We were headed up a hill and that's when the truck stopped and started rolling backwards…
REWIND
Everyday my team travels 1.5 hours to our ministry spot. We take one 15 passenger van, which usually has 18-25 people aboard to the center of Quiche (our town), a second connecting van to Chichi (the next major town through the mountains), then walk a few blocks before getting into the back of a truck which will take us on the back mountain roads to our final destination of Patzibal.
After just a few days we befriended Manu, the back roads truck driver. He had faithfully picked us up daily to take us to and from ministry until the fateful day.
The day started with Manu having a flat tire that we had to replace.
After fixing that, the engine started running weird so we walked the rest of the way to our ministry spot.
Before leaving Jason, one of my teammates suggested we pray for the car and that's exactly what we did.
We were at our ministry for a few hours and then we hiked back down to meet up with Manu to head back to our base back in Quiche.
Manu said the truck was all better and we were read to go!
So we all 14 of us piled in the bed of the truck as usual and we were on our way!
Up and down the hills, the truck was running like a champ. Until one hill when we started rolling backwards.
We thought possibly we just didn't have enough speed to climb the hill, but when we rolled all the way back to end and the car sputtered until it turned off, we realized that wasn't the case. Manu tried several times to get the truck going again to no avail and then he finally got out and told us he would call his friend who could come pick us up in 5 minutes.
Then one of my teammates verbalized what I was thinking, "Let's pray for it again."
So we told Manu we were going to pray for it one more time and he agreed. We prayed that the Lord would heal Manu's truck, because more than us just getting up that hill, Manu's truck was his source of income, how he provides for his family. We prayed for his family and most importantly, his heart. It was a short simple prayer but it was a prayer of faith.
We said amen and then asked Manu to try the truck again. We told his the Lord had fixed his truck and it was indeed going to work.
He agreed and hopped in the truck.
The key turned which led to a little putter and then silence.
The key turned again and the engine began! Manu began to rev the engine and it roared!
It was working. (mind blown.)
Manu shifted into first gear with ease and then we were on our way. The Lord fixed his truck!
As we chugged up the hill like the little train that could we sang "There is power in the name of Jesus." That truck that was completely broken down just minutes before made it the entire rest of the journey through the back mountains roads of Guatemala.
Manu and his totally restored truck!
God is the best mechanic!!
