1968 RENAULT R-10

During our furlough in 1968, my brother, Bob, loaned us his economical new Renault for a trip to the Northwoods of Michigan. We fell in love with the little car and decided it would be nice to have a car like that someday.

We served in the large city of Linz during our second term in Austria. There were enormous distances involved in our many ministries. Many Sundays I preached in three churches, driving hundreds of kilometers. We were also responsible for the youth work and since two of the youth had gone together to purchase a VW Bus, there was no longer any need for us to have one. In July, 1969, we decided to sell it and purchase a more economical car. I received permission from the owner of a service station to put our bus on his parking lot with a "For Sale" sign in the window. The following day, there was a nearly new 1968 Renault R-10 sitting right next to it. It had less than 5,000 miles on the tachometer, but had been sideswiped. The owner said he was going to fix it up to sell. I expressed an interest and when he named an unbelievably low price, a contract was soon signed. After selling our bus, we even had money left over!

1970 MAZDA STATION WAGON

A year later, our third child was born and we felt a bit cramped in the little Renault. Verna began to talk about how convenient the VW Bus had been, but I reminded her that it was also expensive to drive.

The first Japanese cars were introduced in Austria in 1970. Mazda was first and a year later, Toyota. People were leery about how well they would hold up and whether parts and services would be available. Because the cars were not selling, Mazda dealers dropped prices and began to invent ways to promote them. They offered cars to taxi owners at dealer's cost with the condition that they keep accurate records on economy and repairs.

I saw a little white Mazda station wagon in a showroom one day and stopped to look. The young salesman didn't want to miss a chance to sell and started to bargain with me. While he talked, I did some calculating in my head. Our Renault was only three years old, looked and ran great, but it needed tires, shocks, brakes and other minor repairs worth about $600. The salesman offered me more than we had paid for the Renault and the difference seemed manageable. When he tried to seal the deal, I said, "I need to go home and pray with my wife about this." Thinking he had heard incorrectly, the salesman asked, "You pray about buying cars?" I assured him that this was our practice.

When I returned the next day, he was more interested in my prayer life than in selling the car. He began coming to our youth center and we became good friends. He and his wife even came to our home for Sunday dinner, but he couldn't bring himself to accept Christ. His staunch Catholic family had all but severed relationships with him when he married a Muslim girl. If he became a believer, he felt he would also lose his wife. No, he couldn't make that sacrifice.

But we bought the car! I kept good mileage records and that information helped our salesman friend sell more cars.

A VESPA FOR THE POPE'S YOUTH LEADER

In February, 1972, a boy who attended our youth center moved to Germany. I noticed that his 1961 150cc Vespa was still parked along the road getting rusty, so on a visit to his home, I asked him about it. He handed me the title and said, "You can have it!"

I worked over the engine until it purred like a kitten. Then I repainted it and put it up for sale.

In order to sell it, I needed to transfer the title to my own name, but it wasn't necessary to get tags. At the Motor Vehicle Agency, I was handed a lengthy form to fill out. I completed what I felt to be pertinent like my name and address, VIN number and other vital statistics. I handed it to the official and after a quick glance, he gave the form back saying, "The form must be filled out in its entirety! You left out several lines."

Dutifully, I filled out the form in detail, giving my birthplace, date of birth, citizenship, academic degree, title and religious affiliation. Under "occupation", I was uncertain about what to write. If I wrote "missionary", he would assume that I lived and worked in Africa or some other exotic land. In the minds of Austrians, missionaries only go to heathen lands and that would certainly eliminate Austria! If I wrote "carpenter" or any other profession into the blank, I would be required to give the name and address of my employer and tax number. I finally wrote "migrant laborer" in the blank and got back in line.

The official first took issue with my religious affiliation. "What is a Papstist?", he asked. Do you mean Catholic?" The German word for Pope is "Papst" and "Papstist" means follower of the Pope. I explained that there are creatures called Baptists and that he could look in the phone book if he didn't believe me.

When he came to "occupation", he nearly exploded. "Who ever heard of a migrant laborer from America!" I explained that I had learned the carpenter trade but Austrian law prevented me from giving this as my occupation because I had not learned it in Austria. I then told him that I was a youth leader in the Baptist Church. He crossed out "migrant laborer" and wrote "Papstist Jungendleiter" (Papal Youth Leader!) into the blank.

1960 VW Micro Bus and 1967 Opel Kadett (I repainted both)

TEMPORARY VEHICLES

When my parents came to visit us in 1971, they wanted to rent a car, but I offered them our Mazda instead. I said that if they would send me $300 in advance, I would buy an older vehicle to use while they traveled around Europe. I bought a 1960 VW bus. After they returned to America, I painted it and sold it for a nice profit.

In 1972, the youth who had the VW bus sold it and purchased cars, so we traded our Mazda for an almost new 1971 VW bus. Just before our furlough in 1973, we were able to sell it again for a good price and took an older Opel Kadett station wagon in trade. I painted it copper bronze and sold it before leaving for our furlough.

FURLOUGH CARS

Furlough cars have been both a source of joy and pain, but in every case they provide memories! In our thirty eight years of missionary work, we have had many experiences with furlough cars.

We once met a single missionary from Spain who was complaining about her furlough car. She lamented, "I just can't understand it! I bought the car from a pastor for whom I have much respect. He told me that he had never, ever had any problems with this car and was selling it only because the Lord had miraculously provided him another vehicle. I have had nothing but problems with this car!"

Without much thought, I mentioned that the Lord must have had good reasons for the pastor to get another car! I knew right away that it was the wrong thing to say, but it was too late.

1968 LTD STATION WAGON

In 1973, we left for another furlough in America. My brother Dave offered to find us a good station wagon and even bought it for us to use without charge. It was a 1968 Ford LTD with room for ten passengers. We drove the car to California and back with only one minor problem. The air conditioning quit in Utah, so we crossed the salt desert at night and slept during the day. We got it fixed in California.

1974 FORD PINTO

That was the only furlough we ever took that lasted a whole year; it was a good furlough in every respect. We were able to purchase printing equipment for the print shop and we even had enough money to purchase a new car. Our Ford Pinto station wagon cost only $2,782 in December, 1973. We also bought a second-hand pop-up camping trailer for $125.

Travel by air had become less expensive than by ship, but with so much to take back, we opted for the latter. I built shipping crates for the printing equipment and our personal belongings which would fit in the camping trailer. By taking the car and trailer, we would save money that normally would be spent on ground transportation from the port to Austria.

We drove our Pinto pulling the trailer to New York City, where we boarded the S.S. France. This was to be its final Atlantic crossing before being sold to Norway. We stood on the deck of the ship watching dock workers load containers, crates, cars, boats and campers into the hold of the largest passenger liner afloat. After fifteen minutes, we still hadn't seen our car, so I asked a lady standing next to us if she had seen them load a metallic bronze station wagon. "Oh no!" she responded, "Was that your car?" She then told us that a cable had snapped during loading and the car fell four decks down to the bottom of the ship! It was totally demolished! Our heats sank. "Are you sure it was a metallic bronze-colored station wagon -- was it a Ford Pinto?" She said that she didn't know what make the car was, but it was definitely a metallic bronze station wagon!

I ran down to the purser's office and tried to get information, but there had been no report of a damaged car. It wasn't until we were several hours out to sea that we received word on the car. The wrecked car was indeed a bronze station wagon; but it was an American Motors "Ambassador," registered in Canada. Our car was not damaged. When we arrived in France, we saw the wrecked vehicle on the pier. We also watched a dock worker drive another luxury car over a large wooden block. The car got jammed and would move neither forward nor backward. The worker kept gunning the motor in an attempt to free the car until the automatic transmission housing was punctured and oil gushed out onto the pier. We thanked the Lord for His protection.

FUN WITH LICENSE PLATES

After returning to Austria, we drove our car with the New Jersey plates for three months. That was quite an experience! Soon after our arrival, a fellow missionary accompanied me to visit a lady from the church. I parked the car in a parking spot that was limited to 90 minutes. There are no parking meters in Austria, but one must have a cardboard or plastic clock visible through the windshield, which can be set showing the time of arrival. If a policeman sees that the hour-and-a-half time limit has expired or that the clock had been set wrong (some try cheating by setting it for a later time), the owner receives a ticket. I had not gotten one of those clocks yet, but since we were only stopping for a minute or two, I didn't worry about it.

When we returned to the car, a policeman had just placed a ticket under the windshield wiper. While the officer watched from across the street, I took the ticket, studied it for a minute, and then asked my fellow worker in English if he knew what it said. He just shrugged. I speared the ticket onto the radio antenna and drove away. I wonder if he sent the ticket to "Garden State NJ" to collect the $2 fine!

We visited the Austrian equivalent of a county fair, but every parking space within a mile of the fair grounds was filled. There were a few open spaces right next to the entrance, but a sign declared that those spaces were reserved for VIPs, mainly politicians. A policeman was standing there to make certain that no one else used them. I drove right into one of the empty spots and greeted the policeman with a friendly "Good morning, sir!" He smiled back and wished me a good day. After several hours, we returned to find the friendly policeman still guarding our car. As I unlocked the door, we again exchanged friendly smiles and greetings - in English of course!

The city of Linz was in the midst of several ambitious building projects and planning even more. Because these cost a lot of tax money, there are critics who argue about the necessity of such expenditures. City officials decided to display models of future projects and invite the public to view them, ask questions and express their opinions. The date they chose was a Sunday, and I was to be in Steyr all day. I really wanted to see the exhibit and decided that if we arrived when it opened, we could still get to church on time. I drove up to the main entrance in our Ford Pinto with its American license plates. Several Mercedes and BMW limousines were already parked at the curb and a group of distinguished gentlemen stood near them, chatting and puffing on cigars. I got out and opened the door for Verna and our three children. All of us were dressed in our Sunday attire and I realized that we had become the focal point of attention as we marched into the building. An important looking man greeted us and gave us a royal tour of the displays, sharing details and asking if we had any questions. Looking at my watch, I said that we really didn't have much time and that I was most interested in the traffic projects planned for the city. He graciously obliged and began elaborating on the necessity, cost and other details of a projected 4-lane highway and cloverleaf. I was enjoying all this attention and after a brief examination of the cloverleaf, I asked if bicycles would be allowed and if so, where would they ride without causing congestion or getting killed. He studied the model and then looked at the plans on paper. With an embarrassed expression on his face, he admitted that this aspect had apparently not been considered. He hastily thanked me for my insight and added that he would make careful note of this for the engineers. We returned to the car, curious eyes following us all the way. I knew what they were asking each other: "Who on earth were those people?" Whenever I drive on that cloverleaf and see the bicycle path, I am reminded of that Sunday!

Not every experience we had was enjoyable. Verna and I drove into the city one hot day to do some errands. While Verna waited in the car, I ran into a store to get something. A man of about fifty walked by, stopped, looked at the license tags and muttered, "USA - [expletive deleted]!" Then he took a few steps backward and spit in Verna's face through the open car window!

GETTING AUSTRIAN TAGS

I had three months to get the car changed over to Austrian tags and registration. I had done my homework well, paying close attention to requirements of the law for importing a vehicle. Before driving to the customs office, I carefully arranged the documents and translations in my briefcase.

When it was my turn, I greeted the official by his proper title and explained my errand briefly. I said that I realized this was a very complicated process and I was very likely missing some piece of paper, stamp or permit. Then I laid one document after another on his desk, quoting the laws, rulings and stipulations pertaining to that particular item. When everything was lying in order, I again apologized that I was not experienced at this sort of thing and asked him to let me know if something was missing. He was obviously not accustomed to that kind of efficiency and studied everything carefully. Finally, he said that all was in order and stamped "duty free" on the title.

The next step was getting the car through inspection. An official in the office ascertained that all my papers were in order and sent me to an inspection station, where the car was examined in detail. I had already changed the headlights and taillights to conform to Austrian standards. Turning lights must be amber, so I painted the inside of the backup light lenses with special paint and wired them accordingly. I still needed a back-up light, but not two of them. I mounted an accessory light on the bumper to fulfill that purpose.

A mechanic got in the car to start it, but nothing happened when he turned the key. I explained that he needed to hook up the seat belt before it would start. He muttered something under his breath and obliged. When he unbelted himself with the motor running, a buzzer sounded and he wanted to know what that was. He shook his head in disbelief when I told him how safety-conscious Americans were. I explained that the massive bumpers would withstand an impact of 10 mph. The mechanic then shoved a tube up the exhaust pipe to check emissions. The gauge of his machine didn't move. He pressed down on the gas, but the needle barely moved. He cursed and gave the machine a kick with his foot. I had to explain that Americans were also quite concerned about the environment. This car had many pollution controls! Today, Europeans think that the Americans are not careful enough about such things.

Once the car passed inspection, I headed home, elated that everything had gone so well. It was only noon, but the Motor Vehicle Agency is only open in the mornings. I would have to wait until the following day to get the tags and registration.

I was one of the first in line at the Motor Vehicle Agency. When I got to the window, I placed my pile of documents on the counter and explained what I was after in as friendly a tone as possible. The inspector leafed through the papers carefully. Finally satisfied that everything was in order, he pulled out a pair of tags and started to type. I realized that he was about to give me temporary tags, which are normally only given to migrant laborers. Recalling what a representative of the same agency had told me before about migrant workers, I said, "Excuse me Sir, but I am an American and live permanently in Austria. I have always been issued regular Austrian plates." Perhaps he had a spat with his spouse that morning, or maybe his superior had criticized his work. He replied gruffly, "You are a foreigner! You get temporary tags!"

I knew what this would mean. I would be stopped repeatedly by the police to see if my papers were in order. The tags cost nearly double and had to be renewed each year. I attempted again to convince the agent, "If you check my file Sir, you will see that my last car had regular tags. I have lived here for many years." He was not about to change his mind and let me know this in no uncertain terms. Having no other recourse, I said nothing more and accepted the tags.

As already mentioned, we also brought a pop-up tent camper back with us. Because we hadn't owned it six months before entering Austria, I knew that we would have to pay import duty. The trailer was twelve years old and only cost $125 dollars, so I wasn't too concerned about that. I went through the same process with the trailer as with the car. The customs officer recognized me right away and took care of the matter in short order. Looking in a big book, he noted the distance between America and Austria, multiplying this by a sum of Austrian money. Then he calculated the exchange rate for what I paid for the trailer and added this to the figure. I wound up paying $200, but didn't complain. We had saved much more than that on shipping and transportation costs.

At the inspection station, the same man who checked the Pinto, took care of the trailer. I had changed the lights but he said that I would have to remove the four support jacks from the corners of the trailer. No sharp edges were allowed in Austria! I got out my tools and unbolted the scissor jacks. While I was doing so, the inspector said, "You can remount them when you get home. No one is going to check up on you!"

The following day I was at the Motor Vehicle Agency again. The man at the counter took one look at my papers and asked for my car registration - the one he had just issued two days earlier. He glanced at the document and said with a harsh tone, "I can't issue you tags for the trailer." I wanted to know what papers were missing. He said that nothing was missing. Austrian law requires that a trailer have the same type of tags as the vehicle towing it, but there are no temporary tags for trailers. I argued, "But I paid duty on it and paid to get it inspected." He assured me that there was nothing he could do. I hesitated and then asked hopefully, "Could you give me regular tags for both vehicles?" With a note of finality in his voice, he let me know that no amount of argumentation would be of any benefit.

I checked with the Austrian Touring Club and a lawyer, but they said there was nothing I could do unless the official changed his mind. I knew what they meant. If I bribed him, he would likely change his mind. Christian friends had told me that this was sometimes a "necessary evil" in Austria. I have spoken with missionaries from third world countries who have to pay bribes for just about every service including mail delivery! The missionaries there consider it "tipping" because officials receive very little pay for exactly this reason. The idea of bribing a well-paid Austrian public official, however, was repulsive and I was determined not to stoop that low.

When summer arrived, we wanted to use the trailer for our vacation, so I returned to the Motor Vehicle Agency and courteously requested regular tags for the car and trailer. The agent recognized me and remained adamant, saying he couldn't give me the tags. I was prepared for his response and argued that he had issued regular tags to other foreigners living in Linz. Why did he give them preference over me? He answered, "The gods were with them!" I replied, "I don't believe in gods; I believe in God and He is going to help me get regular tags." At this remark, he stared at me with a quizzical look and said, "And how do you expect to accomplish that?" I pulled a list of names and addresses out of my briefcase (important Austrians always carry these). I said, "All the people on this list are foreigners like me, but you have issued them regular plates. Some of them have doctorates and others are high ranking officials in the local industries. Either I get regular license plates or these persons will have to relinquish theirs and get temporary tags! I am prepared to take this case to court."

The agent looked briefly at my list and saw that I was not bluffing. He said, "Just a moment while I make a phone call." I was familiar with that trick and knew I had won! He picked up the phone and talked briefly with a fictitious person on the other end of the line. After hanging up, he returned and said that he had received permission to make an exception in my case.

Months later, I accompanied Verna to the same office to pick up her driver's license. We had to walk by the window of that agent and he spotted me from a distance. He said, "Good morning, Mr. Harvey, is there anything I can do for you today?"

1976 Ford Taunus

We were able to import our Ford Pinto duty free but were not allowed to sell it for two years after registering it. The Pinto was only a four passenger vehicle and our children kept growing. Soon we faced a battle every time we took our children on a longer trip. Becky was not happy about always having to sit in the middle. "I don't want to sit on the hump again!", she would complain. Taking turns was not a solution, for the boys were both so tall that they blocked the rear view mirror. We anxiously awaited November 1, 1976, the day when we could sell our Pinto without paying the duty.

In October, I started scouring the newspapers for a five passenger station wagon. Having already owned at least forty Fords, this was of course my preference. Near the end of the month, on a Monday morning, I saw a classified ad for a German Ford Taunus station wagon. According to the ad, it was a 1976 model, but the price listed was only half the new price. I assumed that there was either a printing error or that it had been damaged. I called the number given and reached a BMW/Simca dealership. The car was indeed a 1976 model and had not been in an accident. It was ten months old with 10,000 kilometers (6,000 miles) and was still under the new-car warranty! The price given in the newspaper was also correct.

I said that I would be right over to look at the car, but the dealer told me that I would have to wait. He had taken the Ford in trade but the present owner was still driving it until his new car was ready for delivery. The car would not come in until Tuesday evening. He said that if I came by on Wednesday morning, they would have the car cleaned and ready to test drive.

I told Verna and we immediately made this a matter of prayer. We had no money and no prospective buyer for our Pinto. It was doubtful that the dealer would accept an American car in trade.

Tuesday was a rainy day and I had to do some errands in town. It was about 4:00 PM when I was finished and I decided to make a detour to the BMW agency about fifteen miles away. As I drove, I spotted a Ford station wagon several cars ahead of me which matched the description of the one advertised. Sure enough, the driver turned into the dealership and I stopped behind him. I politely asked the driver if he was trading the car in and when he replied affirmatively, I asked if there was anything wrong with the car. He said "no". A salesman approached and led him to his new car. After a few minutes, he returned to take the tags off the Ford. When he saw me looking it over, he asked if was interested.

After a short drive, the salesman said that if I wanted the car, I could sign the papers immediately. I replied that I had no money with me, but he said it didn't matter; I could pay for the vehicle when I picked it up, even if it took a couple of weeks. I of course signed on the dotted line. I probably never bought a car as fast as that one!

When I got home, I told Verna that I had seen the car and that it was everything the ad had promised. She was excited and asked if I thought there was any chance of us getting the car. I tried to look dejected and replied, "The car is already sold." She looked very dissapointed, so I quickly added, "...to us!" I pulled out the sales contract and showed it to her. "The salesman said we don't have to pay for it until we pick it up."

A member of the Baptist Church in Linz had recently purchased a car just like this one, except for the color. I called him and told him about my lucky find. He responded in unbelief at first, but when I assured him that I was not joking, he asked, "Did you read the small print on the back of the contract?" He continued, "If no down payment is involved, the dealer often reserves the right to sell the car to another paying customer." I quickly examined the contract and found the mentioned clause. When I told him, he surprised me by saying, "Come to my house first thing tomorrow. I will stop by the bank and get the money so you can pay for it before someone else gets it. That way, you can take your time and try to get the best price for your old car."

The following morning, I picked up the money and drove to the dealership. The dealer's wife met me and when I explained my business, she said, "You know you got a good deal, don't you?" I nodded with a smile. She then told me that after I left, at least ten prospective customers came to buy the car. One was so angry when he heard that it was sold, that he put large posters on the sides of his car and picketed the agency for unfair business practices! He was convinced that the ad was designed to entice people in. She said that her husband got out his "blue book" and almost fell over when he saw how cheaply he had sold the car. After the paper work was completed and the title was in my hand, I mentioned the small print on the back of the sales contract, saying that I was afraid they would sell it to someone else. She replied that they would never do such a thing... but then added, "If you had not come by this morning, we might have been tempted!"

I polished our '73 Pinto and parked it along a busy highway near our home with a sign in the window. We soon sold it for enough to completely pay for our 1976 Taunus Station Wagon! After some quick calculation, I realized that we actually made profit of $1,200 over the new price three years and 60,000 miles later!

SUMMER TEAM BUS

The story of how we got the van for our 1976 summer team is worth mentioning here. We owned a total of eight VW vans during our nearly four decades of missionary work. At the time, I considered myself to be an expert on these vehicles. I had replaced and rebuilt the engines, done welding on rusted frames and knew about all their mysterious quirks. For this reason, I was not too concerned about finding the right bus.

About two months before the team was to arrive, I saw an ad in the paper for a 9-passenger VW bus. I called the number given and asked "intelligent" questions. The seller should know that I was an expert when it came to VW vans. The price was reasonable and it was a 1967 model, my favorite. That was the last year Volkswagen produced the older style body, but it had a 12-volt battery. The older vans had less weight for the tiny boxer motors to push around. The owner said that the vehicle only needed paint. I had painted many cars, so this was no hindrance and would allow me to choose my favorite color (wine red).

About that time, Verna asked me if I would go to the store to buy bread and milk for the weekend. In Austria, stores close at noon on Saturday until don't reopen until Monday morning. After leaving the house, I decided to check out the VW bus. It was sitting in a gas station not too far from our home. The engine started immediately and because there were no tags on it, I just drove the van around the gas pumps a couple of times. There were a few scratches and small dents, but nothing that couldn't be easily fixed with fiberglass putty and elbow grease. It seemed to be a good buy, so after getting the owner down on the price, I signed the papers and gave him the money. When I arrived home, I proudly announced my acquisition to Verna, elaborating on all the technical details to a woman who couldn't have cared less. When I paused, she asked, "Where is the milk and bread?" I had forgotten, and now the stores were closed!

A closer investigation of my prize bus revealed that it had no reverse gear. The battery was no good but the owner had apparently given it a fresh charge before I arrived. The generator didn't work either, but the indicator light had been disconnected so I wouldn't notice. When I discovered that the heat exchangers were rusted through, the fate of that van was sealed. Leaky exchangers can be deadly, pumping lethal exhaust gas into the interior of the vehicle. And they cost $300 to replace. Verna graciously helped me tow the bus to a junk yard.

My ego was badly deflated, but I learned a valuable lesson. There were people out there who knew more about selling than I knew about buying! I also learned to trust prayer more than my own expertise. That occurrence has since become a family joke. Every once in a while Verna or one of the children would say, "Never send Dad to the store for milk and bread! He will return with an old car!"

GOD'S PROVISION

Before the team arrived, our co-workers, Rudy and Linda Meier left for a year of furlough in America. They asked me to sell their car for them and keep the money to purchase another car when they returned. As an afterthought, Rudy added, "You can buy a van for the team with the money."

A few hours after I sold their car, a pastor called to ask for my "expert" assistance. The church had decided to get rid of their Volkswagen bus and buy an economical station wagon. Could I please help them find a buyer? The church sold us the van for exactly what we got for Meier's car and when the campaign was over, we got the entire purchase price back! Incidentally, the van was my favorite wine red color!

1964 MERCURY COMET

Verna's brother got married on July 4th, 1964, two weeks before our first departure for Austria. We had already sold our 1950 Oldsmobile and were wondering how we could get to the wedding. A member of the church offered to loan us his brand new Mercury Comet for the 800 mile round trip. We liked the car so much, that Verna said, "I hope we can get a car like this for our furlough some day." That is exactly what happened thirteen years later! In 1977 we bought a Mercury identical except for the color. Our 1964 Comet served us well and we even got the purchase price back when it was sold.

1964 MERCURY COMET and 1980 FORD TAUNUS

By 1981, we had driven our red '76 Taunus nearly 300,000 kilometers and decided that it was time to look for another station wagon before it fell apart. We found an almost new blue station wagon with 6,000 miles on. There had been a fire in the motor department which burned much of the wiring and paint off the front. The owner was given a new vehicle and this one was fixed up and sold to us for 40% under the new price. The car served us well until 1985.

1971 CHEVROLET IMPALA

Although the Lord has always provided exactly the right car for each furlough, we once mentioned this need as a prayer request in our newsletter. We were offered a one-owner Chevrolet Impala with low mileage, which had been owned by a little old lady, who never drove it over 50 mph!

Only once had I heard that claim made of an automobile. It was back in 1956 and the car was a pink and white 1955 Ford Convertible with Douglas glasspack mufflers, three carburetors and a continental tire kit. There was a logical explanation of course. The little old lady was the legal owner, but her nephew was the principle driver! That Ford was just what I had been dreaming of, but I couldn't afford the price they were asking.

The little old lady who had owned the Chevy was my own aunt who had recently passed away! I was a Ford fan and never liked Chevys, but as the old expression goes, "You don't look a gift horse in the mouth." I felt that this was one deal I couldn't afford to pass up.

When I picked up the car at my sister's house, it was splattered with fresh mud even though it had not been registered for a year. I should have become suspicious, but the engine started and ran smoothly. The transmission shifted fine, but all four tires were well-worn. I bought new tires and registered the car immediately. In order to get the car through inspection, I spent two days working on the wiring, which included removal of the dashboard. The first time it rained, I found water on the floor due to a leaky windshield and in the trunk where the rear window leaked. I fixed the leaks with rubber cement, but the trunk floor was badly rusted. When I tossed our suitcases into the trunk for our first trip to visit Verna's parents, the floor dropped onto the axle and tailpipe. I found a piece of heavy sheet aluminum and pop-riveted a new floor into the trunk. Our problems had just begun, however.

After spending Thanksgiving with Verna's parents in Meadville, Pennsylvania, we set out Sunday morning on the eight-hour return trip to New Jersey. before we reached Oil City, it started to rain. I turned on the wipers, but they quit working within five minutes. I stopped to see what was wrong and discovered that they had become disconnected from the shaft of the wiper motor. A nut had been loose so long that the threads were worn smooth. I pushed the arm back on and tightened the nut as best I could. The wipers worked for three more wipes and I had to repeat this task. After doing this several times, it became obvious that we could not stop every mile of our 400-mile journey.

I stopped in three service stations, looking for a mechanic on duty, but no mechanics worked on Sunday. I finally found a friendly pump attendant who agreed to let me to use his tools to fix the car myself. His garage was well-equipped and after re-threading the shaft, I screwed the nut back on. Wanting to be certain that the nut didn't loosen, I gave it an extra turn and snapped off the entire shaft! No dealerships or junk yards are open on Sundays in that part of Pennsylvania. If we had not had tickets for a Monday morning flight to Kansas City, we would have looked for a motel.

We decided to continue our journey without windshield wipers. The Lord would be with us! I drove slowly, wiping off as much rain as possible with my left arm. The heater fan didn't work and with temperatures near freezing, we were all praying that the Lord would cause the rain to stop. It did stop -- and started to sleet! Now I had to stop every mile or two to scrape ice.

With three hundred miles to go, we found ourselves in a traffic jam. The roads had turned to sheet ice and nothing was moving. Not even the salt trucks were able to get through! We were on a divided highway and several cars began to drive on the icy grass median, so we followed suit. Soon, hundreds of cars were driving down the center and the regular traffic lanes were virtually empty! I still kick myself for not taking a picture of that scene!

By the time we reached Harrisburg, we had been traveling over ten hours. The ice storm was over, but darkness had set in and it was still raining hard. My eyes were hurting so much that tears streamed down my face. Approaching the Delaware Memorial Twin Bridges, I wiped my eyes with my handkerchief and discovered to my horror, that it had turned red! Somehow, I managed to keep driving until we reached our home in Elmer. It was nearly midnight and I was never so happy to get to bed as I was that night.

Early the next morning, we left the kids with my parents and flew from Philadelphia to Kansas City. Everyone stared at me, but they were too polite to ask why my eyes were so red. I think I slept the entire trip.

A FREE CAR FROM UNCLE SAM!

1973 Ford LTD

When we reached our mission headquarters in Kansas City, I went directly to the treasurer and asked if it was possible to borrow money for a car. He smiled and answered that we might not need a loan. He had just received a check from the United States Treasury Department for Ralph and Verna Harvey. It was made out for about $750!

In 1982, the IRS had "picked our name out of a hat" (according to the agent) for an audit of our 1981 income tax return. At the time, we were very upset about this. American citizens living outside of the country were allowed to earn $80,000 per year tax free and our income was below poverty level. We were required to produce receipts pertaining to our rent and utilities and even had to give silly information such as the exact dates when our children went off to boarding school in Germany. None of this was even remotely related to taxation.

According to the letter accompanying our check, the IRS discovered that we had paid too much Social Security in 1981. They were returning the overpaid amount plus interest!

After returning to Elmer, I began immediately to look for a good station wagon for $750. This time it had to be a Ford! My first stop was at the Ford dealership only a block away from where we lived. The dealer was a Christian and we had purchased cars from him before. He had a nice yellow 1977 LTD wagon for only $1,500, but that was twice what we had available. I traveled all over South Jersey and Philadelphia looking at cars, but found nothing suitable in our price range. In fact, the best deal I had found all day, was that yellow LTD back in Elmer!

Late that evening, I returned to Elmer, dejected that we still hadn't found a car. As I drove past the Ford dealership, I stopped again to look at the yellow station wagon, thinking we could possibly borrow money to buy it. Behind the dealership I saw another green LTD wagon without tags. Curious, I asked the dealer about the car. He said that they had just taken it in trade. It was an older '73 model, but in good condition except for the tires. The dealer said that we could have the car "as is" for $700!

While a salesman mounted tags for a test drive, I looked over the car. It had less than half as many miles on it as the yellow car! The tires looked like new, but when we went for a drive, it began to leap like a kangaroo at ten miles per hour! The dealer explained that the tires contained a substance that sealed small punctures. Normally you don't even need to balance them. The car had been purchased to pull a large camper to Florida, but the owners had a small car that they used for most travel. The station wagon had been parked a long time in a hot Florida garage and the sticky stuff in the tires had settled at the bottom. There was no way to make it spread evenly again.

I signed the necessary papers and went to see Fritz Harz, the tire dealer where I had purchased tires for the Chevy. He was a fine Christian and had supported our ministry from the very outset. I explained my situation and asked if it would be possible to use the Chevy tires on the Ford LTD. He looked in a book and replied, "The tires would fit, but we will have to remount them on the Ford rims and balance them". After a pause, he added, "according to this chart, the only Chevy rims that fit a Ford are the 1971 model." That was exactly what we had!

That 10-passenger LTD station wagon had every conceivable extra including the most powerful engine Ford ever installed in a car. Nine months later, we sold it for $300 more than we paid for it!

ANOTHER NEW STATION WAGON

1985 Ford Sierra

In April, 1985, we set out for the Black Forest Academy to return our kids after the Easter break. Our blue station wagon had accumulated many miles, the windshield had a big crack and the shocks were bad, but it still ran great. We had only driven ten miles when unusual noises developed. We stopped at a Ford dealership to get it checked out. The mechanic told us that there was a bad bearing in the transmission and it would only hold out about 100 kilometers. There was no time to get it repaired and we had no money, so we began to discuss our options. The dealer came over and after looking over the car, he said, "You would be best off buying a new one!" I agreed heartily, but said that we couldn't afford it. He checked his book and then said, I will give you 45,000 Shillings in trade. That was equivalent to around $2,000, but we were still not convinced. Then Verna started to calculate and said, "Have you considered the exchange rate for the Dollar?

After Ronald Reagan was elected President of the United States, the exchange rate for the US Dollar began to climb steadily. After several years of devaluations, this was a refreshing development! I quickly figured that with the generous trade-in allowance, we would only have to pay $5,500 for a brand new station wagon. Immediate repairs needed for the old car would cost about $1000 and it had 240,000 kilometers on it. With the improved exchange rate, we would be able to make payments.

We had a prayer meeting in the car and decided to sign. It would be a couple of weeks before the new car could be delivered, so we got back into the car to continue our 8-hour journey. The mechanic said, you are NOT going to travel that far with a bad transmission, are you? I replied that we had no other choice. Besides, I belonged to the Touring Club and if the car broke down outside Austria, we could get free towing and a rental car. He just shook his head and said, "Good luck!"

We drove 8 hours there and another 8 hours back home again. The transmission was much noisier, but it kept going for two more weeks until our new car was delivered!

EXPERIENCES

We had many great and unusual experiences with our cars and our '85 Sierra was no exception. Our daughter still laughs about the time I drove off a roof, but she was pretty scared at the time. The roof was actually a parking lot and in turning, I backed up too far. One rear wheel was left hanging in the air and since the car had rear wheel drive, that meant we were going nowhere fast. Another friendly motorist attached a rope and pulled the car back onto the roof.

We were in Prague, Czechoslovakia in 1990, soon after the Iron Curtain collapsed to make preparations for the arrival of new missionaries. While there, thieves smashed our car window in an attempt to steal the radio. Fortunately, they couldn't figure out how to unlock the doors and gave up.

We made a few visits with Czech pastors and one of them said that a thief had recently ruined the windshields of five Skodas which belonged to pastors attending a conference. Four windshields were shattered when the thief attempted to remove them, but he was apparently successful on the fifth try. His own windshield had probably been stolen or damaged and he was just "shopping" for a replacement. The Czech pastor said that you could wait months to get a windshield from a dealer.

The day after our return from Prague, I picked up a Romanian Pastor at the train station, who wanted to visit Christian friends in Austria. I said that I needed to drive to Salzburg to get a window replaced and he seemed delighted at the prospect of seeing this city, which he heard so much about. Once on the Autobahn, I noticed that the Romanian pastor seemed very tense. He clutched his seat with both hands, apparently expecting the car to take flight or blow up! I was driving below the 75 mph speed limit and most cars were passing me. He explained that he had never traveled that fast in his life. In Salzburg, I drove to the Ford agency and walked up to the parts window. I explained to the man that I needed a left-rear-side-window for a 1985 Ford Sierra station wagon. He asked if it was tinted and what shade of tint. After looking up the part on the micro-film machine, he read the part number into a microphone. Within seconds, a young man showed up with the glass, wrapped in brown cardboard. The clerk typed the price into a computer which spit out the receipt. I then pushed my bank card into an automat and typed in my code number to pay for the part.

The Romanian acted like he had been resurrected from the dead a century after his death! He shared his impressions with me in broken German. In Romania, the roads were so full of pot holes, that even a fast western car could not drive more than 20 or 30 mph. The new cars in the Ford dealership were breathtaking, but what really fascinated him was how I got the exact window I needed in a matter of seconds - and I didn't even open the package to make sure it was the right part! Paying for something with a plastic card was also unheard of!

ANOTHER VOLKSWAGEN BUS

After opening the Austrian Bible Institute in 1984, it soon became apparent that we would need a bus. One of the teachers said that his father had an older bus which had been used on his farm. There were few kilometers on it and although it had windows, there were no seats except in front. With all my experience, this posed no great problem. I bought the bus for $250 and found another with a bad engine for $50. A friend in America had given me two gallons of bright red airplane paint, which Verna carried across the ocean as "carry on" luggage! Before installing the seats and headliner, I painted the bus inside and out.

ANOTHER CHEVROLET

I always preferred Fords, but we did have one really nice Chevrolet. In 1987, we arrived in America and went directly to the Ford dealership in Elmer. After examining all the Fords and finding nothing suitable in our price range, I reluctantly checked out a 1976 Chevrolet Caprice. It was a real creampuff of a car that had obviously enjoyed TLC. A test drive showed no problems, so we bought the car for $1000. We drove it many thousands of miles with only one slight problem. After parking the car on a hot day, pressure built up in the radiator and burst a water hose. We later sold the car for $1000, just what we paid for it.

1976 Chevrolet Caprice

DIFFICULT DECISION

Eight years later, we were again on furlough. Fritz and Joan Harz offered to let us live in an empty house he owned and we happily accepted the offer. A Rolls Royce Silver Shadow was parked behind the house and I asked if it belonged to them. Fritz responded by handing me the keys and saying, "Feel free to use it for your deputation travels!"

Rolls Royce Silver Shadow or 1981 Chevrolet Citation?

Needless to say, we declined their generous offer. How would supporters and potential donors react? I did want to take a ride in the plush vehicle, however. I tried to start the Rolls one day, but the battery was dead. I looked for the battery but couldn't figure out how to get under the "bonnet". I finally resorted to the owner's manual in the glove compartment, which looked more like a luxuriously bound family Bible. The book gave instructions on how to open the "boot" but not the "bonnet" and there was no mention of a battery, so I gave up. I was later told that the Rolls Royce doesn't have mechanical problems, and if it does, the owner has no business trying to solve them.

Since we only planned to be in America three months, we rented a car from an agency that serves only missionaries. It was a Chevrolet and within two weeks the transmission quit. We gave the car back and went to the local Ford dealership to look for a dependable car. There was only one car in our price range that seemed okay -- another Chevrolet. We bought the car and in less than a month, that transmission failed! Two transmissions within a month was a difficult pill to swallow, but rather than risk a third, we had the transmission rebuilt to the tune of $600. Then the power steering failed! That would have cost another $600 to fix, so we decided to drive without this luxury.

After Rick finished college, he planned to return to Austria as a missionary. He would need a car for deputation, so we gave him our "Citation" for his graduation present. When he left for Austria the following year, the car was parked next to my parent's garage. We planned to repair the steering and use it for our next furlough, but that was not to be.

THE FIRE

Our next trip to America was in December, 1991. Pop Harvey said that we should not bother to get the Citation fixed. We could use his nice Toyota Camry instead. His doctor had told him that he was not allowed to drive. We gladly accepted the offer.

In January, Pop became ill and we thought he was going to die. He was taken by ambulance to the hospital, but was home again in a few hours. The doctors said that he just had the flu. He was so weak that he couldn't stand, so I had to carry him into the shower to bathe him. It was a painful experience for my father and wasn't easy for me either.

On February 11, we were in Meadville, PA to speak in Verna's home church. Just before the service, my brother Dave called. He said that there had been a fire in the workshop at Daretown. Pop Harvey had attempted to put it out and was overcome by smoke. He was now in heaven. Early the following morning we headed for New Jersey. The fire had completely demolished the shop and our Citation was also burned out. We were of course saddened by the death of Pop Harvey, but even in this tragedy, we experienced God's provision. The insurance company paid us the book value for our old Chevy because it was "in storage". With the defective power steering, this was far more than we could ever have gotten for the car. The Camry, which we had been driving would not have been insured because it was registered!

A tragic fire

CAR PROBLEMS

In 1994, the Austrian government began taxing cars heavily if they had no catalytic converter. In addition, owners of such cars would not be allowed to drive on days when there was a smog warning. Some major cities even considered banning vehicles without a "cat" within the city limits. Our car was one of the last to be manufactured without this feature and we had driven it over 260,000 kilometers in nine years. We really liked the car and although it never gave us any trouble, the handwriting was on the wall. It was time for a change.

We had requested our mission to set aside money from our account for car replacement. We accumulated $10,000 in nine years time, but the Dollar had been devalued considerably since 1985. Prices for new cars had also doubled, so we only had enough for a used station wagon. We finally located a two year-old Ford with an economical 1,8 liter diesel engine and only 20,000 miles on the tachometer. Diesel fuel cost only $2.39/gallon as opposed to $3.47 for gasoline back then. Because the car also got better mileage, we calculated that we would save more than a third on fuel costs.

When the money was transferred to our account, service charges and Social Security deductions to the tune of $1,500 were subtracted. We had not considered these costs and had to borrow money from the bank to close the deal.

Almost immediately, however, we began to have serious doubts about our acquisition. The US Dollar took another big plunge on the foreign exchange. Our freezer quit and in order to save our frozen meats and vegetables, we had to buy a new one. We were still trying to recover from the expenses of our daughter's wedding when Richard got married. In Austria, parents of the groom are expected to share wedding costs. We had pledged to support an Albanian student in the Austrian Bible Institute andexpenses with the church ministry in Frankenburg were higher than expected. Instead of paying off the bank loan, we had to borrow more money until we owed more than $4500!

OUR "MONDAY CAR"

We decided to sell the car in order to get out of debt. We got $2500 less than we paid for it only six months earlier and bought an older Ford station wagon with lots of miles on it. It at least had a catalytic converter! From the very beginning, however, we had trouble with the car. Austrians call such vehicles "Monday cars."

I had owned a total of 41 Fords, but only this one gave us trouble! A mystery problem developed soon after we purchased it. While driving, the engine would simply cut out for apparently no reason whatsoever. I took the car to three different Ford dealers a total of six times. Each time they did something, but the problem persisted. Of course, I had to pay the bill, because our car "needed" whatever they did.

One garage said it was the electric fuel pump and they removed the gas tank in order to replace it. When I got home, I noticed gasoline leaking onto the asphalt parking lot. Not willing to risk an explosion, I had a church member tow the car back to the shop. Two days later, I got the car again and drove away, but while waiting for a train, a cyclist informed me that gasoline was again pouring out of the tank! I had the car towed back to the shop a second time! When I returned to pick it up, I was nearly knocked over by the stench of gasoline. The mechanic apologized that my car wasn't finished and said that he had a problem. That was quite obvious! Gasoline from the tank had run all over the floor and the mechanic was standing in the middle of the puddle holding a lighted cigarette in his hand! A missionary should be concerned about lost souls, but I ran out of the shop to save my own and secretly hoped that both car and mechanic would be blown sky high. The tank didn't leak any more after that, but the engine continued to cut out at the most inopportune times.

I took the car to the Touring Club but their experts were no more successful in finding what caused the engine to cut out. After spending more than $2,000 for repairs, I finally found and fixed the problem myself. I twisted a bundle of electric cables in the engine compartment with my hands and the motor ran properly again!

Soon after that victory, a new mystery unfolded. Every once in a while for no apparent reason, the car simply refused to start. It wouldn't even fire, yet when the car was pushed, it started immediately. Once more, I spent a small fortune and much time trying to get the problem solved, but all to no effect. I learned to park it on an incline whenever possible.

In summer, a choir from Canada arrived to help us with special meetings. We had 43 meetings in six weeks all over Austria. I bought a Mitsubishi van for transportation, but we also used our station wagon pulling a trailer for transporting instruments and projection equipment. Fortunately, there were a dozen strong young people to push the car when it wouldn't start. Our singers had to push-start the station wagon about twenty times, and when it was rainy, they got their nice clothes dirty. At the end of their stay, I delivered them to the airport and Verna gave me one last tow job with the van at 11:00 PM - in the pouring rain of course! Two drenched and exhausted people headed for home and a nice warm bed, determined to get rid of that Monday car even if we had to junk it!

A LONE NEWSPAPER AD

I scanned the Saturday papers the next day, looking for a used station wagon with rear wheel drive (see the next section for more on this subject). There was only one rear-wheel drive station wagon listed, so we checked it out. It was a Ford Scorpio with sun roof, power locks and windows, power steering, anti blocking brakes and even a burglar alarm! It was four years old, but had low mileage and the price was right. Best of all, the dealer offered us a the full book value of $3,500 for our old car -- even though it wouldn't start for him either! We said that we wanted to pray about it before making a decision (that always gets raised eyebrows!). On Monday, we collaborated with the car's future co-owners (the bank), explaining that after selling the Mitsubishi van, a keyboard and P.A. system, we would be able to pay for it.

Out of curiosity, I looked through the used car ads on the following weekend and counted 14 ads for Ford station wagons!

1992 Ford Scorpio

Front wheel drive cars: 1983 Dodge Colt Vista, 1984 VW Golf and 1994 Buick Century

REAR WHEEL or FRONT WHEEL DRIVE?

I have always preferred cars with rear wheel drive and am convinced that they are better than front wheel drive cars in mountainous terrain. On flat ground in curves, front-wheel drive car has certain advantages, but I still prefer a rear-wheel drive car. Friends tell me that no one but a fool would buy a rear wheel drive car today. They argue that car manufacturers must have good reasons why they no longer produce these "relics of the past". I agree to this wholeheartedly. Car manufacturers and dealers prefer front wheel drive cars. They are cheaper to build because the entire drive train can be installed in one operation. If involved in an accident, front wheel drive cars are more often scrapped, resulting in more car sales. Even hitting a curb or pot hole can provide a tidy little sum of money for the service department.

If only fools prefer cars with rear wheel drive, I am in good company. Two car makers which still manufacture them are Mercedes Benz and BMW.

For die-hard fans of the front wheel drive, here are my arguments for the rear wheel drive car: When driving up hills, some of the car's weight shifts to the rear wheels, which means there is less grip on the front wheels. If a car goes into a skid going down an icy hill, the driver's proper response depends upon which type of vehicle he is driving. To pull a front wheel drive car out of a skid, you step on the gas. With rear wheel drive, you take your foot off the gas and the motor straightens you out. I prefer the latter method.

One of our church members was a mailman who liked to chide me about my preference for rear wheel drive cars. One snowy Sunday, I took a lady home from church and found his car hopelessly stuck on a steep hill. His wife and three kids were pushing, but the car wouldn't budge. I stopped next to his car and suggested that he back down the hill and drive up in reverse. He was skeptical, but tried and made it to the top with no difficulty!

Once, I was driving down a mountain with two other missionary couples as passengers. In a curve, we suddenly came on blank ice from melted snow which covered the entire road. The car went into a skid and our hearts stopped beating as it headed for the edge of the road and an abrupt drop of several hundred feet onto the rocks below. There was no guard rail to stop us. I had the presence of mind to take my foot off the gas and let the engine do the breaking. The car began to straighten out and I was able to steer it onto dry pavement just before reaching the precipice. All of us agreed that we would have been killed if the car had not had rear wheel drive.

Still, we have had several cars with front wheel drive that gave satisfactory service (photos above).

A NATURAL ROAD BLOCK

One stormy Sunday, I was taking two elderly ladies home from church when a hundred yards ahead of our car, a large tree fell across the road. Fortunately, I managed to stop the car in time, but the tree was two feet thick and there was no way to get around it. Because the road was heavily traveled, vehicles were soon lined up in both directions.

I got out of the car and contemplated what I should do. As I looked at the cars on the other side of the tree, I recognized the driver of the first car. He was a missionary who was on his way to show slides of his work in the Bible Institute. I crawled under the tree and introduced myself. Then I suggested that we exchange cars. Soon the four passengers in his car and two ladies from my car had traded places. After a U-turn, we continued to our destinations. It was only after seeing the startled look on the faces of people in the other cars that I realized how strange this must have looked to them! Adding to the confusion, our license plates were from different Austrian provinces! I should have rolled down my window and suggested to the driver of the Mercedes behind me, that he follow suit! After all, there were more cars on the other side! Speaking of Mercedes...

VERNA'S MERCEDES SPORTS CAR

Back in 1975, Verna paused in front of a car dealership in Germany where a certain car caught her attention. "That is a nice car, what is it?" she asked. I replied that it was a Mercedes SLC (sports coupe) and added without much thought, "When we retire, I will buy you one of those!"

Twenty-six years passed faster than I anticipated. I never forgot my promise nor did my wife let me forget. Whenever she saw an SLC, she would ask, "Is that my car?" When we retired from service in Austria, she expected me to buy her a model car, but it turned out differently. After much searching and checking on prices, I bid secretly on several Mercedes SLCs on E-Bay. Most of them were not in good condition and sold for too much money, but I was determined to keep my promise. I kept bidding and finally got one in fantastic condition for half its book value!

The car was a 1975 SLC and could be driven with historic tags and car insurance costing only $62 per year - and no inspections required! Best of all, the car would not depreciate, but rather increase in value!

Verna's "oldie" even had an electrically operated sun roof and air conditioning, not so common 29 years ago! The original burgundy-red metallic color really shined! The interior was genuine leather, the body and chassis were solid and the chrome perfect. The previous owners had pampered it for 26 years, driving it only 2000 - 3000 miles per year.

The SLC is a foot longer than the convertible version, has a small rear seat and more room in the trunk. It was originally intended to attract young couples, but after the SLC won several major races, even defeating the Porsches, it grew in popularity. Germans are re-importing the 450 SLs and SLCs because most of them were sold in America and they are worth more in Europe.

Verna only drove it once and decided that she preferred the Roadmaster wagon. We kept the car for a year until after our kids came to visit. We needed a second car during that time. We sold it in November, 2004 for $2000 more that what I paid for it. We poured a cement floor in the garage and driveway with the proceeds, so we can honestly tell people that Verna's car is in the driveway or in the garage. Click here for photos of Verna's Mercedes!

CURRENT CARS

You are probably wondering what we are driving today. After we returned from Europe (supposedly to retire!), we looked around for a station wagon, only to find that American car manufacturers have all but given up on these. Even minivans were out of style. Everyone was driving SUVs! The only station wagons on the road seemed to be foreign made and far too small for our tastes.

In examining newspapers, we found a 1992 Buick Roadmaster station wagon with only 61,000 Florida miles on it. We fell in love with it and have had three more Roadmaster wagons since! Click to see photos of our cars since 2002.

ENOUGH FOR NOW!

I hope you have enjoyed these car tales. There is much more to tell, but I have to stop somewhere and this is as good a place as any!

And by the way, if you ever hear someone feeling sorry for missionaries, give them a copy of this article. We may have a few hardships, but we also have fun!

You can read more here, Route 40

Ralph V Harvey