Out of the Mud!



About 1 1/2 years ago now, I went for my drivers license. Not because I though I would ever use it, but because my husband encouraged me to do it with him for a just in case day. Then we bought a car, and he started driving. I was still swearing up and down that it wasn't for me. Driving here is a full body and mind experience that requires focus and nerves of steel. Focus I can do, nerves of steel not so much. But as Rob got busier and busier I eventually caved and started driving in really small doses, and have gradually worked my way up to being fairly comfortable in the chaos.




One of the days of my family's visit here, we had the chance to go blueberry picking. Although we have a fantastic fresh fruit selection in our area, blueberries are extremely expensive and in limited quantities around here. So when my neighbor invited us to go to a blueberry farm and pick them ourselves I jumped at the chance.




Off we headed in two cars. My car carrying myself, my mother, my sister, and our 3 kids. Sunny's car carrying herself, her mother, and her 2 kids. It was a beautiful drive along the coastline that eventually turned off and sent us between mountain ranges out into the country. I would have gone for the drive alone.




The blueberry farm was way out in the country and as we pulled in I was surprised by how huge it was. I noticed as I pulled into my parking spot under some trees that the ground I drove over was a fudge soft, but I tucked it away and decided when it was time to leave I would be careful. So out we went into the fields! The blueberries were delicious and perfectly ripe. They were everywhere, and we wore ourselves out picking and eating in the humidity. I even bought some small bushes to take home to see if I can manage growing my own for next year.



As we loaded up the car, I said to my mom, I'll have to back out fast to glide over that soft spot, just in case. So, I put it in reverse, and stepped on the gas. Well the back of our van, flew backwards and sunk itself straight into the mud, and I mean all the way into the mud. I put it in drive and tried to pull out, but it was no use. The back bumper was touching the ground and the wheels were so stuck the wouldn't even spin. It was not looking good. Sunny ran back up to the farm and returned with 2 young men. They looked at it, laughed, and went back up to the farm to get some more guys. The few of us attempted pushing it out of the mud, but not a budge. Some more guys came, so then 8 men pushed my car with all they had as we tried gunning it out. We tried putting bricks under the wheels, digging around the tires with a shovel, but to no avail. Someone made a phone call and said we would just need to wait and help would come. I had no idea what that meant, but I also had no choice, so we sat and we waited.



All 8 men stayed and walked around the car, and tried to think of solutions, and laughed. The 5 kids ran around in the trees playing. And my pregnant sister, mother, and my friends mom all found nice shady spots to rest. Praise the Lord we were under a grove of trees with a slight breeze blowing and all the kids bellies were full of blueberries. I was a little distressed and embarrassed, but no one else seemed to mind. Finally an old farmer chugged along in his big field tractor. It powered it's way between the trees, hooked up to my car with some nylon cables, and with one big pull of his engine I was out. We all cheered. I started thanking people profusely and trying to give them every cent I had on me for all of their time and effort. Not one man including the old farmer would take a penny. They all smiled and laughed and went back to their farms to work.





I was reminded again how incredibly thankful I am to be living where I am. The people here are genuinely loving and hospitable. Not one person that I dealt with that day was impatient or rude with me despite my obvious stupidity in gunning my car into the mud. No one complained about the hour wasted or the hard effort put into moving my mud covered vehicle. Everyone was kind, friendly, and giving of themselves. No one wanted my money although I'm sure they live on much less than I do and could have used it more. They were happy to do a good turn for a "neighbor" and to have the fun story of interacting with the crazy foreign ladies and all their kids. God provided in a tangible and touching way for me that afternoon and it was fun to talk over with the kids how we sat and prayed under those trees because we sure couldn't help ourselves and God sent a wonderful man and his big strong tractor to lift us out of the mud. And another reminder to be thankful that God has put us here in a spot where people more often than not treat us with kindness and generosity.

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