We love our bus car!

Once I finally broke down and bought a car after 4 years here, I wondered how I ever functioned without it. Taxis and buses are great, and I still use them regularly, but to have the option of my own car....it's a real blessing!

My selfish worry before getting a car was that I would end up helping so many people with it, taking staff and volunteers and kids and supplies and donations here and there, that I wouldn't have time for my work.

It's true that I spend a lot of time driving people around, but I'm glad to do it, remembering how much I appreciated those favors when I didn't have the car option. It also gives me more time to chat with the staff and volunteers.

One of the most surprising benefits was that it make it much easier to take out kids all the time. I don't like having to drive instead of holding them, but at least they can come out with me more.

And oh, how they LOVE my car! More than me I'm quite sure. :)

On a recent Saturday, my mini mini van worked overtime,

carrying the week's fruit and cheese from CDA I to CDA II

taking several volunteers and babies to the grocery store, then back to the Baby Home with our purchases

picking up a friend to go to a church meeting

It even served as a makeshift bathtub as we washed and changed a 20 day old baby! (It was too windy to do it outside and cows were under the bridge where she lives.)

{Of course this was just a Saturday - weekdays can be MUCH busier}

That same week I ran out of gas in record fast time and barely made it to the gas station in time! I was just relieved that they had gas. Shortages are no fun.

Today while in downtown traffic with two sleeping children in the backseat, I calculated all the people I carried around in my car throughout the day: 5 kids, 3 volunteers, 1 staff member, a couple from the street and their baby, and 4 visitors to one of the homes.

Hop aboard!

When this post publishes, my car and I will be ripping up the road between the now-former CDA II and the new CDA II! If it's anything like the move last year, I'll make many many trips back and forth loaded to the gills!