Down to the wire(s)...

It's been an intersting two days of working on this 2001 Isuzu pickup. The more I look, the more burnt or broken wires that I find.

A melted fuse panel, the result of someone using a solid piece of wire to replace a fuse...not a good idea.

So far I've been able to repair the power windows (it's nice to be able to open your window on a hot  African day...), get the automatic door locks to operate ONLY when they're supposed to (as in NOT unlocking when you're walking away from the vehicle), and the rear taillights now work like they're supposed to.

Next on the list is to get the air conditioning and fan to work...oh yes, and to get both wiper blades to move at the same time.

There must be a moral to this story...like maybe the right fuse in the right place saves an entire wiring harness...but that doesn't sound very profound.

Maybe it's just a reminder that nothing lasts forever, although a little maintenance will certainly help.

Tomorrow I think I'll tighten the loose horn on Nurse Keren's motorcycle...I could use the change in scenery...

A New Day in Africa...

Today I wake up to the morning sounds of birds and insects in Mucombeze, Mozambique, after spending our first night in this beautiful country.

Time to begin the work that we came to do.

Getting here from South Africa was an adventure in itself, but thanks to some wonderful people - like Joao who met us at the Maputo airport and got us to our overnight accommodation, and like the sisters Evangeline and Juanita who put us up for the night (after an amazing meal!) and who got us to the airport early the next morning - we finally arrived in Chimoio. What a relief to see the familiar face of my niece Keren, along with Jeff and Dwight, who came to claim us and bring us out to the Farm ASAM where we will live and work for the next 28 days.

But the fun begins even before we reach the farm. Here we stop to see the progress on a new clinic being built by volunteers from the US, only to discover that their Honda generator has quit.

Dwight and I try to get it going, but there is no spark - I suspect a problem with the module. So after bringing out a replacement generator, we haul this one back to the farm for further investigation.

Today, however, I'm introduced to Izzy, the 2001 Isuzu truck that has major wiring issues - power windows don't work, AC has quit (not even a fan...), the door locks have a mind of their own, running lights acting strange...all this from the results of mice chewing through the wiring harnesses. Should be fun to get into, provided I can find enough of the proper tools and - of all things - get some fuses. Apparently they're not easy to buy locally...

But it's the people, not the equipment, that makes this place so unique. As we sat through the morning devotions with all the workers and volunteers, we were reminded that one of the key features of true Christianity is that we are all equal in Christ, and that love for one another is to be our major focus, whether we're fixing a truck or dressing wounds.

What a privilege to be a part of something that has eternal value...kind of like dust with a purpose.