For over a year now we have been making more and more repairs on our trucks. We travel through rough and rugged environments. The trucks we have are just not suitable for these roads. Over the last year we have spent well over $10,000 in repairs between the two trucks. At the moment we are down to one truck that is limping along. It needs the front end rebuilt again. The AC is not working properly, and there are electrical issues and so much more. The other truck needs a clutch and also the front end rebuilt. Both trucks need new batteries. We just can’t afford, nor do we want to waste the money on yet another costly repair. We always want to be good stewards of what the Lord provides for us. At this time, we do not see the value of investing more money in vehicles that are no longer reliable. One major issue with both of these trucks is their lack of horse power. They do not have the power we need for our loads or to climb the mountains we travel. Remember that a breakdown in Guatemala is quite different from a breakdown in the US. In the US, you have tow trucks in every town. Here you may be stranded for a day. Below is our single cab truck which was just repaired and is broke down again.

Despite these setbacks, we are blessed to have a motorcycle to use. We also have an ATV for getting around the village and for short trips to the store and church.

Allow me to take a side road for a few minutes which ties in to this need. The Lord works in mysterious ways. Sometimes, He uses our tragedies to open our hearts to others who are hurting. I have been taking one family of children to church. The Lord connected us in a unique way. Dulce is a sweet and spicy little 6-year-old girl. This is the same age Willow was when she went home to heaven. When I first met her, we hit it off immediately. She was starving for love and attention from a father figure. She has an older sister and brother also. The Lord connected the dots. Her older sister and I were having a conversation. I found out that their father was killed in a tragic accident 3 years ago. I believe the Lord brought Dulce into my life to help with my healing process from losing Willow. I also believe the Lord brought me into their life to be a role model father figure. I am here to show them love and help them heal.

The three children and their four cousins have been coming to church with me. For the last few weeks we have taken the ATV. Thankfully the church is only about 3 miles away and the road we travel is safe to drive on. Here our ATV is street legal with tags. I do drive slowly. I am very careful with them. However, having a vehicle to carry them in would be the best. But as you can see from their smiling faces, they are all happy for this ride. I probably had room for one or two more!

But seriously, a good vehicle just like a motorcycle and an ATV are tools we need and use daily. We purchased the ATV to help us get around quicker and more efficiently in the village. Getting somewhere in the village in the truck took 15-30 minutes, with the ATV 1-2 minutes. But getting to church in the truck about 5 minutes, with the ATV 10-15 minutes. The right vehicle is a vital ministry tool. We are asking everyone to pray hard and help us raise the funds we need to purchase a new truck. We looked at purchasing used, or importing from the US, both with their own sets of issues. About 20 years ago, we had a van donated to us. The van cost more to repair and ship down. Then there was the 3-day nightmare of picking it up from the port. It ended up costing us over $7k in import and “gringo fees”. Used vehicles have their own problems and nightmare scenarios.

For this we have decided to purchase a new vehicle that has a full warranty. We will need to raise the full amount including taxes and delivery fees before we are able to purchase. We are not able to take out a loan, nor would be want to. The Lord has provided for all our needs thus far. We have looked at several vehicles and have compared quality along with durability and the availability for parts. We have also compared prices. Although Toyota is the biggest brand here in Guatemala, it is also the most expensive brand. Isuzu is the up and coming Toyota brand in Guatemala with their quality and significant lower price.

This truck comes with a 3 year 100k warranty. It is their top of the line truck in power and performance. The full out the door price is around $55k. To us, that is a huge amount of money to raise and ask for. However, when you have a Father in Heaven who provides according to our needs, this is nothing.

Let me end by asking you this, have you ever experienced a breakdown? How frustrating that is. Now imagine you are hours up in the mountains doing a food delivery. Or imagine doing a remote medical clinic to a poor village. There is no cell service, no mechanic shops, no tow truck drivers, or any other way to get fast help. Your broken down and stranded and have to walk for miles to get help. This is what we face here in Guatemala. This is why it is vital for us to have a vehicle that is 100% all the time.

Will you prayerfully help us purchase this vital ministry tool? Please see our donations tab with all the ways to give. We are HIS hands, to do HIS work, to bring HIM the glory!