The Dean Family

The Good News: First and foremost, I thank the Lord for His protection, things could have gone terribly wrong. Praise the Lord that no one was hurt. As to the condition of the van;  if it was a typical van, it would have been totaled; but because it is designed for off-roading, everything is beefed up. As a result,  the suspension and frame held together surprisingly  well. Prior to the accident, I had went through the engine compartment replacing anything that even looked worn out. (A very important step, as you don't want to break down on the winter road.) Nothing in the engine compartment was damaged, praise the Lord. That work was not in vain. The Repairs Needed: Earlier this week Missionary James Pranger and I replaced some steering components so that we could move it . (We had to bring it in on a flatbed.) Here is what I know so far: - It will need extensive body work. - It will need an alignment done. - It will need two new rims and tires. - A new seat...

Let me start out by saying that I am OK.  Our car is not. I had planned on writing this week to tell everyone about our van. We had bought a van for the purpose of winter road travel. It is a Russian UAZ van designed for both on and off road driving. Its four wheel drive, high ground clearance, and low gear ratio make it ideal for the winter road. In addition to that, its  stout suspension allows it to carry a heavy load. We had planned to use it to transport goods and ministry materials over the winter road. As you may recall, there is no road going into Vanavara during the summer, so most goods are transported across the winter road. This is especially important to us as we are planning to get our apartment ready this winter, which includes some remodel work. Also, we are planning to move our household goods up this winter. This van was key to many of our plans. I had just finished going through the van mechanically. It is dangerous to break down on the winter roa...