Miraculous Chaos
“Babe! The van is making a weird noise! Pull over!” I bumped Matt’s arm to get his attention. He had his headphones in, listening to Audible as we drove home from Atlanta.
“Oh man,” he said, putting on the brakes and heading to the highway shoulder.
“It sounds like the front right tire blew.”
“Yeah, it does…the brakes just went.”
“What?!”
We rolled to a stop.
“What’s happening?! What’s going on?!”
The kids were curious and concerned, their heads popping up from iPads. We were a silly sight-every seat was full including the floor where Daisy (our dog) and her puppy were sleeping.
“Hold on. Everyone out of the van.” Matt instructed.
We were in the middle of Indiana. It was Memorial Day weekend of 2020. It was the third month of Covid and was 90 degrees at 3:37 in the afternoon. We got all the kids out of the van as cars and pickups and semis went speeding by.
“The tires look fine. I think the engine actually died when I said the brakes went. I’m gonna call roadside.”
“Ok.” I turned to the kids and explained what had happened and what Matt was doing.
“We need a NEW CAR!!!” Macrae exclaimed! Arms out wide, face exasperated.
“You may be right, Macrae.” I laughed.
We had planned on buying a handicap vehicle sometime in August. We had friends who were about to launch a fundraiser to help offset the cost of the purchase price…but this was May and we were not ready to buy a new vehicle.
The sun was beating down and we were concerned for Finley and the puppy overheating. We grabbed a blanket and Jones and Macrae held it up to create shade for the girls and the puppy.
After a while, a semi truck pulled over in front of us. The trucker walked over with an oil can.
“You guys need some help?”
“Yeah.” I laughed ‘“I’m Heather.”
“Waleed.”
Thanks, Waleed.”
“Let’s see if it is your oil.”
“Ok.”
Matt was still on the phone with roadside. Waleed filled the oil;!I started the car-nothing. The engine refused to start.
“Well, that doesn’t seem to be the issue.”
“Ok, I will wait for your husband to get off the phone and then I will take you guys to the next exit.”
“Are you sure? We could be here awhile.”
“It is no problem. I have a family too.”
“Thank you so much.”
After Matt sorted the tow company out, we all piled into Walid’s semi truck-all of us, dog and puppy included.
“YAY!” Finley exclaimed over and over as we barreled down the highway.
Walid kindly dropped us off at the next exit where there was a gas station/Subway combo. We explained our situation and the employees were very kind and accommodating, getting us water cups for everyone and allowing us to bring in the puppy to cool down. We bought the kids ice cream and booked a hotel for the night. Car rental places were closed for Memorial Day weekend so getting home via rental car was not going to happen.
Our tow truck driver arrived with our van hitched to his truck. He kindly allowed all eight of us to pile in, dropping the van off at the mechanics who just happened to be working on Memorial Day. We would have answers hopefully sometime in the next 24 hours. Our tow truck driver graciously drove us to our hotel, gave us his card and told us to call him if we needed anything. We were so grateful.
“Well, we were in a van, then a semi, then a tow truck, now we are at a hotel. This has been quite a day.” Macrae summed up.
Miraculous Chaos filled the next few days-full of gratitude and wonder and sadness and shock. Our 18 year old van, that had taken us on countless trips over the last 9 years, was totally dead. Friends sent us money to cover our unexpected hotel stay and money to take the kids out to eat. All the car rental places were closed until Tuesday so we needed to stay an extra night. Friends started sending us money for a new car, other friends launched a go-fund me to raise money for a handicapped vehicle for Finley. By the time we arrived home in our rental vehicle on Tuesday evening, $16,000 had been raised! We were stunned, shocked, and surprised at how quickly friends and family rallied.
The type of handicapped vehicle we needed was rare to find used. It was a Toyota Sienna with an Auto Access Seat. Essentially one of the middle captains chairs is motorized and literally comes out of the vehicle and all the way to the ground to transfer the disabled person. Toyota also uses this term when talking about a pop-up middle seat in the middle row. So, if you do a google search it looks like there are tons of options but when digging deeper there are none available. We spoke with two Toyota dealers who told us we would not find one used, that they are special order only as they only make around 3,000 a year and they have only been making them for 9 years-meaning they truly are difficult to come by. On Tuesday night, I found one in Japan and one in Minneapolis.
Wednesday morning Matt contacted Carlson’s Automotive in Minneapolis, Minnesota and the amazing Kadin gave us a virtual tour of the van. We gave him the thumbs up that Matt would be there in six hours to buy it. Matt jumped in the shower while I called Enterprise to extend our van rental and packed Matt a bag. While I packed, a friend messaged us saying she was booking Matt a hotel in Minneapolis.
Grace gift.
“Be back tomorrow with a van! Love you!” Matt said as he walked out the door.
I laughed as he left. The last four days had been a whirlwind of chaos and blessing. We were blown away by the generosity of friends, family and strangers.
The kids ran out as soon as Matt pulled into our street disabled parking space. I could hear them hooting and hollering from inside the house. I walked outside with Finley on my hip and tears in my eyes. The kids’ expression captured how our hearts felt-excited, grateful, shocked, and elated. It was a beautiful picture of the unexpected goodness of God. God always provides but sometimes He provides in unexpected, huge, life changing ways that calls the soul to immediate attention and the heart to daily gratitude.
If you were a part of this story in any way, the Sweetman family is beyond grateful.
Every time we are driving, one of us will say, “Thank you Jesus for our van!!!This is often followed by a “Yes! Thank you!”
Thank you for being apart of our story. Thank you for praying, for donating, for and for encouraging! We are so grateful for you and God’s abundant provision.
Many blessings to you and yours today.
