The Case for a 4x4

I (aka Marcel) have been putting this off for a while now, and it has been easy to do with so much to take in since arriving in Lubango 11 days ago. Language, culture, weather, friends, altitude... life; everything has been a whirlwind of trying to figure out where to place our focus. Thankfully it has been a good adjustment, and we don't have to worry about focusing on one particular thing right now.

The thing I've been putting off is updating the ministry vehicle fund situation, mostly because, well, I don't particularly enjoy asking people for money. In a way it seems strange because if you think about it, most people are happy to get a very nice vehicle for a very reduced price, and that part does make us extremely thankful. However from a different angle, I can't help but think that people are going to say "Why in the world do they need a $50,000 vehicle?"

First of all, We want to say a big THANK YOU to everyone who has contributed already. So far, just over $26,500 has been raised, which means we are over halfway there! I for one am blown away by the generosity of people since we have done very little to create awareness for this vehicle. Many people have gone way above what we expected or deserved. It also serves as a reminder to me that anything we've done so far has little to do with what we do, and everything to do with what God has done for us.

For those who still have questions regarding what this vehicle fund thing is all about, I am going to attempt to answer a few of the more common questions we have received while campaigning for this ministry vehicle. Here we go:

Why is the vehicle so expensive? It just is. Everything here is more expensive. Buying a vehicle here isn't like North America where you can go to a local dealership, or check kijiji for something used. Shopping around, you have limited options here, basically it's Toyota or Land Rover. Importing a vehicle means it has to be 3 years old or newer, and that's going to cost a lot anyway. Buying a vehicle that is 10-15 years old can still cost fifteen to twenty thousand dollars, and with a baby on board, we would like something a little more reliable. Buying a new vehicle will simply cost more than the one being offered us. The good news is, re-sale value is still high! (just trying to think positive here).

What kind of vehicle is it? The vehicle we are purchasing is a 2013 Toyota Hilux that currently belongs to one of the MAF pilots. They no longer will be needing the truck, and are willing to give us a good deal on it. It has all the features that are good to have in an African vehicle too...

• Diesel engine - which is more common here 
• 4x4 - to help when driving through the rivers that the roads inevitably turn into
• Bull bar - for the mild game of bumper cars that can happen in downtown traffic
• Upgraded suspension - so we can drive on our road without feeling like we have square tires
• Extra fuel tank - so we can occasionally drive somewhere outside the city, and make it to the next gas station
• Cap - to prevent something from getting stolen, and then having to re-purchase it at the market

... the list goes on.

What will be the vehicles primary purpose? Since we live close to downtown, getting to the airport at the east end of the city for work, or to Mitcha Compound where the school is and other staff at the north end of the city, will likely be the most common use of the vehicle. There are other options for transportation, and that includes the moto-taxi's, which are the one-person designed mopeds that incidentally have an entire ward at the hospital designated for these riders. We've been warned, DO NOT TAKE THE MOTO-TAXI!

How do I donate? The simplest way is online. You can go to https://mafc.org/missionarypages/boers/ and scroll to the bottom of the page. There is a form there. Under the "Donation Amount" column, fill in an amount for "Other", which will automatically designate it to the vehicle fund. Calling the office directly at 1-877-351-9344 will do the trick too. Gayle and Anna are very nice people.

Will I get a tax receipt? You certainly will! So if you're looking to make an early year-end donation, we would certainly appreciate it.

When do you need the vehicle by? The earlier the better. The sooner we have the vehicle, the sooner we are able to get around town and do things like groceries without tying up other people's schedule by needing a ride.

That's all I have for now. Thanks for reading this far, and if there's anything I have left out, please send us an email with your questions - mboers@maf.org. If you'd like to see what the driving conditions can be like, check out the video and pictures below!

The truck (above), and our road (below) during a typical afternoon downpour