All the little pieces

It takes a lot of little pieces to make something big work well.

Just drop your cell phone off the second story deck and you'll discover a whole bunch of little pieces that are suddenly very important. They always were; you just didn't know they were there.

A new starter in place...but where do the wires go?

Over the past couple of weeks, I've been corresponding with Prosper, our maintenance shop manager in Mozambique. He has an electrical problem that he needs help with. Somebody (not Prosper) dropped a steel wrench across some hot contacts in a 24-volt starter system, and now we've got a major meltdown.

New and old starters...not exactly the same.

As Prosper works his way through the system, tracing wires and testing components, I give him advice on where to look and what to look for. Sometimes he sends me photos of things I've never seen before, and together we try to figure out where to go next. And no, we do not have a wiring diagram to work from.

Okay...what exactly is this?

But aside from the electrical problem (and don't worry, we will fix it eventually), I'm suddenly reminded that this whole process is really the result of a lot of little things that are now all coming together.

1. Prosper is able to intelligently work on an electrical system halfway around the world because 3 1/2 years ago some Mercy Tech volunteers began to train him as a mechanic. 

2. He's working in a shop paid for by donations from MTM supporters, and built by MTM volunteers working with local workers at a location run by partners from another mission organization.

3. He is corresponding with me via a laptop computer donated by someone in Alberta, using a camera bought with donated funds from someone in BC, and bought by mission friends on their way through South Africa.

4. He's using tools and testers provided by both individuals and companies from Canada and the US. 

Pretty amazing stuff.

Prosper welding the safety rails around the mezzanine deck

Rick Cogbill & Prosper Fernando

These are just a few of the little pieces that are functioning together to make the whole process happen. Thanks to all who are supporting this work; your "little" part is larger than you know.