Vehicles of Love

On my August trip to Washington DC, I was responsible for driving my 5-year old grandson to rock-climbing camp Monday through Friday. My son was driving daily to seminary in the one family car. My daughter-in-law often took the kids around town by e-bike. But, she was out of town. Although Kent has done it, I couldn’t quite see myself riding the 85-pound bike plus 5-year old. I’ve had enough tip-overs biking just myself around! What to do?

My daughter-in-law had worked out a detailed plan. Here’s how it looked, tacked to the refrigerator:

Monday - AM & PM - Cameron’s car

Tuesday - AM - Krista; PM - Cameron

Wednesday - AM - Krista; PM - Cameron

Thursday - AM - Krista; PM - Cameron

Friday - AM - Krista; PM - Cameron

We were going to borrow the neighbors’ cars! Cameron, I could recognize, probably. Krista, I know a little. But still, an adventure.

On Monday, my grandson and I walked hand-in-hand across the street bright and early and presented ourselves at Cameron’s front door. “Do not ring” said a note. We knocked. I expected to be handed a set of keys. But, Cameron directed us through the living room adorned with baby and toddler toys and then through the kitchen to the back-door. No garage, but the dark grey Nissan was parked in the backyard on a concrete pad tucked between a roll-up door and a tiny lawn.

“Anything I should know about the car?” I’d never driven a Nissan before. Cameron said, “Not really, but it’s a little tight turning into the alley. We find it easier to back in.”

With many statements of thanks, we loaded ourselves up in the unfamiliar car and punched a button. The metal door rolled up with loud creaking, revealing a fence on the opposite side of the narrow alley, just a few feet away. I prayed not to hit anything. With many mirror checks, we slowly eased out of the yard and turned into the alley. We didn’t scrape the door or knock over any garbage cans. Hallelujah!

When I returned to the alley, I backed in carefully. The back-door to the house was locked. I hesitated to disturb them again but there was no other way out. With many thanks I retraced my steps through the kitchen and living room and out the front door. I knew I would repeat this process several more times.

Tuesday morning - a new car! Krista’s aging red Prius. Krista is a yoga instructor on zoom and in-person, with two near-grown sons. Krista’s house was torn up with a construction project, in preparation for sale. And she was moving . . on Friday! And lending out her car four days that week. I felt a bit shame-faced knocking on her door with all she had going on in life.

Krista answered the door with her usual good cheer. “Ever driven a Prius before?” “Nope.” She told me how the gear shift worked and handed me her keys. “I’m sorry, it’s quite a mess. My son took it on a road trip with friends and hasn’t cleaned it up yet. When you return, just come up the stairs, turn right and leave the keys on the table by me. I’ll be teaching by then.”

So my grandson and I opened the doors and goggled at the piles of papers, empty water bottles, food wrappers and more. Somehow, the disarray just emphasized her kindness. How easy it would have been to think "I have no time to clean the car, I can't lend it." When I returned, I tiptoed up the stairs. Krista was speaking to her students and demonstrating a yoga position. But she smiled and nodded to me when I laid the keys gently down and fled.

On Wednesday morning, Krista could not locate her keys. She found a couple of spare fobs and handed them to me with a rueful “Take both. Hopefully one of them will work!” And so it went until Thursday afternoon, when my granddaughter spiked a fever and my son returned early from seminary. I drove his car after that.

How to express thanks to these neighbors who welcomed us into life as it was, providing what we needed in a very personal way? So humbling! It showed me what a neighbor can be, as Jesus directed us. Love your neighbor as yourself with an open heart and an open life, providing something needed without a lot of fuss.