Roller coaster week

The week started off great. After a good day at the safari lodge, then a great safari with the Perimeter team, I was back in Arusha in my own bed for a night. Team worship on Sunday night, preschool on Monday, then off to meet the team for a good-bye lunch. I decided to go to the ATM and get out money for the week, and that's when the downward part started. I found out my ATM card had just expired! While there are other ways to get money here (as I found out during various phone calls to both my banks), they are all either difficult or expensive or both. During that minor (?) crisis, Catherine, from the team from Arizona, and I were texting, callng, and emailing to figure out what the 4 of them who stayed behind when their team left wanted to do. They'd asked me to go along, drive, etc. and said they'd pay for my gas and lodging. At 9:00 that night, we all decided on Pangani, which is on the coast and I've never been there but heard great things about it. I grabbed a map and a guidebook, got hotel reccomendations, and we were off by 8:30 the next morning! We had been told it was a 6-8 hour trip, but we managed to make it in 15! Three one hour stops along the way for car "repairs," with about 20 various Tanzanian men to help, a ferry boat ride at 10:30 p.m. with a stretcher being carried by 4 men in gloves holding a dead body, several phone calls to the hotel saying we were still coming but weren't there, yet, my fuel light going on at least 15 km from the hotel, finally gettng so frustrated at not finding the place that we took a security guard from a neighboring hotel along with us to show us the way! Fell into bed before midnight, completely exhausted! Then 2 days on the upward part of the roller coaster: sun, a pool, right on the beach, great food, a boat ride and snorkelling, sleeping to the sound of the waves and wind, lots of exercise and reading, just perfect. Friday dawned beautful and warm and went back downhill! My car went into reverse to get out of our parking space, into drive, then never moved again. Even when we stopped for bathroom breaks or to get gas, I couldn't put it into park or turn off the engine. Along with that were the rdiculous number of police stops for fire extingusher checks, a seatbelt check, and finally a speeding stop. I had argued and gotten away with not paying at the other stops, but by the time I got pulled over for speeding, I had just had it and paid the 30,000 Tsh (about $20), but I did ask for the paper copy of the ticket. A miracle happened here. (Unfortunately TZ police are known to be largely corrupt, often pulling people to ask for money for food, a ride somewhere, etc.) The policeman went to get the paperwork and brought back another officer. He asked me where we were coming from, going to, etc., and when I told him I had wageni (visitors) who had to go back to America the next day, he said, "The United States of America?" I said yes, and he said, "Let me say we are sorry," and he handed me back the 30,000! This is unheard of - a policeman apologizing and returning money! I guess he wanted Americans to have a favorable opinion of TZ! The return trip only took 11 hours, and when we got back to where I was leaving the visitors (my friends' Jenny and Carly's place) I knew I couldn't go any further, even 45 minutes home. So I turned off the car (still in drive), locked it with my remote, and was done. The next morning a fundi (trained worker in some area) we know and trust came to look at the car. My only moment of worry was when he asked, "How are you going to start it?" I thought though, that's why you're here! Jenny has bought a new car but not sold her old one, so she loaned me her old car. I haven't heard from the fundi, but managed to get home and to church today, so I'm happy about that. Last downward slope of the roller coaster came yesterday afternoon. I set up on-line banking as I may need that for some financial stuff involving my ATM card and resolving my temporary financial crisis, and I went on-line to check balances, etc. Only to fnd out over the last 2 months someone has hacked into my account and stolen a huge amount of money! Trying to get that resolved from TZ won't be easy, so my friend Russ and my mother spent large parts of yesterday trying to track that all down. I've broken out in a rash, which I'm pretty sure is stress-related! I know God has a plan, is still in control, and is bigger than all these situations, but I'll still be glad when it's all resolved!!