our week.

I wanted to give you an update about last week, since many of you have been praying for us.

We bought a car!  The process took from Monday until Friday, but David drove our little gray four-door Suzuki hatchback home Friday evening in time for a whole-family ride around the block.  We are so, so grateful for the way God is providing for this car, and the generosity of those who are helping to make this purchase possible.  We are also grateful for Martha’s care for our children, which freed us to pursue this monumental task, and to pursue some other bits and pieces which help to put down roots in this country.

Originally we had thought we’d go a couple years using South Asia’s “public transportation system” of auto rickshaws.  But after six months here we still felt like tourists, haggling over prices, standing on street corners waiting, at the mercy of drivers who may or may not take advantage of us, restricted from really learning our way around the city.  I have also struggled with my health since moving here, and we think being out in the dust and pollution of traffic may be exacerbating my allergies.

All of this to say, we began praying pointedly about purchasing a car when we went home in May, and, two short months later, we have it!  Please pray with us that God will bring in the remaining funds for this purchase.

It is amazing what something as seemingly small as buying a car does in terms of changing our life here. Everything seems different now.  I feel like a real member of this community.  Our neighbors’ posture toward us is even changed.  Their unspoken response is: “Oh, you bought a car.  You must really be sticking around.”  It legitimizes our presence in their minds. 

It feels . . . really, really nice.