Could it be...? Is it possible that after 2 and a half years on the missionfield that the Burge Family could be getting a car? While we are thankful that God has provided a means - actually it has been several different means - of transportation for us over the 2 1/2 years it may finally be the timing for a vehicle of our own!
For those of you who are not familiar with this whole issue here is a quick summary... We arrived in June of 2006 and we were totally relient on public transportation. Usually we took buses, some with air some without which gets pretty hot when the space is shared with up to 100+ other bodies in the heat of the Dominican Republic. =) We occasionally took a "publico" otherwise known as a public car. Some of you have been able to see these in person and were shocked that we rode in them. LOL Anywho, they are usually cars that are pretty badly beaten up but they carry passengers up and down a certain route (usually one particular street), they are pretty cheap but you may have to change to a few different "publicos" to get to your final destination. They are usually pretty crowded with 7 people sitting in a 5 seater. =) I will tell you that one time we were in one that the floorboard was rotting out of and I said to Greg, who's lap I was sitting on with my head partially out of the window and holding on tightly, I said," You know, a little more out of that floorboard and we could be like the Flintstones and use our feet to move the car along! Ha! Ha!" We have also been in a few where the front seats were being held up by a rope tied from one side of the car to the other. All of them run on a propane tank which is chained to the car in the trunk. Sounds like fun and adventure doesn't it?! Well, this was our transportation for a lot of the time.
God also brought us vehicles to use. We have several missionary friends here in the capital who have leant us their vehicles when they were going to be out of the country to travel elsewhere. A few of those we have been able to use more than once. There is also a family, who has been so wonderful in allowing us to use their van most anytime we have needed it. A special "thank you" to each of them. I will keep their names anonymous but they know and God knows who they are! =)
Okay...now for more about the car...
There is a 1999 Isuzu Trooper for sale that is in great shape, has had one owner (a missionary who has had to leave the field for a while to take care of family back in the US) who kept it up and kept the paperwork. It has 67,188 miles on it. It has good tires with pretty thick treads still on them. Now for the price...we need to raise $13,000. This amount will cover the total cost of purchasing the Trooper, pay for the Taxes (They are so much higher here than in the US), the Revista (which is our inspection and sticker), an oil & filter change, a year of Car Insurance, and it will give us a little to put into savings for future maintainence. I know that may sound like a lot for a 1999 that is in great shape, but you must understand that it would be more costly for us to buy one in the US and have it shipped here and pay Customs. We plan to keep it for as long as the Lord keeps it running. We hope it will be like the clothes and sandals that the Isrealites wore in the desert for 40 years without them ever wearing out! =)
Needless to say, we have both thought hard about it and prayed about it and we both have a real Peace about this being the right car. We have decided to step out in Faith once again and believe God to bring in the money neccessary to purchase and maintain the car. Afterall, He IS Jehovah Jireh - Our Provider! =) He has never let us down before!
Now is where you come in...we are asking each of you to pray about this with us and to consider being a part of getting a car for us, The Burge Family. If you wish to contribute to this an account is set up through Bethel Worship Center in Camden, S.C. You will receive a tax-deductible reciept for your donations. You may mail your checks to:
Bethel Worship Center
814 Fair Street
Camden, SC 29020
Please put "Burge" on the Memo Line of your check.
Thank you so much for all that you have already done for us by being part of our "Team" through your faithful prayers, support, and telling others about us. We love you! We can't wait to share with you as we watch God bring this all together. We promise to keep you updated so that you can rejoice with us in God's Blessings and Faithfulness!
For those of you who are not familiar with this whole issue here is a quick summary... We arrived in June of 2006 and we were totally relient on public transportation. Usually we took buses, some with air some without which gets pretty hot when the space is shared with up to 100+ other bodies in the heat of the Dominican Republic. =) We occasionally took a "publico" otherwise known as a public car. Some of you have been able to see these in person and were shocked that we rode in them. LOL Anywho, they are usually cars that are pretty badly beaten up but they carry passengers up and down a certain route (usually one particular street), they are pretty cheap but you may have to change to a few different "publicos" to get to your final destination. They are usually pretty crowded with 7 people sitting in a 5 seater. =) I will tell you that one time we were in one that the floorboard was rotting out of and I said to Greg, who's lap I was sitting on with my head partially out of the window and holding on tightly, I said," You know, a little more out of that floorboard and we could be like the Flintstones and use our feet to move the car along! Ha! Ha!" We have also been in a few where the front seats were being held up by a rope tied from one side of the car to the other. All of them run on a propane tank which is chained to the car in the trunk. Sounds like fun and adventure doesn't it?! Well, this was our transportation for a lot of the time.
God also brought us vehicles to use. We have several missionary friends here in the capital who have leant us their vehicles when they were going to be out of the country to travel elsewhere. A few of those we have been able to use more than once. There is also a family, who has been so wonderful in allowing us to use their van most anytime we have needed it. A special "thank you" to each of them. I will keep their names anonymous but they know and God knows who they are! =)
Okay...now for more about the car...
There is a 1999 Isuzu Trooper for sale that is in great shape, has had one owner (a missionary who has had to leave the field for a while to take care of family back in the US) who kept it up and kept the paperwork. It has 67,188 miles on it. It has good tires with pretty thick treads still on them. Now for the price...we need to raise $13,000. This amount will cover the total cost of purchasing the Trooper, pay for the Taxes (They are so much higher here than in the US), the Revista (which is our inspection and sticker), an oil & filter change, a year of Car Insurance, and it will give us a little to put into savings for future maintainence. I know that may sound like a lot for a 1999 that is in great shape, but you must understand that it would be more costly for us to buy one in the US and have it shipped here and pay Customs. We plan to keep it for as long as the Lord keeps it running. We hope it will be like the clothes and sandals that the Isrealites wore in the desert for 40 years without them ever wearing out! =)
Needless to say, we have both thought hard about it and prayed about it and we both have a real Peace about this being the right car. We have decided to step out in Faith once again and believe God to bring in the money neccessary to purchase and maintain the car. Afterall, He IS Jehovah Jireh - Our Provider! =) He has never let us down before!
Now is where you come in...we are asking each of you to pray about this with us and to consider being a part of getting a car for us, The Burge Family. If you wish to contribute to this an account is set up through Bethel Worship Center in Camden, S.C. You will receive a tax-deductible reciept for your donations. You may mail your checks to:
Bethel Worship Center
814 Fair Street
Camden, SC 29020
Please put "Burge" on the Memo Line of your check.
Thank you so much for all that you have already done for us by being part of our "Team" through your faithful prayers, support, and telling others about us. We love you! We can't wait to share with you as we watch God bring this all together. We promise to keep you updated so that you can rejoice with us in God's Blessings and Faithfulness!
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