Ted: The new name for our bus
[riddle]
A day in our life – no this is not made up…
Our life can be very varied day to day. Whether it is family issues, the business, our living ‘camp’ or building – things can change dramatically from one moment to the next.
Today, I thought I would give a small insight into our day:
6:30 Perusal Bible & Reading & send a message on the scripture message thread we have for the family.
6:50 Sorting the freight parcels
7:00 Sharmini gets back from her run asking for ministry. An argument between us escalates – not normal, and could have been a lot worse…
7:20 Sharmini agrees to having ministry. The session is mind blowing, extremely deep and results in genuine repentance and change.
8:30 We talk / make up and call the kids who have looked after the younger children so we could do ministry.
8:45 A quick bite to eat for breakfast as walking back to the gate.
9:00 People are here to pick up parcels. An elderly man also arrives who I recognise. I saw him outside an Anglican church – he came to pick up a relative. We got talking and he shared about his closest friend in the UK who was dying of cancer and he was hoping to visit before he passed away.
I had said I would pray for him, he obviously didn’t realise I meant there & then! He started by pulling away but warmed a little to the idea then got quite emotional as I prayed for him as well as his friend. He left – and I never thought much more of it except for us praying as a family a few times and I sent some encouraging words via text to him.
The next time I saw him he was agitatedly asking me where I was on Australia Day. ??Apparently he had thought I might be at the beach so he went looking for me wanting to talk – obviously something connected.
Anyway this morning he started to share how he got exactly what we had prayed for – 3 days with this friend that were amazing – they travelled and did many things. Then his friend went downhill and died while he was still there. Then he shared with me: “I told him about our prayer together – and he was so happy he cried”.
We talked for about an hour about God, religion, love, comfort etc. I was reminded yet again how we just never know how God will use things, but He always will (1 Corinthians 15:58) a simple prayer outside a country Anglican church had travelled around the world just in time for someone’s death!
10:00 Sharmini and the kids leaving for Perth for various errands and homeschool groups. We had originally booked some work on the house, then decided that it would be a good day for me to finish (long overdue) tax as I would have no interruptions.
10:15 I get to my computer in the office to find the most encouraging and thoughtful message left by Sharmini. Brought me to tears, very, very meaningful.
11:00 Sharmini is already at the first pick up point, I need to sort payment and the order for the second pick up point. All I have done so far is a couple of phone calls and emails.
11:30 I get a call from Sharmini saying the bus is playing up. I talk to the boys and get them to bleed the fuel filter and flush the water out. We store the diesel in drums up here and sometimes a leak develops allowing water in. The car starts and they go shopping.
11:55 I get back to my work, after witnessing to a cold caller. This is a regular occurrence with a range of cold callers form scammers saying the computer has a virus to people selling advertising or solar. I just preach the Gospel in whatever form that fits until they have had enough, hang up or respond.
1:30 I get another call from Sharmini. The car is playing up again – this time conking out. The call lasts for quite a while – in which time she has completely stopped in an intersection and people are beeping & swearing at her. I am completely helpless at this stage – listening as the situation unfolds, just praying in the background for their safety and peace. Talk about helpless! I hear that the boys are trying to push the car out of the way – but they can’t get it up the curb. Sharmini is in tears.
Then a man and his girlfriend stop, unhook their trailer and tow the bus a kilometre to where the homeschooling group is! Amazing!
At the same time, a man who we were buying a computer off, (who I have texted to say my wife has broken down) says his friend is a mobile mechanic and he will go drop the computer off and look at the car(!).
1:30pm I am looking at all options to either get the car fixed, or get it back and get the family home. Opening an account with Uber, looking at who can get 8 people back, mobile mechanics, Toyota, RAC etc etc.
Sharmini is with the ladies from the group and they encourage her – praying for God’s help.
3:30pm The man with his mechanic friend arrive.
I don’t hear anything form this point for quite a while. I get no response from Sharmini or him. I go and get lunch from the caravan area.
4:00pm I hear from Sharmini that the car is running & sorted! Wow what a relief! At this stage I’m amazed and very thankful to the guy with the computer.
4:50pm I get a message from the guy listing the problem and stating:
“Lastly Adam thanks I think today was not about a computer it was your wife and yourself showing me the way the only way is to give yourself and your sins to Jesus, for that in my brief 5 min chat to your wife just prove it to me 10 fold
For that I say praise the Lord for send ing me this message!!!“
It’s amazing how God is at work!
5pm I get a call from Sharmini that the car is doing the same thing and won’t run. I start getting tools and things ready and set off to see what I can do. All parts places are shutting 15 minutes before I will get there and won’t be open again for 4 days due to the long weekend. Oh no!!
6pm I arrive at the car and start to work, draining water, bleeding, starting running, resetting the computer etc etc.
6:30pm it is obvious we will be here a while so order a pizza form the shop in the same carpark where we are broken down. Hot food right here – what a blessing!
7:30pm we seem to have it all sorted, it is running smoothly, idling well, revving. We pack everything up get all the kids in the car, tell the people who are phoning offering to take us home that all is well…
8:00pm As we set off, the car stops again. Same issue. I start ringing tilt trays and tow trucks.
8:30pm Sharmini sets off for home with sth babies in the commodore.
8:45pm The tilt tray arrives.
9:30pm I receive a text from someone I know who goes to a church we have attended: It is a screenshot of a Facebook post that reads:
“I am looking for a guy named Adam that was driving a white van / people mover, Toyota Hiace I think on Indian Ocean Drive and assisted me when I came off my bike on 1st December” It goes on with details and then:
“I remember him helping me with the bike then saying a prayer thanking Jesus for looking after me in the accident”
Wow – God is using EVERYTHING!
11:00pm We arrive home and tell the tilt tray about Jesus with a $1million tract. Very thankful to be home!
11:30pm We empty the bus of all the kids clothes, food and tools – and do a little research about the bus and how to fix it… Putting kids to bed
1:00am After reflecting on the day and discussing how we could stick to commitments without a vehicle we head to bed…
Nothing went according to our plan – but His plan? Wow sooo much higher!
The events of the day have also contributed to other events:
For instance the next day we got to be very direct and challenging to a couple of middle-Eastern men who outright lied to us about the condition of a car for sale. We arranged a friend to come and drive a second car and we all headed to look at it – turns out it had a blown head gasket, was unlicensed, bald tyres and no air cond – despite insisting the opposite.
They tried to pretend they didn’t know any English but we caught them out, so pleaded with them: although their actions had caused us some hassle – of more importance was the fact that they were condemned before God and that without Jesus they would be sent to hell. After muttering something about Allah we were able to confront the difference between false religion and Jesus. Again, not what we had planned or wanted, but maybe, just maybe, it is what they needed!