Back in late 2006, I was able to buy a bus from the Air Force on auction. At that time, God had provided for the funds to buy it by a gift of a boat. I sold the boat for a $1,000 and bought the bus for $650. In my mind was a picture of a bus converted to an RV for traveling the USA ministering as the Holy Spirit led us. I didn’t know where I would get the rest of the money for that project, but in 2007 God provided it, and I converted the bus. While in the process, I had learned how to convert it to run on veggie oil.
So, in June 2007, we set off for New York. Initially, I didn’t know where I would go, but I had decided to buy a Honda Gold Wing motorcycle and pull a trailer with the motorcycle on it. I found the motorcycle on E bay and bought it for $1,500. It was located near Rochester New York. We headed off to see what it would be like to live my faith and depend on God for direction and provisions.
After reaching NY and resting for a few days, we went to see Niagara Falls. We then decided that we would travel to Maine and go by Boston to see a friend and do some ministry with him while we were there. We headed in that direction, but immediately God turned us around and sent us toward Yellowstone in Montana via Canada, Michigan, Wisconsin, and North Dakota.
While in Yellowstone, we met a young women who was living near the Park and needed ministry. We wanted to stay and work in the park for a few months, but it didn’t work out. Later, we were glad that God had decided to send us on our way. We headed toward Washington, Utah, California, Colorado, and back across the US toward Gettysburg and then into the Washington DC area in northern Virginia. We had lived there for 25 years, prior to moving back to Florida in 2000. From Virginia we came back home to Pensacola, Florida.
All through the trip, we met people that helped us, and people who we helped. There were people that needed God and people who asked for us to pray for them. I spoke at one church where they gave us a tremendous welcome and $190. They didn’t know us from Adam, but the Spirit of God connected us together. My own home church couldn’t help us financially, but they gave us groceries and love. A place that I had done business with while living in Virginia gave us some diesel and kerosene.
Once, the bus broke down while we were exiting the Interstate in Indiana. (Actually the bus broke down many times.) On this particular breakdown, I couldn’t get it started, but a trucker took a rope and pulled us off the ramp to a nearby hotel which was next to a gas station. Someone came over from the gas station and gave us a piece of paper with a telephone number on it. Since I had prayed about the problem and since I didn’t know a single person in that town, I decided that the handwriting must be from God. I called the number, explained our situation, and told the man that I didn’t have any money. He send some guys over and they got the bus started. He told me to drive it to his shop and they would repair it completely. I drove to the shop, met the owner, and he insisted on repairing the bus for me. He said that it was a $1,500 job, but that he would do it for free because he loved God and wanted to help. I was totally amazed at the generosity of this man and the goodness of God. I know that God moved on his heart.
Another time we were going toward Denver from Utah. I let my wife chose the route and trusted to God for the outcome. We were going up a steep hill just past Vale CO. The bus had slowed down to about 15 MPH, and we were creeping up. I didn’t realize that the temperature was getting so low and the altitude was getting so high. The tunnel at the top was 10,000 feet high. Before we got anywhere near the top the bus stopped in the road. Within 5 minutes a highway patrolman stopped behind us. He asked if he could call a towing company for us. I told him that I couldn’t afford a towing company. He said that I was in danger and couldn’t stay in that situation. He then called the tunnel and asked if they could send a truck to pull us up to the top. The man came and gave me a little diesel, but the bus still wouldn’t start because of the temperature and altitude. So, he towed us to the top and through the tunnel. He pulled us to a pull over just outside the tunnel.
After trying for the final time to start the bus without success, I decided that perhaps I could let the bus coast down the mountain and bump start it. WRONG! The bus wouldn’t bump start and we were going down the hill at about 70 MPH with no engine, power steering, and we had air brakes. Every time I put my foot on the brake to slow down, the air pressure would go down. Since the engine wasn’t running, the pressure would eventually drop to a point where I wouldn’t have any brakes at all. Of course, I was praying during this whole thing. As we came around a curve, I could see an exit down into a little town called Georgetown. I only had a few seconds to decide whether to exit or go straight. At the last second, I saw that if I took the exit, I wouldn’t be able to stop in time and would rear-end the car ahead of me that was taking the exit. I proceeded to go straight and immediately saw a wide spot ahead and pushing with all my strength,we stopped the bus there. Blue smoke was coming out from the brakes, but we were well out of traffic, but still on the Interstate. We had to stay there in the bus overnight listening to the 18 wheelers coming down that mountain and praying they wouldn’t hit us in the dark. Some people gave me a little money to buy some diesel, but the bus still wouldn’t start. The temperature dropped that night and there was ice on a lake nearby. The next day, a young man stopped and towed me on down the mountain. I was able to get the bus started, and took a route through the mountain that was all downhill to Denver. The bus quit running as soon as I pulled into the Denver Walmart parking lot. We were safe and able to do ministry right there in the parking lot!
I’ve got a hundred more stories like this. Maybe, I’ll tell more sometime. But the biggest thing that I learned from all of this and more is this: God is completely reliable and can be fully trusted. If we put our trust in Him, we will never be ashamed!
Thank you Jesus for who you are and especially for being there for us and in us! I love you Lord.
