Multa...

I learned a new Spanish word today. Multa. I learned this when a car with flashing lights (not a police car!) signaled for me to pull over.

It turns out that when you register your vehicle here in Baja California, it is only good until Dec. 31 of that year. I was unaware of this. When the government of BC vehicle pulled me over he asked for my license and wrote me up a "Multa" - a Fine for not re-registering my vehicle. I confessed ignorance because I didn't expect that everyone's registrations would be finished the same day. He said I wasn't that far out from the real re-registration date, because although it says Dec. 31 is the expiration date, they give 6 MONTHs grace for everyone- so it is actually June 31 that it is really due-- without fine.

Better than that, he said that I have today and tomorrow to register the truck and if I did- I could get it done without a fine. So the REALITY is that the REAL expiration date is the day AFTER you get stopped.

So I went and re-registered my vehicle. I went to an information booth that was unmanned and waited. Then I decided to ask another government worker who was engrossed in a magazine where I go to pay fr this and she sent me to cashier #9. Cashier #9 was very pleasant. She took my information and sent me to Cashiers 7 and 5. Cashier 7 was not available so I went to cashier 1 who called cashier 7 over the intercom (READ: She yelled out "MARIO!!!!) Mario promptly came to his desk and took about 12 of my dollars. $8.00 was actual fees of some type. $2.60 was for a certificate that states I don't owe any debts to the government. 25% was taxes to support the ministry of families and Sports and Education. $5.20 was for something I will never understand because it is written with short forms- no real words. and finally there is a $2.00 "Voluntary" donation to the red Cross.

After that I was sent to cashier 5 who wasn't there. Cashier 1 again utilized the intercom system (READ: Yelled out "JOSE!!") who promptly came to help me. There I paid about $90. ($5.00 of which was another voluntary donation. The rest was for various fees that make no sense to me.

So now I know that every year, precisely 1 day after I get pulled over, I need to re-register my vehicle and donate to various government organizations!

UPDATE:

Seve Barboza had her studies done finally and got her results. She does NOT have cancer or anything else grave! (Praise God!) This doctor (the specialist) is asking her to cut back on the medications and see if that helps. He feels that the medications are causing havoc on her system and she needs to rest her stomach and bowels for a few weeks. She has another appointment in 2 weeks to see if she has made any advancement.

Jose is suffering from problems with his prostate. He did get an appointment last week. The doctor ordered him a study- which he can get in a month or so. And another appointment a month after that. He is looking at getting into a private clinic to for the study and result- he could have both of those done by the end of next week, Lord willing. Praise God for His provision for this couple!

OTHER MEDICAL NEWS

A little girl we'd been helping out, Misi, has a cleft palette. She had it fixed last winter by an American doctor at a clinic here, but it did not take well. She needs more work done and one of our missionaries has found an opportunity for her to get a repair done as well as speech therapy to help her make a full, excellent recovery. Please pray that Misi can get the paperwork needed to get this done- they need passports and medical visas which can be difficult to get. Please pray for God to provide them with the needed finances to get the paperwork down. This family are not believers and the father is quite antagonistic to Jesus and his Good News. Please pray that they would experience the love of Christ and respond to Him in repentance and faith!

OTHER NEWS

Our vehicles...
Today I took my truck in to the shop for transmission problems, which turned out not to be too bad. However, I am losing engine coolant- about 2 liters in 2 or 3 weeks. There is no noticeable leak anywhere, which apparently usually means that it is leaking into the engine via a bad gasket. This is a huge expense in Canada/US but here it is not so bad, about $350 and 2 days work. I've been putting in a couple hundred dollars a month into these vehicles for repairs for the last 4 months or so and it is taking quite a toll!

The other day I was driving the van (1994 Grand Voyageur) on errands in the states when I noticed the engine temperature light was going crazy. I pulled over at a gas station and found out that I had very little water left in the rad. I filled it with a gallon of coolant and 1-1.5 gallons of water. It was almost empty! Again- it looks to be a major leak into the engine. This one needs to be done right away or it could seize the engine...

We appreciate your prayers for these vehicles! At YUGO we often have vehicles donated and rarely we have good vehicles donated so we are praying that one comes in that would suit our needs for the type of driving we do.

SUMMER

Summer is going well. Shar is spending lots of time getting ready for the homeschool year starting in September. Class is going well for me. It's been good to be a blessing to the students and see them growing in their knowledge of God's Word. I've been learning a ton as well as we talk about culture and our own ways of serving and loving Jesus! I've also been teaching some medical mission interns and have been enjoying that tremendously.

FALL

Fall is coming up quickly! We have a few plans in the wings.

Construction
We have a team coming down from Alberta to help build a church in Valle Redondo, a squatter village in the far Eastern outskirts of Tijuana. They are building a 10 meter X 15 meter 2 story church building for this church of 75 adults and 35+ kids. It is a growing church plant of almost 1 year. Pastor Ramiro and his wife Katy and 2 other members are in my class and have been a great, faithful addition. They have a great vision for reaching their neighbourhood with the Good News of Jesus and helping with the desperate poverty in their community by providing meals for kids, a day care so single moms can go to work without putting kids in an orphanage ( a common practice here) and a medical clinic to assist with the huge, ongoing medical needs of this area. I'm glad t be able to partner with Ramiro and Katy in their ministry!

Canada
I have been invited to speak in Nipawin, Saskatchewan for their alumni retreat this November 21-23. I'm taking the opportunity to be back to connect with churches and supporters so I'll be back from Nov 5-24 or so, depending on travel costs! At this time the cost to fly and rent a car is pretty high, it's almost the same as driving from here with the whole family! So we are looking for places to stay and people to connect with. If you'd like us at your church, small group, youth group just with your family during that time- please email and let me know if we can work something out!

msmcdonald@yugomail.org

Semi-confirmed Schedule:
Nov 5- arrive in S'toon
Nov 6-15 open (I'm waiting for a response from a church on the 9th)
Nov 16th- North Battleford, SK
Nov 17-21- Swan River, MB
Nov 21-23- Nipawin, SK
Nov 24- Depart for Mexico.

Please let me know if you can give me an opportunity to share a report on the ministry here while I'm back!

God bless!!

Until Next time,

Mike for the family.