Oh, ye of little faith!

"So how much will it cost, again?" My mind was whirling with the thought of buying a second vehicle. The fight had progressed to a sreaming match, followed by slammed doors, followed by humbly apologizing and commensing the discussion again about buying a second vehicle. It was a familiar discussion, a desire that we had both had for over a year. The necessity for a second vehicle had been obvious every time Joshua would make 2-3 trips to the different villages each Sunday and Wednesday, returning each trip with children squished into the open bed of the pickup like rushed sardines (only these sardines liked to look over the side and jump up and down in the middle, giving us both several near heart attacks!)

This time, however, the discussion was more in-depth. Joshua stated the startling number again, and I sat down, trying to take in the enormous debt this would incur. He sat down beside me. "This can't happen again, Lacy. We need a plan. When I come to the states, you can't keep coming up too. It's just too expensive, not to mention, unproductive for the ministry. And you can't do anything there productive without a vehicle while I'm gone." This was all very true - one of the main reasons that I joined Joshua is because I was no longer able to go to the store on my bicycle in the scorching desert heat, and I had ran out of food in the house. Weak and missing my companion, I had fled to be with him, leaving the church and the children, and regretting it as soon as I stepped onto the U.S. soil.

"If we want a second vehicle, why don't we just pray? God would provide it, right?" Joshua was stirred. He knew that I was just trying to deter the inevitable cost this would incur, and it had nothing to do wit my faithin God's provision. "Lacy, it doesn't happen that way. I need to work and save. God will provide through a good price on a vehicle, but it's not just like He's going to show up on our doorstep with keys and a title!"

Oh, we of little faith! God is so gracious with us.

On Thursday, the husband of a homeschooling mom who I was going to visit came to pick me up and asked to speak to Joshua before we left. As they talked, I gathered things in the church. When I hurriedly ran out the door, the men were shaking hands. Josh grabbed my arm as the man walked back to the car. His arms were shaking and his lips were pale. "They're giving us a van." I blinked. "Come again," I stuttered. "A van - they have a 15 passener van and he's bringing it here tonight when his wife brings you home." I was speechless. Lord, was it real?

It was real! The van came home with us, and the man signed over the title and gave us the keys. Still stunned, we are absolutely astounded at God's provision. Joshua told me later, "Never again will I doubt God's provision. If we need it, he'll provide it. If he doesn't provide it, I guess we really didn't need it!"

So, now we have a 15 passenger white 1989 Ford Club Wagon. It has about $700 worth of repairs needed because the idler is a bit off -- but it runs well, and will be suffiient for transporting people to meetings in the villages. We are so thankful!