Well, come to think of it, it wasn't really as much an adventure, as a time to learn patience. Yesterday evening as Avisi and I were happily driving home from church, little Harriet Fogomobile, as the ministry Gol has now been named, decided that she wasn't feeling very well and stopped. We got her going a few times along the way, but when we were a mere 4 blocks from home, she decided she'd had enough. And so, on a peaceful Sunday night in March at approximately 9 pm it was up with the mobile phone to dial the insurance for help (how did we survive pre-mobile phones, that is my question).
They very swiftly (and I mean it was surprising how quickly the technician came to our rescue) sent someone to help us out, who used about on hour and a a half to get poor little Harriet started again. We got her started and managed to get home, kindly escorted by our little mechanic man, and with me basically trying to not take my foot off the gaspedal while at the same time break at the stopsigns (not easy, I can tell you that). As I slid into my parking space the car stopped again. Now for those of you who know that being stranded in the city centre of Fortaleza at night isn't the safest thing in this our whole wide world, I can assure you that we were never in great danger. The car broke down right in front of the police station.
Today I spent my afternoon at the garage. When I said the car didn't work and I could not bring it there myself, they sent an army of 3 lads with me, who I suppose where ready to push it if necessary, but thankfully it puttered its way reluctantly to the garage. At the garage, even after being told it would "only take a minute" I hung around for 2 hours (well, I suppose it's not the worst thing one could be doing on a Monday afternoon really). I wonder if I'll ever get the Brazilian time-frame, I mean I guess they just do it like God does, to Him "a day is like a thousand years" after all. Finally they got the car 70% well, which was all I could afford. To get it 100% is very expensive, so we are praying knowing that money isn't a problem for God.
They very swiftly (and I mean it was surprising how quickly the technician came to our rescue) sent someone to help us out, who used about on hour and a a half to get poor little Harriet started again. We got her started and managed to get home, kindly escorted by our little mechanic man, and with me basically trying to not take my foot off the gaspedal while at the same time break at the stopsigns (not easy, I can tell you that). As I slid into my parking space the car stopped again. Now for those of you who know that being stranded in the city centre of Fortaleza at night isn't the safest thing in this our whole wide world, I can assure you that we were never in great danger. The car broke down right in front of the police station.
Today I spent my afternoon at the garage. When I said the car didn't work and I could not bring it there myself, they sent an army of 3 lads with me, who I suppose where ready to push it if necessary, but thankfully it puttered its way reluctantly to the garage. At the garage, even after being told it would "only take a minute" I hung around for 2 hours (well, I suppose it's not the worst thing one could be doing on a Monday afternoon really). I wonder if I'll ever get the Brazilian time-frame, I mean I guess they just do it like God does, to Him "a day is like a thousand years" after all. Finally they got the car 70% well, which was all I could afford. To get it 100% is very expensive, so we are praying knowing that money isn't a problem for God.