Variety

Figured I had better post something not tea related and not hosting related… lest you think all we do is drink tea and host parties!

Haha.

If only.

Here are a few other recent happenings:

• attending sessions at our church’s annual general conference
• piloting a new accounting system for the mission
• working with a major project with ZMW and USD exchange rates, and…
• taking two of our vehicles for their annual fitness examinations

Baby Bertha

our older Isuzu double cab

Perhaps you'll enjoy the tale (and hopefully some chuckles!) from my recent morning with RTSA (Road Safety and Transportation Authority), ensuring Bertha and the older Isuzu were road worthy:

“Which person are you following?” a gentleman asked. There was a muddled “queue” of us crowded behind the RTSA service windows waiting to pay for road tax, carbon tax, license items, and vehicle fitness testing.

In all the shuffle of the disorganized mess of people I realized I lost track of which shirt was in front of me when I arrived, and I now had no idea which person I was following or preceding.

Oh brother.

It only took twenty-ish minutes before it wound up being my turn to hand over vehicle documents and pay for fitness examinations. As I stepped up to the counter, a hand shot over my shoulder from behind and pushed something in front of me. The gal at the counter kindly ignored his pushy-ness and attended to me.

Once the proper papers were printed, I went outside to wait another twenty-odd minutes for my turn to display Bertha and the old Isuzu. The examiner- Isaac- was busy checking other vehicles. Eventually, Isaac finished with the other vehicles and headed to ours.

Directional indicators, hooter, triangles, jack, brakes, reverse lights, high beams….

Check. check. check.

“This one has passed,” Isaac informed me, pointing to the Isuzu. “But this one,” [oh, Bertha… not again…last year she failed fitness because her high beams were not working] “needs two items fixed.” [sigh.]

Thankfully, I was able to prove that the first item didn't need to be repaired, as it was in fine working order… just, odd working order (one brake light is at the top of the rear light pattern; the other brake light is at the bottom of the light pattern).

Bertha's rear lights.
In the words of Dr. Surfield: "Which one's not like the others?"

The second item: new windscreen wipers.
Isaac was gracious; all I had to do was get the new blades installed and return for Bertha’s “pass” card.

I maneuvered Bertha down the way to Choma Garage. It only took a few minutes to purchase new wiper blades. BUT- it took at least twenty minutes of sitting in a mess of cars just to squeeze out of the filling station pad onto the main street. Sara and I have declared Choma Garage MHGFAP (Most Hideous Garage For Access & Parking).

[I was not a happy camper, er, bus driver. Mr. fruit-seller from across the street even stopped by and tried to console me, insisting, “Madam, just don’t be sad... because this is just how it is..." It really was sweet of him to take note of me and not just push his sales, but I was still exasperated.]

Bertha's new blades. whahoo.

Eventually I made it back to RTSA. I waited in another queue for another twenty minutes.
Isaac passed Bertha and the Isuzu.
Back to the counter, then on to the manager’s office, and finally back out to Isaac for one more final signature.

We were free to go. Bertha and the Isuzu were declared road-worthy for one more year. Thanks be to God.

I was exhausted, though the whole ordeal probably only took about two hours.