Speed bumps were not the
only reason that we took 25 hours to cross the country with the new-to-us
vehicle. We were also treated to some tire issues. By tire issues I meant that
we had two flat tires, one sliced tire, and one tire that just kind of
exploded, and all of these were on the right back side. This has recently made
me paranoid to the point where I am prone to stop and check my tires at random
times just to make sure they are okay. I mean come on, that is almost one tire
problem per six hours.
The first tire however
was really the deal breaker. We had been on the road since 4 am and it was
almost 10 am when my back right side started limping along (like I said almost
every 6 hours). I pulled over and hopped out to find my tire almost completely
off the rim. We opened the back took out all the luggage, grabbed the jack, and
while Marwa started to jack up the tire I started to remove the full size spare
that I was very thankful for at that moment. It was that same moment of
gratitude when I discovered that we had the wrong sized lug wrench. Not just
slightly the wrong size, but spin freely around the lug nut wrong size. This
was not looking so good. It was at that time that we decided to start trying to
flag down another vehicle of similar size and shape. This should be simple
right? Surely in Tanzania the land of Toyota Landcruisers we could find a
vehicle of similar size. It appeared it
was going to become more difficult than I thought after the first five or so
vehicles passed, with one compassionate soul in a small sedan and no hope of
having a lug wrench that would fit being the only car to stop. We continued
trying and even discussed the option of flagging down a bus and hitching a ride
to the nearest town that was about an hour away. About then a car stopped that didn’t
look like it would work, but they dug their wrench out of the trunk and with a
blessing from God, it fit. They even helped us change the tire, get everything
back into the car, and gave us directions to where we could get the tire fixed
so that we could continue on with a spare. On
a side note, we did get the tire fixed, buying a whole new tube. Which we were
grateful for when our second tire problem, this one being the blown tire happened
at about 9 pm that same night.
It is not only speed
bumps, it is not only the intentional, harmless things that slow us down. Not
all of our interruptions to life are good interruptions like holidays. Not all
interruptions make us want to stop and spend time with family and friends in
festive get-togethers. Sometimes our interruptions are a lot more shocking than
that, they are not enjoyable, they sometimes cause downright panic or heartache.
Much like being stuck on the side of the road with a 6 month old in the African
sun and no way to change a space tire.
There are also a lot of
those during the Christmas season. People are separated from their families,
with the holidays bringing this pain to the surface. Being alone is always
harder to bear during a season aimed at bringing people together to share
gifts, tacky sweaters, and eggnog. Broken homes, non-religious backgrounds, and
our own personal tragedies can make the holidays a time of depression and shame
instead of happiness and cheer. These blown tire times can be difficult to
accept and deal with, especially if we are intent on dealing with them on our
own.
The important lesson I
learned from being stranded on the side of the road, besides always have a
spare with a lug wrench that fits, is how to watch for others that are also
stranded. We were only able to move on and continue our journey because someone
took the time to help. The flat tire did not only interrupt our day, but also
the day of other people. They were willing to help though, they were willing to
be interrupted. We need to be willing to do the same thing this holiday season.
We need to be willing to stop: our hectic schedules, our rushing around, and
our self-absorbed busyness. We need to be willing to look out for and stop to
help those who do not rush, glide, or otherwise move through this holiday
season, but who get stuck and sink down into the depression that is their lives
at Christmas time. We can learn, as I have learned, to watch out for those
stranded on the side of the road because at another time in life that may
have been or will be US.
May someone else be
blessed by your love and care this holiday season.
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