In 2015, someone wanted to help us get a small
bus. This person knew the owner of a school bus company. It was a tough sell because this businessman was not open to helping a Christian ministry. But perseverance prevailed and after several
conversations, he relented and gave us a 2006, 20-seater bus along with the legal paperwork.
Shipping the bus to San Diego, was the best and cheapest way to get it to Tijuana. Once in San Diego, we then could apply to the Mexican customs to legally import the vehicle into Mexico. The shipping and importing costs were about $3,800. It was a bargain compared to buying a used vehicle in California. The regulations stipulated that I had to be in San Diego to get the delivery of the bus because the paperwork could only be done in my name and not in the name of Tender Loving Care Children Ministries.
In July, I was in Tijuana for our annual TLCCM Vacation Bible School program. My plan was to make all the arrangements to have the bus imported during my October trip. But, once in Tijuana, someone familiar with the Mexican customs and regulations, informed me that the bus could not imported. This donated vehicle was too old to satisfy the criteria of the Mexican border authorities. The importation law required the vehicle be no older than a 2009 model.
I was completely devastated. Here I was with the donated bus that we so badly needed, but no legal way to get it to Mexico. During that time the bus was parked at my local church. I had nowhere else to store it while we figured out what to do. Returning it to the original owner was absolutely out of the question. I thought of selling it, at least this way TLCCM could get some needed funds out of this entire experience.
At the time my church was providing Sunday morning transportation for people living far from the church. A small bus was a possible solution. After discussing this matter with TLCCM’s financial advisor and with the church pastor, the decision was made to give the bus to my local church.
For several weeks “my” bus was still parked
in the church parking lot while the church did the paperwork to register it in their name. It was
parked just a few feet away from my parking space. Every time I parked my car
and saw the bus, my heart sank, and I thought, “but Lord this is my bus”.
One Sunday morning, as I came out of the church, and saw “my bus”, I once again complained to the Lord saying: “Lord this is my bus.” Immediately, I felt the Holy Spirit whisper in my ear: “Denise, if this was your bus, it would already be in Mexico.” With tears pouring down my cheeks, I sat in my car and asked the Lord to forgive me for my lack of trust in Him to provide for our need of a vehicle to transport the children in Tijuana.
For a few years, every Sunday morning the bus was used to pick up people to take them to church. I am grateful that the Lord used this situation to teach me that nothing is mine unless the Lord permits it to be. No, I never got another bus. Nevertheless, I can honestly say that I have been completely at peace with this situation. Meanwhile in Tijuana, week after week I saw the Lord provided the transportation that was needed and He did it without “my bus”.
One day, in the months following
this experience, I read the following paragraph that said: “How hard it can be to trust in God’s timing.
We are a people who want what we want and would prefer it right now. Sometimes
it seems as if we are not even on God’s clock. Yet, there is never a time in
which He is not aware of the desires of our hearts. He does, however,
know better than we do, whether what we want to happen is necessary or good
for us. Sometimes His timing may be just the amount we need to see that what we
thought we needed, we never did, or that the waiting made the receiving that
much better. His timing will always be perfect, even when our trust in it is not.”
The following bible verse is very appropriate for this situation:” There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens”. (Ecclesiastes 3:1) (NIV))
All I can say is: “Lord, You absolutely and always know what is best for us.” AMEN!
Denise
Please note: To protect the privacy of the various people involved in this situation no names or specific details are made public. Picture of the bus is not of the actual bus but was a free download. Bible verse is in the NIV.
