A Jon Post
I think this might be a long post. I know some times it’s hard to read these long ones but I feel like there’s a lot that I need to tell everyone. So if you have a few minutes to read, jump on in. It’s a fun story.
We’ve had quite a ride. It’s funny, we prepared our hearts ahead of time for some of the hard circumstances that might come but we didn’t really expect it as SOON as we landed in Africa.
Sunday the 8th
We arrived in Botswana. We expected to pick up our truck that evening or the next morning, Monday the 9th.
We found out our friends Botho and Faith, who had been taking care of our vehicle for the past two years, left town in to attend an extremely unexpected funeral of a dear family member.
Wednesday the 11th
Botho and Faith returned to town and found out that thieves had broken into the hood of our truck and stolen engine parts. Botho took it to a shop to be repaired and we waited.
From Wednesday the 11th to Sunday the 15th
We were unable to get in touch with Botho because of phone problems. We spent these days praying and hearing the Lord say “Trust Me. This is out of your control and in Mine. Trust me.”
Kroll
Monday the 16th
We finally connected with and sat down with Botho. Grim news. Our truck had considerably more damage than we expected. Repairs had been going on for nearly a week and there was no end in sight .The cylinder head had been stolen, the pistons had been stolen, the engine block had been damaged by the thieves as they took things out and, even if all the missing parts were replaced, there was no knowing if there was other undetected damage to the engine that could leave us stranded if we were to take it into remote regions of Angola.
However… the thieves had been caught. Here in Botswana the police and laws work differently and through … ahem… a bit of “coercion”… the police were able to get confessions and the thieves even showed them where they had taken the parts and the car shop they were funding with the stolen parts. Apparently these guys were professional thieves and did this all over the city and then resold the stolen spares from a repair shop. This meant that the (considerable) cost of repair of our vehicle must be handled by the thieves and their assets.
Tuesday the 17th
We decided that we could not trust this truck any longer (a very sad moment for me as I’ve driven that truck MANY thousands of kilometers across the entire Southern-African subcontinent) and we needed to look into selling it and purchasing a new one.
Botho, who has been looking to buy a good 4×4 SUV for his family offered to purchase it from us because he could essentially get unlimited free engine work done on it to ensure the engine was in as good shape as possible. He offered us a good price for it and we asked another friend, Leslie, who runs a vehicle repair shop to help us find a new 4×4 quickly.
Here’s where the timing of the Lord and His hand shows dramatically what He had planned all along.
Wednesday the 18th
Leslie recently purchased a Toyota Land Cruiser, not because he especially needed it, but because the price was simply too good to pass up. This truck was built in Africa, for Africa and has been outfitted to make the long grueling haul that punishing African roads can give. Leslie had been fixing it up for himself (thinking, “Maybe I’ll just keep it and sell my other vehicle”) but when he heard about our plight his generous, missionary heart immediately offered it to us for his unbeatable price. For just a little more than what Botho has offered for our old vehicle we will be purchasing this truck from Leslie that meets every need that we have FAR better than the truck we had before.
With a brand new suspension, tires, shocks, canvas interior, and all the fine tunings and tweaks that a mechanic does for a truck he expects to keep for himself, this truck has been offered to us for a GREAT price and God has pulled back the curtain that he asked us to trust He was behind.
He was.
Thursday the 19th
We’ve delayed our trip to Mozambique while we wait for a few final upgrades and all the paperwork to be finished for this new vehicle (1-2 weeks). Great missionary friends who live in Lobatse, a town 1 hour from the capitol Gaborone where we were staying, have invited us to stay with them while we wait. They are Americans and have invited us to spend Thanksgiving with them.
Indeed God was behind the curtain the whole time.
We anticipate arriving in Mozambique the first week of December.
Your prayers work. Your love is real. We can feel it from here. Thanks for reading.
Here in Botswana
The Lord is so awesome – His mercies new every morning – so great is His faithfulness. I love your web posts, especially with pictures. Don’t know much about trucks but do know every guy needs one. Jon, your dad had a really “cute” old one when he first got married that Grandpa Heller gave him. But awesome that you now have a new and better one after what happened. The devil tries to overcome us but if we can just wait upon the Lord He always wins. Praying now for your long drive after Thanksgiving to Mozambique. We are settling in finally to our new home here – Tatu loves it all. I continue to struggle with alot of stuff so pray for me to find my joy again in the Lord. Family here has been great but having a big house again and my physical limited abilities have made it all harder than I thought it would be. But hey – no pain no gain. That was Uncle Barry’s favorite! I think I am feeling alot of the pain Barry felt when he was so lost when he left Europe, his job, his love, and had no home, nothing. So even at the age of 80 I learn – to trust more – to bear the pain knowing that my Father is awesome and will always be there for me. Love you guys!!
great is Thy faithfulness great is THY FAITHFULNESS MORNING BY MORNING new mercies I see all I have needed YOUR hand has provided great is THY faithfulness LORD UNTO ME. I am glad things are finally getting in order. I drove a Volkswagen Beetle in the Congo that was about ten years old and I well remember those African roads.
p.s the above is Tatu’s first attempt at email – you guys are special
Hi Jon and Layne
God is awesome! So glad to hear how he provided miraculously for your vehicle needs!! AND you get to spend time with dear friends over TGiving – an unplanned, but unexpected blessing. I’m believing for deeper heart connections for you over that holiday with friends. Kevin is a part of the big Heller move today, getting the big items out to Queen Creek. The kids are all at Acquire the Fire so I have an empty house today, something that rarely happens. It is the calm before the storm as my sister and family are coming for TGiving, followed immediately by my parents for two weeks in December.
Blessings,
Lynne
Wow! Jon you did such a god job of actually shortening a long story! God really got the glory! I praise Him for it:) So very grateful ya’ll are with friends for Thanksgiving:) Love to you both, Mama XXOO
Hi, Love your story. I just praise god that He is blessing you with friends. We are missing you both but I know He has you right where He wants you. I will pray for your trip to be safe. Have a good thanksgiving with your friends. Jonna
Isaiah 45:15
Truly you are a God who hides himself, O God and Savior of Israel.
I wish I could have seen that whole moment when God jumped out from behind the curtain and shouted to you guys, “PEEK-A-BOO!”
He is so awesome! I am so grateful!
Dude … that’s legit. Go team God.
Oh, my goodness that was a great adventure that the both of you went through. I guess all we have to do is put all of our TRUST IN GOD all the time and get great results, b/c you both are living proof of that time and time again…Always praying for you guys and God has Bless us all with terrific angels name Jon & Layne…
Love ya!!!
Never go where vegetables can sing. Karate kid hates Cobra Kai and a refrigerator is a Honda Accord.