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ordinary day

What a great morning. Well let’s start before
As you know on the rear of a John Deere 2140 tractor it has a shaft running through the width of the PTO. Attached to this shaft are two arms which rise up and down via the PTO allowing the trailer or slasher to be operated at the correct height. But for a good while we have had an oil leak from both seals on the said shaft, both sides of the PTO casing.  Bearing in mind it costs R750 for 20 litres of 20/40 multi use oil. Are you still with me? Great. Vusie one of my team and the main pilot of the John Deere took it into his head to take the right-hand lifting arm from the shaft. Thus forcing my hand to get it fixed!! 
So today we, Vusie, Moses and meself became the dream JD team a bit like the Formula 1 pit stop team.  We realised after shifting the shaft the seal was a combination of a felt seal inserted into a grove and a plastic washer to keep the dust out, a modification. A short trip to a new local John Deere supplier for parts and we begin to put it back together.  I do my best to impart some of the skills I learnt from other mechanics (thanks Mike O); soaking the steals in oil, wash all parts, wooden blocks to persuade the shaft. The we measure the height and central positioning of the arms. We chop the old messy chains of fit new adjusters. 
Vusie takes the JD and slasher out for a test drive and he is very pleased I am very pleased and together we have all learnt something. 
There is nothing special in this event on this day but sometimes being a missionary in Africa is just doing the ordinary kingdom stuff. Raising someone's skills who left school after possibly 5 years of school. Placing a value on relationships. Working together as a team and having a very old tractor running better than when we started. No oil leaks. 

Another thing I am learning is the need to identify the people God puts in your way and try and work with them. Yes a great morning


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