man explained because if the drastic money market shift, our price would have gone up 33%. Had we only paid the half that day and paid the other half upon delivery, we would have had to come up with a lot more money. Timing and hearing is so very important!
So, we load up in the family car, head to Maputo and collect our beautiful new work truck from Fuso (Mitsubishi). Less than 33 Kilometers on the dial and a slow ride back to Chibuto to break it in. Candido barely lets another person near it, much less drive it. When the workers saw it, they danced and laughed and said they had no idea it was going to be new. They thought it was just going to be new to us. To see the seats still wrapped in plastic, the gauges intact and functioning, the air conditioner works, etc. They told me it made them feel so very special. Of course they are, we are working for the King! He never gives junk. All good and perfect gives come from above.
Thank you for your generosity. Thank you for your kindness, your thoughts, your prayers and your affection. May the Lord God Almighty continue to multiply your finances as He promises, for His glory.
Thank you for your continued prayers and support. If you are interested in learning more about our vision, specific details about this project, or have a desire to participate in some way, please email Molzeski@bythewayinfo.com, visit our website www.ByTheWayInfo.com. You can also connect with us on Facebook: Https://Facebook.com/groups/ByTheWayInfo/
As always, Please remember to - Share the HOPE!

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