The story continues...

I know that none of you were able to sleep because you have been hanging on the edge of your seats waiting for my next post...

I might as well continue the story. It’s now Wednesday. I receive a call from the mechanic. The repairs to the car are TZS 700,000 at this point. He says there may be more. Should he go ahead and fix it? Well, what choice do I have? I’ve been told by several people that I had not received a good deal on the car. My instincts told me to swing it on over to the Snake Park and have BJ take a look at it. After all, he OWNS a vehicle repair shop. But, I went against my better judgment and let others make the decision for me.

I’ve been told by the mechanic that there was nothing wrong with the car when we purchased it. Is it fair to say that I am doubtful? I’ve owned about 8 cars in my short life, none of which have ever died. He told me that I need to check the car and watch the temp gauge. I said I do, and I did, but when the temp gauge only starts to rise when the smoke does, it seems a bit late. No sense in arguing. He’s a man and as we women know, men are never wrong.

Needless to say, I learned a lot of lessons the hard way this week and I might as well share them. After all, that is why you are reading this blog.

1. Trust your instincts. Had I trusted my instincts and brought the car to BJ, I probably would not have paid as much as I did for the car or I would have been able to have the car fixed prior to the purchase.
2. Learn to speak the language of the country you are living in. I still would have been taken advantage of, but might have been able to negotiate the prices down a bit.
3. It’s only money. I truly believe that this experience of handing out money hand over fist was the only way that God could get me to realize that it is only money. If I need more, He will provide it. Knowing that the money that I have been spending each one of my supporters worked hard to earn, I hate to see it “go down the tubes.” It makes me feel as though I am not being a good steward of the gifts that God has provided to me via them. I easily forget that God provided these funds for THIS EXACT purpose. He knew my car would break down and moved someone’s heart months ago to support me financially to cover this. This experience has very little to do with me not planning properly; it has everything to do with trials. As James says, “Consider it all joy my brethren when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.” One of my favorite verses and yet, I so quickly forgot it.
4. I actually can’t do it all. What do I mean? As an unmarried woman, I have become very adept at doing all that I need to do to get by and succeed. It’s not by choice; it’s by necessity. There is no one else who will be helping to pay rent, to put food on the table, to buy the condo, to fix the leak. Because of this, single women in the world today are much more independent as there is no option for dependence. Or at least, human dependence. I can be, and need to be, dependent on God. I have been limiting the ministry of Christ in my life by only remembering what God has done in my life and not what He has yet to do. I think “Oh, God has yet to do that for me so I will take care of it myself.” There is no elbow room for God to work because I have been the captain of the ErinStacy. Well, this little trip really helped to drive it home that I can’t do everything and I certainly don’t have control over everything, no matter how hard I plan to get it right. Maybe I am captain of the ship, but I am certainly not in control of the ocean where the ship sails. And as we all know, the Ocean will swallow the ship.

So, I know this entry has been long and I will sign off. Till next time….