William Shakespeare in his Hamlet asked the question, “To be or not to be?” Our question was far more logistical and less philosophical, “To RV or not to RV?” That was the question we posed to ourselves last year as we pondered the various ways we could share the WTM vision and raise the necessary support to continue our mission in remote regions of Africa where people remain unreached in every respect of the word. An RV trip was certainly not at the top of my wife’s list, but with a baby on the way and the need to accommodate a third passenger (actually she was the fourth and our lab was the third already) an RV Tour began looking like the only feasible way to accomplish such a task much to my wife’s dismay. We now find ourselves almost one month and three flat tires into what has been dubbed the 2010 WTM RV Ministry Tour (don’t worry, we now have all new tires).
A lot of folks have asked, “Why an RV Tour?” After they actually see our near-antique 1981 GMC Midas motorhome, they really start to wonder, “What were they thinking?” I’ll admit that sometimes it’s less about thinking and more about following God’s direction in our lives. It has certainly been a leap of faith to once again trade the comforts of an American lifestyle for the more challenging (yet far more interesting) mobile lifestyle we have adopted, which will later lead to an even more extreme change when we revert back to our African mode of living. This entry is an abbreviated attempt to explore the question, “To RV or not to RV?” and to demonstrate a bit how God can use these experiences to grow and mature us in unique ways.
I’ll begin by providing some illustrations on how RV living is really training and preparation for the more rugged African environment. First of all there’s the size of our living quarters. Housing in Cameroon tends to consist of slightly less square footage (insert sarcasm here), so the less-than-desirable floor plan of our RV will actually make the living space in our Cameroonian home seem quite spacious and downright enormous after several months of stepping around the dog, playpen and numerous obstacles along the narrow path between the cab and sleeping area. I don’t recall the last time I had stubbed my toe so many times and banged my head against cabinets, lights and ceilings.
The need to once again “downsize” and release our worldly possessions has been accentuated by the lack of storage in a 24’ home on wheels. Although you may be surprised by how much you can actually fit in a motorhome of this size, there are still a lot of conveniences we were forced to reluctantly abandon. Our appliances were traded for miniature versions of the same, and we’re still not sure how both of us fit into the so-called bed that has been crammed into the back corner. It’s quite sad when your 4-month infant has about the same amount of sleeping space as two adults.
Traveling and breaking down in our not-so-new RV has also proved to be quite similar to transport in Cameroon. Our vehicle is of similar age to the ones often associated with “bush taxis” in Africa, so we have the pleasure of experiencing the same peculiarities that accompany a ride along African roads. For example, the lack of air conditioning and the familiar feeling of a sweaty back bring back many fond memories of voyages along Cameroonian highways. The roar of our broken exhaust and blaring radio create an environment that drowns out the squealing of fan belts and constant clicking in the front left tire. And of course traveling with our loyal lab is much like the Cameroonian equivalent of traveling with a chicken or goat next to you. The one advantage we have had, however, is the ability to be towed to the place of repair, which has happened twice since our maiden voyage.
Let’s not forget about our six-legged companions either. Travel and lodging in Cameroon is nearly always highlighted by visits from critters of all sorts, including cockroaches, mosquitoes, rodents, and, my personal favorite, scorpions. Once again the RV life has not let us down in mimicking our African living situation by offering an abundance of nature, both outside AND inside our vehicle. The visitors are so much like their African counterparts that we have already begun using the mosquito net around baby Chloe’s crib. However, we also find an advantage in this area that we lacked in Cameroon, which is the ability to strategically place devices around the RV that eliminate our unwelcome companions. May they rest in peace because I know we haven’t.
I’m sure at this point you’re envious of our RV trip, right (once again you may insert sarcasm here). But with all the trials and tribulations of the RV life, we have also found God working in wonderful and exciting ways we would not have imagined before venturing on this journey. We have had incredible encounters with incredible people that would not have happened if we hadn’t broken down on the side of the road. We have seen the tremendous beauty of His creation across this country from the wonders of nature to the ways He has enabled the human mind to use it. We have learned patience and perseverance in ways that even Africa cannot teach us. It has become obvious to us that the answer to the question, “To RV or not to RV?” is a resounding “To RV”.
