Mission Truck in ArgentinaFor the past 20 years the old Ford F-100 CrewCab pickup has been making its way over some very rough roads carrying the love of God to the ethnic Toba people. It logged 375,000 MILES before finally giving up the "ghost". The engine is shot and the rust holes to numerous to count. It cannot be repaired again.The Johansson's have worked together with Star of Hope in the Chaco region for 30 years providing spiritual and social support. They have built hundreds of homes, a health center, kindergartens and day care centers. Children are always at the heart of their ministry; providing food medicines, school supplies, scholarships etc. Ten's of thousands of children, youth and seniors in northeast Argentina have been and continue to be blessed by the work. BUT without a truck the work has been greatly slowed. Just as in our own culture, the truck is a tool, a multi use tool. It is used for: Transporting building materials for ongoing large long-term projects Transporting food for distribution to schools, families and the homeless Transport speaker systems and video sets to be used for crusades as well as used in schools to teach against violence and drugs Transport the evangelists and Pastors to meetings, Sunday School and the children's ministry in the province of Chaco. It takes the "Star" soccer team to games. It takes the sick and mothers giving birth to the hospital Since it costs $1.50 per km to rent and still only carries 3 people - much of the above work cannot be accomplished. Only the most urgent needs are completed. And all of the money that is used to rent - is money that cannot be used for ministry. At least 90% of their work is affected by not having a truck!
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One (1) new truck costs :
$68,000 That is 18 ¢ a mile for the life of 375,000 miles That is easy to calculate BUT how do we calculate the value for the passengers? How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of the messenger bringing good news, who publishes peace, who brings good news of happiness, who publishes salvation, who says to Zion, "Your God Reigns." Isaiah 52:7
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