Muddin'

Oh boy, today I wished that I had been a little less of a city girl and more of a redneck growing up! My biggest fear is getting stuck in the mud, flipping a car into a ditch, or flooding a car (probably because of our experience prior to being missionaries where our car flooded and Easton was stuck inside). When we moved to Africa, Kendall took me out back and showed me how to lock the tires and drive in 4x4. He said that if I ever thought I would get stuck or couldn't manage to climb a certain terrain that 4x4 would ALWAYS work! He explained H4 (high 4) was best and L4 (low 4) was even better...but you can burn up an engine using it too much. Needless to say, my preference is H4. So yesterday, going to Minga Stop Hospital I pulled over, locked the tires with the pliers, threw it into H4 and I was NOT afraid of mud or deep water puddles! Today, heading out of our gate to the market I was NOT in H4 or any kind of "secure" driving state when I began to make the short 3 kilometer trip to the market!

It rained all night long and the roads here are made of "slippery dirt". Its kinda like driving on an oil slick track. NOT FUN. Needless to say, I prayed a LOT as I slid perpendicular to the road and held the steering wheel tight and drove SLOW! I kept repeating in my mind, I have a shovel if I get stuck, go slow, don't run the tires deeper into the mud, and 4x4 will always help! At this moment 15-20 Zambian men are stopped watching this WHITE woman get herself out of this SLIPPERY situation. They are building a cell tower right next to the place I have slid and I was so nervous that I would slide and hit the piles of rocks or bricks that were lining the road. NICE! Kinda felt like NASCAR African style. Anyway, the adventure was scary, I was shaking when I arrived at the post office and swore that if I had to go to the market again that day, I was walking! I had to go to the market and I walked! I think that in life at times like that you really have to just learn by doing it, but thanks to my sweet husband who taught me about 4x4 and driving on African roads...I SURVIVED!

The things I have learned about driving after heavy rains in Africa

1) Mud is bad, Black Mud is worse, Sand is good.

2) When in doubt, 4x4.

3) Drive slow enough not to slide too much, but not too slow as to get stuck.

4) L4 will burn up an engine, use sparingly.

5)PRAY PRAY PRAY, God is the best pilot anyway!