We left Southside around 4:00am and caught our flight out of Houston at 8:00. One member of our group was flying on her unused ticket from last year and was scheduled to leave at noon. We tried to get her on our flight, but she was number seven in the standby line and there was only room for six. She was able to get on the 9:05am flight and made it to Mexico City well before we left the airport. The van we had reserved “wasn’t ready.” After a wait of over an hour on the curb of the airport, they offered a nine passenger van for the 12 of us. I guess that is common practice in Mexico, but we had reserved a 15 passenger. Lynn Sasser, the pastor of the church we are working with, went to work and soon found us a “brand new” 15 passenger van with another company. The company picked us up in a van that looked like it had been in a calm demolition derby. There were scrapes and scratches on every side of the vehicle. When we got in the van I sat in the front passenger seat. When I looked at the dash board, I thought we had gotten in the Cash Cab. There were more lights on and messages flashing on the dash board than the Cash Cab has when the people get into it. The one that most concerned me was the yellow fuel light that was screaming “feed me!” I just knew we were going to run out of fuel in the middle of Mexico City traffic. My vision was this van being like a hockey puck in game seven of the Stanley Cup finals with score tied late in the game. We made it to the office and I was relieved. Let’s  just roll with flow of Mexico and be glad we were getting a “brand new” van. We did the paper work and I grabbed my passport and driver’s license and went to inspect the van. The guy led me to the same van he picked us up in! So now I get it. If you have a reservation for a 15 passenger van in Mexico City, make sure it is a “brand new” van. A van means you get nothing; a brand new van means you get the demolition derby reject.

By the way, does anybody know what “SERVICIO STABILITRAK” or “SERVICIO SIST MONITOR NEUM” or “CAMBIER PRONTO ASEITE MOTOR” or “SERVICIO CONTROL TRACCION” means? These are some of the messages scrolling as I drive.

Anyway, our first stop was to get fuel. I told the man at the pump to fill it up and he began to pump. I reached for my back pack to get the pesos and immediately realized that I had left it in the car rental place. “Stop that pump” were the next words out of my mouth. I borrowed money from Steven, paid the man and Lynn went back to get my back pack. We arrived at the church safe and sound with only a dozen or so oxygen evacuations(all of the air being sucked out of the van due to traffic fears) taking place during the ride.

Continue praying for us. Saturday will be our “play day” as we will be touring the city on tour bus. Looking forward to being with you via video on Sunday morning.

Pastor Jeff