As with several parts of our trip, we rent a car to get around. We were blessed for the Midwest Loop with a car lent to us from a member of the church in Minnesota. We will be similarly blessed in California. But in the other places we will be renting a car. As anyone renting a car presently knows, prices have gone up. So when we planned our trip we were looking for the best prices.
On arriving in Texas we expected the normal shuttle from the airport to the car rental place. This time we also needed to take an extra shuttle to an off-airport location of this cheaper rental provider. This might have been a portent. When we arrived we were required to purchase an extremely expensive insurance. We considered choosing a different provider, but were of course now in the middle of the city with no way to get anywhere. We were over a barrel. So we signed. It did mean that the car was well covered as far as insurance was concerned - or at least that is what they told us.
As it turned out, the car had a slow leak in the right front tire. We of course did not see this until the next morning when the car itself told us of the problem and told us to inflate the tire to the correct psi. We inflated and drove on. The next morning, the tire was low again, so we inflated again. But now we knew that there was something not quite right with the tire.
When we arrived at our destination (Abilene), we were finally able to contact the rental company and ask what we needed to do. It was a Sunday. The rental company informed us first that tires were not covered - they were our responsibility. So although we had the most expensive insurance, covering everything, it somehow did not cover leaking tires. But after some back-and-forth they gave us a number for roadside assistance.
The roadside assistance sent a tow truck to tow our car…. To where? We had no idea. We were supposed to receive information digitally, but nothing showed up. We called the tow truck in the evening, disturbing his evening, and were informed of the address the tow truck had been given. We tried to call, but it was of course Sunday evening. No one was available.
The next morning we tried as well, but it was Memorial Day and shops were closed. We drove by with a friend and saw the car, but the shop was closed. We would have to wait for the next morning. We were planning on traveling on that day, so it was imperative that we get the car back in time. We would be flying on Wednesday.
When Tuesday arrived, the phone marathon began. The shop where the car was left had no idea why it was there and could not help us. The rental company didn’t answer their phone. The roadside assistance needed to know which insurance was used, but we didn’t know since it came from the rental company. The towing company would figure out where the keys were left. The rental company still didn’t answer.
In the end, we were able to track down the car and the keys. We picked up the keys at a collision place (who of course could not hel[ us with tires) drove it down to a tire place where it was fixed for FREE - Thank you Discount Tire on Catclaw in Abilene! This made everything amazing, even if we were later than we wanted to be. We were able to get on the road back to Haslet where we could rest one more time before returning the car.
We planned on complaining when we returned the car on Wednesday, but a major accident on the way snarled traffic to a stop and we had just enough time to drop off the car and get on the shuttle to the shuttle to the airport. So in the end we got where we needed to be - no thanks to the “easy” rental company.
But that was only part of the trip. The rest was the big, wonderful adventure of a Texas visit. We stopped in twice at our good friends, the McNeill’s (after arriving and before leaving). Memories of times in Belgium, catching up with current life and sharing beautiful Texas sunsets and wide open Texas skies.
The second day in Texas had us driving down to a ranch outside of Throckmorton to meet with the Bundy’s. The Bundy’s had been everywhere in Europe, where we met them in Switzerland and Belgium. Sean spent some of his time living with them at their apartment in Brussels. (You can see pictures of that time here.) Now they are in Lubbock when they are not out at this ranch with their family. And now we were welcomed here.
The weather threatened to rain, but cleared up enough for Scott to even throw some discs at the homemade discgolf (three targets) before dinner with Bill’s brother and sister-in-law. Big steaks, baked potatoes and ice cream to boot. We were able to share good conversation, talking about the work of God’s kingdom in sod many places around the world.
We drove off the next day in a storm that had been waiting to fall. The rain slashed across our windshield as we drove over the single lane highway through the vastness of empty space filled with mesquite trees. Driving down into Abilene, the clouds parted for a moment before closing again as we reached our destination at our friend’s E.B. and Jean Dotson’s.
Walking into the Dotson’s house is always a coming home. We stay here every time we return to the States and look forward to how we can be at home here. We can say hello to the birds, just sit quietly, or engage in various conversations. We always enjoy a movie together at some time. This time we added popcorn and m&m’s on the last evening together.
In the meantime we were blessed on the Sunday with family time. Our very first congregation, two days after we were married, was S. 11th & Willis in Abilene. When we decided to begin the work in Maastricht, they were right there to support us financially and have been with us since then. They support and have supported missions in Europe, Africa, and Asia.
This would be our last visit with them as a supporting congregation, since they would be ending their support, but it was so good to be able to see members we have known so long and who have loved us for so long. Scott preached and we enjoyed conversations afterwards before going out to lunch, being blessed by hospitable hearts.
In the evening we attended another congregation in the area and talked about what we do with the church in Belgium and The Netherlands. Since we were losing support, some friends encouraged us to consider picking the missed support up somewhere else. In this meeting we met with people who already had links with missions in Germany and were more than willing to listen to what was happening in the neighboring countries. Texas hearts and hospitality are big and wonderful.
Our drive back to the airport covered all the vastness of West Texas fields and skies which seem to stretch out forever. The sky is nowhere as blue as in Texas. And our last evening in Texas was one with good friends and peace. Our Tale of the Difficult Rental ended - as a trying sickness ends with a feeling of exhaustion and a desire to simply move on. We are so thankful for the trips we are able to take, for the people who welcome us so warmly. No we move on to the next step and the next stories. If you want to see some pictures from Texas, you can find them here.
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