Only one more day and we head 'em out! As usual, there have been way more last-minute computer repairs and other distractions as I slowly but surely get packed up. Yesterday was a good example of that. I took my friend Bill Henderson out on my bass boat in search of birds on Lake Georgetown. We had a wonderful morning, seeing several Great Blue Herons, Great Egrets, Painted Buntings and others birds up close and personal in outstanding early morning light. It was calm and in the high 60's when we started and we saw a very nice, but subdued, sunrise. We kept up a nice conversation all morning and I was pretty happy with how our Gilligan's Island 3-hour tour had gone. That is until after I had gotten the boat ready and was trailering out of the park and immediately had a flat tire on the boat trailer. I counted my blessings, it had happened at about 15 miles per hour and I wasn't out on the Interstate going 70 miles per hour. It could have been much worse. About a year and a half ago, I'd had a flat on the boat trailer and had called my insurance to get roadside assistance. I learned that tires on my truck we covered, but the fine print said no to trailer tires. That little adventure cost me $85 for the tire change plus new tires. I did need help that time because where I had pulled off of the road would have been to dangerous to use the scissors jack that I had in the truck. This time I was on level ground and proceeded to break the lug nuts free and was sizing up where to place the jack when a work truck passed by and did an immediate u-turn. Out jumped a guy in a neon green work crew vest asking if he could help me. I told him a better jack would be a good thing and he said he just happened to have one. I told him with a good jack we were ten minutes away from having the flat tire changed out for the spare. During the next ten minutes, I learned his name was Hassan and even though I tried to pay him or buy him lunch for his trouble, he wouldn't take anything and just remained a cheerful, friendly guy. I asked him again what I could do for him and he said "Pay it forward!" I always do the same myself, so we hit it off famously. I explained the mission trip that was only 2 days away and how things like this always slow you down when you probably need it. We shook hands, and we promised to keep each other in our prayers. I wouldn't have encountered such a beautiful soul without some trouble. Thank you Jesus for always letting "chance" encounters like this to happen!
Next, I called the Discount Tire near my house 20 miles away and they were out of my tire, but one 2 miles away in Georgetown had what I needed. I called them and they said to come and drop the boat off. Being a Monday, they were real busy but they got me in. The guy who checked me in was named Antowan, and I noticed an accent. I told him I was going to Africa and wondered where he was from. "Jamaica mon!" I said "Cool" and told him a bit about the mission trip. He was fascinated and said he'd love to come with us. Another "chance" encounter, another new friend. I think my cancer survival saga that I wrote about at my other blog has really taught me to always look at the bright side of things. I went back to Austin, got a haircut and attempted to repair a last minute computer issue for a client unsuccessfully and then was waiting for word that the boat was ready. I found out it would be about 4:30 and traffic is horrendous coming and going the 20 miles I needed to travel. But not yesterday! It was like the Red Sea parted. I had my boat back in storage just before 5pm and was still able to spend some time with my girlfriend and Pete, our old, old Dachshund. I didn't get quite as many things accomplished as I had planned, but God's plan was far better.
Today has been spent getting brand new $100 bills, 2017 issue, because they have anti-counterfeiting measures in them, starting to pack and taking care of last-minute details like putting timers on lights, alerting the police I'll be traveling, getting travel notifications to credit card companies and the like. I will be writing daily during the trip as possible. I am not always near a good Internet connection and power can be spotty at times. Please come back often to learn how the vision clinic and other aspects of the trip are going and, of course, keep us in your prayers for a safe and effective mission.
Blessings everybody!
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