Another "tale from the road"

It's beginning to look like we could volunteer to do a whole missionary book on "things that happen on the road." Epaphras, one of the ANU drivers, and Mark were headed toward Kenyatta International Airport about 7PM last Sunday evening in ANU's venerable Mitsubishi Pajero to pick up Dr. Jerry Lambert, our new chancellor; Dr. Tom Parks, dean of the MVNU School of Business and his son Thomas. Traffic was heavy. For those of you who've been here, remember the "rough dip" just after you've left Bomas and before you get to Nairobi National Park? As they started up the hill traffic was fairly light on our side of the road and heavy on the other side. So far, so good. 

Perhaps three city blocks ahead of them in the distance they could see th

e headlights of a car that was pulling out of the oncoming lane and coming toward them in our lane. They assumed he was trying to pass several of the cars in his own lane. It didn't take long for Mark and Epaphras to begin getting nervous, however. The car continued to close the distance between them. Finally, the inevitable happened: The Mercedes bumped into the front of the ANU Pajero with a crunch and a tinkle of glass! Since the Pajero is equipped for rough travel, it has an after-market front grill made of strong pipe which was not damaged.

Mark and Epaphras could clearly see that the other driver was seriously drunk. In a couple of minutes, as they watched in astonishment, the Mercedes driver put the car in reverse, turned the steering wheel slightly, put the car in drive and hit the Pajero again! At this point, the Mercedes driver lumbered out of his car and walked shakily to the collision area. Epaphras also got out to hear the Mercedes driver say in Kiswahili what was true: "My car is damaged but yours is not. Drive on!" 

As Mark and Epaphras pulled around the Mercedes on the busy Langata Highway, the Mercedes driver had left the car running with its lights on and driver's side door opened and was trying to climb up the bank to reach the fence where Kenyan men traditionally answer the call of nature. Unfortunately, because he was drunk, he was climbing and sliding, climbing and sliding as Epaphras and Mark drove on toward the airport.

Unfortunately, the Pajero did not QUITE emerge undamaged: the combination of rain and a frayed headlight wire meant they completed the trip to the airport and back in the rain without headlights! University Chaplain Randy James came out with his own car to light the way for the Pajero to get back to campus (it's a metaphor!). 

Regularly our good readers like you write us or tell us in person--"we're praying for the two of you." We know God expects his children to use their brains and to be careful. Even so, more than anytime in our lives, we're feeling those prayers.