To own a Mini-Van

To own a mini-van

The Lord has graciously given me every vehicle, minus one, that I have ever owned. Which reminds me that they’re not really mine, just on loan from him. Which if I can, it makes it easier to give away when he wants to loan it to someone else. If he gave us one he can give us two.
All my vehicles have been the typical American cars, which have progressed with the typical American life. I started out with a glorified lawn mower in High School (a 1500cc Datsun Pick-up), the college car (aka “The chick magnet”; as a result, Emie), the first car as a married man (aka “The Green Machine”), my introduction to mini-vans with “The Funk” (it was a thing of beauty), “The Silver Bullet” (my first SUV, the vehicle I bought and probably should not have). Then came the “Soccer Mom” mini-van (which was awesome) and then finally my last SUV in the Lower 48.

It has been a desire to own (or loan from the Lord) a Land Rover Defender. I have had this “desire” since I was a freshman in High School. Not the kind of Land Rover that people with lots of money drive to the grocery store but the kind that sweats in the unforgiving bush. I desire a Land Rover with the wench that gets used not for sport but for survival. The kind that comes ready for a snorkel to make it home, not for a peaceful swim in a cement puddle. Which, for all those who know how much a LR Defender costs in the States, must realize they are not considered Luxury SUVs here in Africa, they are simply trucks! That means the Defender is about 1/3 of the price of a new one in the States ($40K). Yes, if I could loan a vehicle from the Lord it would have to be the “Best 4X4XFAR!”

Along with this Land Rover desire comes another, to live in Africa! I have always been drawn to the Africa wild and its ruggedness. It is a Land Rover playground, which is why I must repent daily for my coveting. I see these four-legged beasts roaming everywhere! Then I say, “that one Lord, I would really like that one!” So I am in the perfect context for these two desires to marry. I live in Africa and I love Land Rover Defenders.

After three months of praying, coveting, praying, drooling, repenting, and drooling some more, we have been given (loaned) another vehicle. Yes, you have guessed it, the Lord has given us a . . . mini-van!

I am sure there has been some misunderstanding and I am determined to work it out with my Father. But until then we have a mini-van. The semi-redeeming part is that it has 4-wheel drive, but the low profile wheels don’t allow for much rock crawling. Don’t ask where they even found low profile wheels in Africa or when they did why they put them on. But they did!

The truth is, it’s NOT really our car, it belongs to Iris Ministries and we use it to transport all our visitors. But I do laugh when I think; “here I am living out my desire to be a missionary in Africa driving a mini-van.” So I live in peace believing that one day I may own or loan a Land Rover Defender and take the Spirit to Africa through the Love and Power of God. Until that day, it’s a good thing they like soccer here.

Don’t worry, my next update will include the people we are seeing set free, delivered from religious demons, released into Kingdom ministry and healed, all from our living room. But today I had to tell you . . . it’s a beautiful thing to own a mini-van!

Heath