Roadside Blessings

Hidden Acts of Service

2008-11-03T21:55:00.003-10:00

A recent message about Hidden Acts of Service has changed my mind about this blog. I hope to continue to assist people along the road when I'm driving, but when I do, I will do it privately.

Thank you readers for being a part of this journey. This blog was an exciting experiment, but it confused my motivations and made me question the reasons why I did it. My goal was never to glorify myself, and yet I had to fight that temptation.

I really recommend the video. Check it out. I wish I could embed it, but follow the link and watch for yourself. It is very well done!

Aloha and Mahalo, the end of the road has come,

Rich

Been a while...

2008-06-23T09:54:00.007-10:00

I haven't written for a while now. I had a crisis of confidence in my motivation. Am I doing this for the wrong reasons? I still don't know, but this morning I was nearly forced to stop, so I did. It felt good.

As I approached the middle street merge area, I saw a young lady on the side of the road, her car's hood up and she was on the cellphone. I was late for work and in the center lane and although I felt sorry for her I wasn't planning to stop.

Then the blue Acura in front of me stopped dead in my lane. Soon his hazard lights came on and I realized he was having trouble. I kicked on the amber flasher and got out to check on him. Right then someone else came to help to so we pushed his car off to the side of the road, getting him out of the dangerous traffic. I ran back to my truck and got it off the road too and checked on both stalled cars.

The Acura just died. He had gas and battery and was not overheating and he just called his dad to help. I walked over to the young lady and inquired if she was OK, and likewise her dad was on the way. As is typical, there was really nothing else I could do.

I said my "goodbyes" and "be carefuls" and got back on the road, very late for work now, but I called the boss and he said "no problem."

It's frustrating not being able to always solve the problem. I keep lots of resources with the truck (tools, water, gas, a battery-jumper, air compressor, duct tape) but if there is something mechanically wrong with the car, a call and a tow is about all that can be done. I was surprised how many times people with cellphones just wave off help. It happens a lot!

Maybe I'll start to stop again (that sounds funny). Stay tuned.

Ouch

2007-11-20T07:12:00.003-10:00

Teaching about Giving to the Needy

Matt 6:1-4

“Watch out! Don’t do your good deeds publicly, to be admired by others, for you will lose the reward from your Father in heaven. 2 When you give to someone in need, don’t do as the hypocrites do—blowing trumpets in the synagogues and streets to call attention to their acts of charity! I tell you the truth, they have received all the reward they will ever get. 3 But when you give to someone in need, don’t let your left hand know what your right hand is doing. 4 Give your gifts in private, and your Father, who sees everything, will reward you.

2-hours waiting for help!

2007-09-18T18:16:00.001-10:00

I just pulled over to help a young nurse that had blown out a rear tire near the airport. (She told me her name, but now I've forgotten.) She called her brother to come help, but they were having problems understanding each other in regards to her location. Her cellphone was nearly dead when I arrived.

I offered to wait with her until her brother arrived, but started looking at the tire and asking if she had a spare. She did, but it was flat! I used my compressor to reinflate it and started to change the tire. I felt like a total rookie using her jack! I kept thinking I was doing something wrong, but I couldn't figure it out. Finally got the car jacked up, and her old tire off, and just as I was putting her emergency spare on her brother arrived! He took over lowering the car and I finally saw what I was doing wrong with the jack. I was so embarrassed!

I said my goodbyes (nearly forgetting my compressor!), they said thanks and I was back on the road.

Jeremy & Cisco

2007-09-17T18:19:00.001-10:00

I just pulled over to help Jeremy and Cisco, because they ran out of gas, shortly after getting off the freeway. I was able to give them the gas they needed, but because the van was on a slope, it wasn't getting to the fuel line. We had Cisco back up to a flatter spot and then rocked the car while he started it. It took some coaxing, but eventually they were on their way back to Waipahu.

Nice Lady in Need

2007-09-17T17:51:00.001-10:00

I just pulled over to help a Jennifer Wong, owner of CNA Senior Transport. Her vehicle had blown out a front tire on the driver side. She was in a very bad place and much too close to oncoming highway traffic to work on it. She had called AAA and because of her safety, she also called the police to ask if she should stay with the car or find a safer spot. I offered to stay with her until help arrived. Maybe my blinking light might help people see the situation earlier. We only talked for about 10 minutes before the helpful AAA tow truck rolled up and she started the paper work.

The van is used to help transport our senior citizens about town, and I guess when there was a problem, they had to transfer their client to another van. That could have been very difficult if they were wheelchair bound, but fortunately that was not the case, and they were able to get their client quickly under way again. She struck me as a very compassionate and intelligent lady.

During our conversation she asked me how I was funded. That kind of made me laugh inside. "I'm not" I said with a grin.

Black Jag

2007-09-11T08:08:00.001-10:00

Hi Everybody, its 8 a.m. on September 11th Tuesday and I just pulled over to help a black Jaguar that was in distress. I was leaving Mililani and the person declined assistance. He had somebody coming already from Jaguar. He thanked me for stopping, so that's the latest! Aloha -Rich.
Click here to listen

Bad Crash

2007-08-27T09:24:00.000-10:00

This accident stopped traffic for miles. I didn't stop because by the time I got there authorities were on the scene. It's hard to see, but behind the pickup is an overturned SUV! Yikes!

Smoke... Not Good.

2007-08-10T16:35:00.001-10:00

I came across this elderly couple with the hood up in the parking lot of Zippys. They were on the phone and had someone coming. There was unknown smoke coming from the engine compartment. Known or unknown, smoke is NOT good.

Nothing I could do to help...again. Anyone else seeing a pattern?

Good Samaritan's final act

2007-08-10T10:37:00.000-10:00

DES MOINES, Iowa -- A central Iowa woman said she saw a Good Samaritan dying two hours after he had helped her fix her flat tire, reported KCCI-TV in Des Moines. Police said Rick Byrkett, 53, of Des Moines, ran northbound across Euclid Avenue and into the path of a truck. Amy Conlin said that Byrkett had spent the last hours of his life helping a stranger.

Conlin was on her way to a friend's house for dinner when she hit a median on the street.

"Right here, right there is where I popped the tire," she said, standing near the spot. Byrkett, who was walking by, stopped to help. "He came up and said, 'You ladies need some help?' I said, 'sure,' and so he changed the tire for me," she said. "He said he enjoys doing nice things for other people so maybe if he's in need, maybe someone will stop and help him out. That's what he said."

Fifteen minutes later, Conlin and Byrkett parted ways. Neither of them knew that two hours later, Conlin would be stopping for Byrkett.

"Yeah, I did stop because I knew. I knew it was him. I knew it was," she said.

Police said Byrkett had been hit by a pickup while crossing the street. Conlin was on her way home and drove through the intersection where the accident happened moments before.

"I yelled his name, and he grunted," she said.

Conlin watched him being loaded into an ambulance. He died later at the hospital. She said she's thankful she had a chance to know him even if it was for only 15 minutes.

"I appreciate what he did for me. You know, take his example and move on with his example to help others," she said.

Diesel Fuel

2007-08-06T18:00:00.000-10:00

This big GMC truck I found on the Waipahu off ramp, coming home at the apex of the hill. He said he has a helf tank of diesel fule, but it seems like it's not getting to the engine. He thinks air is getting into the fuel line somehow. He already had someone on the way, so once again nothing I could really do. Didn't give him a card and snapped off a quick photo which turns out focussed on my camera instead. This is a junk way to take a quick photo, I have to try something else.

Accident Aftermath

2007-08-02T17:30:00.000-10:00

This young lady had had an accident earlier in the day. She didn't think her car was damaged, but after getting on the freeway, the car started to smoke, so she decided to pull over and call a tow truck. She was waiting for the tow truck (with her daughter in the back seat) and there really wasn't anything I could do. I forgot to give her a card and nearly forgot to take a photo.

Transmission

2007-07-07T20:36:00.000-10:00

I stopped for a guy (Jeff?) in Mililani today. He was near McDonald's and his white car was off to the side of the road, but not completely off. He was just standing there waiting when I pulled over. Nice guy! He told me it wouldn't stay in gear and he had coasted to a stop where he was. I helped him get the car safely out of traffic and there was really nothing else for him to do but wait for the tow truck, which was already on its way. I gave him a website card and we said goodbye, joking about his good fortune of being stranded on a beautiful day in the shade of a big tree. Aloha Jeff (?)!

Stopped Today

2007-07-05T23:09:00.000-10:00

After nearly a month of no cars or me on a tight schedule, I finally was able to make a stop.

I stopped by a truck that had its hood up but no blinkers. The guy came out to meet me and said it just died on him in the fast lane and he had to hobble his way across all the lanes of traffic to get the car to the side of the road. He thought it was just a loose battery cable. I got my "jumper" kit and we had the engine running again, but is sounded terrible! Strange squeals and didn't quite want to idle. He said that the oil light was also on. By then his friend (who had called earlier) arrived so I gave him a website card and said bye. Hope his engine is alright!

(I thought I posted a "mobile" Treo blog entry, but I guess it didn't take.)

Good end to a bad day

2007-06-08T21:06:00.000-10:00

Near Aloha Stadium I was kind of stuck in the middle lane. I usually drive home in the right lane, because that is where most stranded drivers end up. Coming from the viaduct and merging with the Moanaloa Freeway puts me right in the middle. I was getting irritated because the traffic on both sides of me was moving pretty briskly and I couldn't match speeds for a lane change, and I soon found out why. A few cars ahead of me was a pickup that was slowly lurching to a stop. Eventually I was right behind it and I fired up the amber dome light, to help people realize there was a problem.

The truck wouldn't quite stop, and it couldn't quite go, everytime I thought it was through it would seem to revive. We limped over to the right shoulder slowly as I blocked traffic. Eventually the painter's pickup came to a stop.

I walked up and asked if there was anything I could do to help. They didn't have a cellphone so I let them use mine. It was noisy and so it was hard to hear. The first call was a little funny because after 30 seconds of trying to make himself understood he realized it was a wrong number! The second call seemed to go through and I guess he was able to call for help.

His passenger asked if I could take him to Pearl City. I said no problem and he gathered his stuff and hopped in my truck with me. I don't want to get into details but today was a very frustrating "first day on the job" for him and he was very grateful to be "rescued" from his day. He was very frustrated with the driver, whom he had just met that day and he wanted nothing else to do with him. We introduced ourselves and I enjoyed listening to him. He had a lot to say! I ended up taking him to Waipahu High School since there was a transit center there and it was basically on my way.

I gave him a card and dropped him off at the bus stop. I'd have to say I have never met anyone so grateful for my assistance than this young man. He said he was ready to just get out of the truck and walk home already!

I'm glad I was able to bring a little blessing to his life. Hopefull he'll check in here and give his side of the story too!

Beware Police Impersonator

2007-06-04T14:39:00.000-10:00

News Release
June 4, 2007

Impersonating a Police Officer and
Unauthorized Entry into a Motor Vehicle

CrimeStoppers and the Honolulu Police Department are seeking the public’s assistance in identifying and locating a male wanted for Impersonating a Police Officer and Unauthorized Entry Into a Motor Vehicle.

On May 23, 2007 at about 7:45 p.m., a female was driving northbound on Piikoi Street when she was pulled over by a male claiming to be a Police Officer. The suspect had a rotating blue light on the dashboard and used a loud speaker to order the driver to stop. The suspect told the driver that she was being pulled over for a defective tail light and to get out of her vehicle. The female, who was talking on her cell phone refused and the suspect tried to grab the phone from her. The female began screaming for help, and two males scared the male away. The male got back into his vehicle and fled.

Anyone with information about this incident is asked to call CrimeStoppers at
955-8300, or *CRIME on your cellular phone.

Free cellular calls are provided by AT&T, Nextel Hawaii, T-Mobile, and Verizon Wireless Hawaii.

Suspect: Unknown male
Race: Hawaiian
Age: 20’s
Complexion: Tan
Clothing: Black jacket, black pants
Vehicle: 4 door, dark blue or black sedan, dark tinted windows

Roadside Rescue

2007-06-01T18:14:00.001-10:00

These sweet ladies were having some kind of mechanical issue that robbed the van of power. Someone else had also stopped and was helping them too. She already had her husband on the way. I realized there was nothing I could do to help and I didn't have my cards on me at the time either.

This message was sent from Rich's Treo 650.

Lull...

2007-05-29T13:28:00.000-10:00

Just a note to say that I've been driving my wife's car for a week while we have some maintenance issues attended to. No stops last week and probably won't start again until Thursday afternoon. Don't get stuck until Thursday! (grin) -Rich

Blue S.U.V.

2007-05-21T17:41:00.001-10:00

This person declined any assistance and said that a tow truck was already on the way. She said the problem was mechanical and she would simply wait for the tow truck to arrive. I think she might have felt a little scared so I didn't offer her a card. I think she just wanted me to go away. That's OK. I understand. She must have felt very vulnerable.

This message was sent from Rich's Treo 650.

Yellow Pickup Truck

2007-05-21T17:37:00.001-10:00

Stopped when I saw a yellow pickup on the road with its flashers on and its hood up. He said his wife was already coming and that he needed to rebuild his carburetor. There was nothing I could really do but was able to give him a card and say "God Bless You". He waved thanks as I pulled away. I forgot to take a photo.

This message was sent from Rich's Treo 650.

A Bad Day

2007-05-17T21:26:00.000-10:00

This young lady was having a really bad day. She is a military wife and her husband has already been relocated to Denver. She's trying to wrap things up here to then join him there. They have been trying to sell this truck and it has been sitting at the "Lemon Lot" (used cars on base) for a while. Well she was already running late to chaperon an event in Kailua, when her truck runs out of gas on the freeway by the stadium. Fortunately for her her luck was about to change.

She had not been on the side of the road long at all. I know that because I had scanned the side a few minutes earlier and there were no cars. Shortly after, through the jumble of cars in traffic, I can see her hazard light flashing. At the same time a solo bike officer was about 2 cars back from me, also approaching the truck. We both pulled over at the same time (me in front, him behind) which I bet was a shock to both her and the police officer. (Click for Map)

When I approached they told me she needed gas. "I have gas." I said and went to work getting the can from the truck bed. The bike officer backed up a little and kinda kept the traffic away from crowding me as I gave her what I had. She also explained to me that because her truck had been sitting so long unused, the battery was weak and she had trouble starting it. "No problem" I said, excited about using my new jump starter for the first time.

Sure enough she tried to start it and it was tired sounding. I connected the jumpstarter, flipped the switch, she tried again and "VVrrooommmmmm..." it kicked over like a champ! Hurray!

I gave her a card and asked if I could take a picture for the blog. I even gave a card to the police officer and thanked him too. When I was done packing up, I jumped in my truck and immediately noticed the cop was holding traffic up so I could pull out. I quickly did and then realized my seat belt wasn't on yet! YIKES! I got it on, killed the amber flasher and continued on.

Hopefully we were able to be a little ray of sunshine on a bad day. I never did get her name.

Selsen needed water/coolant

2007-05-14T18:51:00.001-10:00

This is Selsen (Please correct me if I got your name wrong. Hard fo' hea next to traffic!) He needed coolant and his radiator was bone dry and it was still quite hot.

When I was getting my water from the truck he asked me if this was some kind of roadside service. (I think he was worried about having to pay something.) I said no, it was more like a ministry.

The water I was pouring in was steaming and boiling out. He'll need to add some coolant later when he has a chance to work on it. When we were done I gave him a blog card and encouraged him to check out the site. He also let me take his picture and as you can see gave me a great shaka! He only had to get to Waipahu and that wasn't very far away at all. (Click for map).

We parted with some smiles and a handshake. Hopefully he will check in here and tell us his side of the story (and give me the correct spelling of his first name!)

This message was sent from Rich's Treo 650.

Lianne needed Gas

2007-05-09T22:10:00.000-10:00

This is Lianne. This "assist" is a little different than most, because I have known Lianne for a long time.

Lianne is a member of our small group bible study called "Wananada Wednesdays". (We eat with wananada, learn with wananada, pray for wananada...get it?). Lianne had enough gas to make it to small group and "maybe" enough to get back home. She had her 18 month old son with her, but had forgotten her cell phone at home, and it was getting late. I was happy to provide her with a gallon of gas just to be sure there would be no problems getting home.

That's what we do for others, especially our Christian brothers and sisters. We look for opportunities to meet their needs. We honor God when we care for one another (wananada).

Anyways, hopefully Lianne will check in here and let us know she made it home safely.

Young Folks needed Gas

2007-05-07T19:06:00.000-10:00

These fine young people had pulled over into what I consider the most dangerous area to stop. (Click here for a map) The shoulder here is exactly 1 car width, so when you open the door you open it into traffic. The driver didn't quite get the tail of his car out of traffic either.

When I approached, the young man told me he was trying to call somebody to bring them gas. He was really happy to hear that I had gas with me. It didn't take long to put the gallon in (that's all I carry) and the sweet girl in the back tried to offer me some money for the gas. I gave them one of the web cards and hopefully they will look it up and give their side of the story.

When I was done the driver gave me a big handshake and then was able to drive on (hopefully to a gas station!) I didn't get any of their names and I don't know if they were friends or family.

God bless!

Yuen Better Watch Out!

2007-04-30T20:42:00.000-10:00

Today I met Yuen! He was driving this large white truck when his rear wheel blew out! When I drove by, he was by himself, pulled as far left as he could be, waving cars around his vehicle which was still 25% in the fast lane! It was a very dangerous situation!

Click here for a map.

I was cruising the right side of the viaduct, "on patrol" if you will, when I noticed him on the far left, 7 lanes over! There was no way I was going to be able to get to him, so I pulled over to the right and turned on all my blinkers and flashers and started slowly backing up. When I got across from him I motioned I was calling police and he indicated he had a friend on the way. I continued slowly backing up until I thought I had enough room to cross given a large break in traffic.

Well waiting for a large break in traffic on the viaduct at 6pm took a long time. I called 911 to try to get some traffic assistance and got my fluorescent vest out. Finally the break came and I was able to cross the 7 lanes and pull up behind him. I figured my flashers might be easier to see from a distance.

He told me about the blow out and his friend who was coming and thanked me for stopping. I took over the flag waving chores while he was able to get on the phone and start trying to solve his predicament. Soon we were waving people over together. I got on top of the zipper lane divider to be easier seen when I saw something orange by the big planters between the highways. There, placed as if God himself wanted us to have them, were 3 old traffic cones stacked and ready for duty! Thank you Lord!

I ran over and jumped the wall to the planter, which for all intents and purposes must have looked like I was jumping off a bridge! I popped right back with the cones which we immediately set up upstream from our lane. I have to admit, I felt a lot safer with those 3 old cones out. and no one tried to squeeze past us anymore!

Soon his friend arrived and they set to work on the tire. I was experimenting with different styles of waving and settled on a very authoritative snapping point to the next lane, using my fluorescent vest as a flag. That seemed to get the most response the furthest away. I didn't want it to look like a hailing "help us" flag waving either. Just wanted them to see me early and give way. There were a couple of folks who just didn't get it. They would roll to a stop right in front of us and then try to merge into the next lane of folks going 60mph! That was probably the most dangerous thing I saw.

Yuen ran up and asked me if I knew any tow truck companies. Turns out the spare the friend brought wasn't working out. I had a number in my phone for Humbug Towing. I gave them the number, but honestly don't know if they called or if Humbug could help them.

By now the sun was directly behind us and I was sure the cars were having a hard time seeing us. The drivers had to see us while nearly looking directly into the sun! Our arms were actually getting fatigued too. Waving constantly for an hour does actually get to you. I don't know how the political sign wavers do it!

The sun was getting low and the cars headlights came on. Yuen offered to wave for a while since they were just waiting for the tow truck at this point. "Where are the cops?" I thought. It had been nearly an hour since I called 911.

I went to the truck and set up my 1,000,000 candlepower spot light. When cars were approaching in our lane at nearly a half mile away, I would sweep the tight beam up and down the lane, creating a flashing effect to the cars approaching. When the lane was clear I would just point the beam down. It seemed to work well because the cars were moving over much farther away.

FINALLY 2 police cruisers arrived with all their blue lights and flashing white strobes and blocked off our lane. They looked like the cavalry coming to our rescue, and I felt safe and a little silly there with my little orange flasher and my hand-held spotlight. There was really nothing else I could do at that point, so I gave Yuen my blog card and shook his hand. He was very very grateful and he thanked me very much. I also gave a card to his friend and then got back in my truck.

First thing I noticed was the gas light! I had left the car idling for nearly an hour to operate the lights and I had forgotten that I was very low on fuel. Yikes! Fortunately, I had no problem getting to a station for a couple of gallons, and I did have a gallon in the back for a self rescue if I needed to use it.

This was definitely the longest and most interesting roadside rescue so far, and I certainly hope that Yuen and his friend check in here and tell a little of their side of the story!

TheCab broke a fanbelt

2007-04-28T12:48:00.001-10:00

I pulled over to help this cabbie (63808). He had broken a fan belt so there wasn't much I could do to help. He still had his customers in the back, but had already called for another cab and a tow truck. I wonder if the meter was still running? Actually, I bet they got a free ride.

Click for Map

I forgot to give the cabbie one of my new cards!

I gotta see if there is such a thing as an emergency fan belt.

This message was sent from Rich's Treo 650.

Yvonne needed water

2007-04-28T10:38:00.001-10:00

Bryan and I were on our way to watch a Botball tournament at the convention center when we spoted a blue pickup with its hazard lights flashing.

Click for Map

We pulled over and met Yvonne. I asked her what's the matter. She said the car needed water. She said she was borrowing her brother's truck and the radiator was bone dry. I filled it up while Bryan gave her a card and took a picture. She was back on the road in a matter of minutes.

Shucks, I forgot to say "God bless you" when we left.

This message was sent from Rich's Treo 650.

Flat Tire

2007-04-23T17:48:00.001-10:00

This family needed a new tire, but already had a church friend coming with a replacement. I didn't get her name but was able to give her a card.

This message was sent from Rich's Treo 650.

Sebastian and Friend

2007-04-23T17:42:00.000-10:00

This is Sebastian. He and his buddy were having some electrical problems, but they had already called a friend over to give them a jump-start. I was hoping to use my brand new jumpstarter for the first time, but they declined any help. He did get to be the first recipient of a blog card, and hopefully he'll check the blog and leave a comment here!
===========
UPDATE: Sebastian did stop by and became the first to comment on this blog! See below. Thanks!

My cards arrived!

2007-04-23T15:58:00.000-10:00

Finally my new Moo cards arrived! They are really cool and I can't wait to start handing them out! $25 for a hundred and I could use photos from my Flickr account.

Monster Truck=BIG problem

2007-04-20T22:18:00.000-10:00

This is Paul. I actually recognized this truck from around Mililani.

I found him today at the H1/H2 merge area, almost exactly where I met Alex, my first ever roadside rescue. When I was backing up toward him, I could immediately see the problem...a flat tire.

Click For Map

I got out and went to see if there was anything I could do. Paul said he had a friend with a platform tow truck who was coming to get him. These big monster trucks are gorgeous, but they often don't have anyplace for a spare if one of the tires go down.

We talked a little and I mentioned the blog. I wish I had a card to give him. In a few days my cards will have arrived and I'll have something to pass out to these folks to lead them here.

He let me take his picture and then we said goodbye. I'm sure I'll be seeing him around again.

Electrical Problem

2007-04-20T22:09:00.000-10:00

This is Kevin's beautiful Mustang. This "afterthought" photo doesn't do it justice. He was pulled over just outside the Middle street tunnel heading toward the airport. Kevin was wearing a TSA uniform so I assume he works there. He was having problems with his alarm's anti-theft device. The cutoff device is supposed to disable the car if it is stolen but it was cutting off the fuel pump even when disarmed. Yes the thought occured to me that maybe Kevin had stolen this car, but I just didn't get that vibe at all. Anyways, he said he had a tow truck already on the way and there was obviously little I could do to help so we parted ways.

Fender Bender

2007-04-17T18:36:00.001-10:00

Looks like a small fender bender. The sedan in the center appeared to have rear ended another vehicle. Its hood was deformed. A motorcycle officer pulled away just before I snapped the photo. That puzzled me. I guess he checked for injuries and called in another unit to take statements. I did not stop. In fact there were no stops needed the entire way home today.

This message was sent from Rich's Treo 650.

Quickie #2

2007-04-16T18:16:00.001-10:00

This guy had overheated, but he already had his own water and just needed to let it cool a while. He thanked me for stopping.

This message was sent from Rich's Treo 650.

Quickie #1

2007-04-16T18:05:00.000-10:00

I made a quick stop to help a gentleman near the Aloha Stadium interchange. He said it died like it was out of gas, but his fuel meter still showed a quarter tank. He said he had already called a tow truck and that since it was on the way he would wait for it. He thanked me for stopping.

Irene Needed Water

2007-04-13T22:12:00.000-10:00

This is Irene. She has a great smile! She was smiling even before I asked her "What's the Matter?"

She had just pulled over because she saw that her borrowed van was overheating. Turns out she didn't have any water in her radiator! Her own car had been having some problems, so a friend lent her this one while her's was being fixed. Glad she got back on the road quickly! She was happy to let me take a photo even when it started raining!

Blown Out Front Tire

2007-04-11T16:35:00.000-10:00

This Navy officer's pickup had totally blown out its driver's side front tire. He told me he already had someone on the way to help and as you can see there is NO ROOM to safely work on the tire. He thanked me for stopping and that was all I could do.

Needing Water at Taco Bell

2007-04-11T13:48:00.001-10:00

This is Gerald and Tonya. They needed water for their classic Cadillac which I swear was a mile and a half long! Both of Tonya's parents are mechanics and so she knew exactly what the problem was. I encountered them after going through the drive through at Taco Bell in Waipio. They were shuttling little plastic containers from the restaurant to the car and it was taking forever. I was able to give them water and get them going again right away. Gave them a big "God Bless You" and got one right back. Tonya was definitely the more talkative one.

This photo was sent from Rich's Treo 650.

Outta Gas

2007-04-09T21:56:00.000-10:00

Today I came upon a couple who were nearly home to their Pearl City house when their gold van ran out of gas. I had a gallon of gas in the truck and we poured it all in. I thought that was all it would need, but after many attempts it still would not quite start. We were on a slight incline and the gas wasn't getting to the fuel pump!

After thinking about it some, we started violently rocking the car side to side while he tried to start it and sure enough it started right up! We were laughing about how it must have looked to the cars passing by! They took off before the engine had a chance to die again and I sent them off with a hearty "God Bless You!".

Sometimes when we are out of gas, we just need someone to shake us up to get going again!

From March 28, 2007

2007-04-09T21:43:00.000-10:00

March 28, 2007
New Friends

Today, on the way home I met Juan. Juan had overheated (well,...not Juan, but his truck), and he had been sitting there an hour! Juan speaks Spanish and his English was very basic, but we seemed to be communicating just fine. He seemed to be very happy to see my jug of water! Just as I was wrapping things up, Juan's friend Raoul (?) arrived and he thanked me for helping.

From Wednesday, March 21, 2007

2007-04-09T21:39:00.000-10:00

Wednesday, March 21, 2007
Fixing Broken Things

This afternoon I got a worried call from Emily telling me the steering was really getting tough on our Isuzu Rodeo. She thought the tires were flat, but none seemed any flatter than another. She was picking up Bryan and Bradley from school, and had our nieces Rachael and Becky in the car too. She had one of the teachers look at it and it turns our our power steering belt was holding on by a thread!

Fortunately we have AAA so we had it towed up to Goodyear and they had it fixed in no time for only $58. Dealing with all of that took Emily all afternoon.

On a different note, I stopped to help a young man with an overheating problem on the way home today. A fitting had cracked off his engine block and he was losing all his coolant. All he had was a tire repair kit which wasn't helping much. I had some duct tape, so we used it to bind up the hole as best we could and refilled his radiator. We were next to Waikele, and he just had to get to Mililani, but that meant driving in... the gulch! (Music: Dum Dum dum...a misty fog rises from the ground, eerily lit from below)

(Read slowly:) Yes, the Gulch of Doom, the Canyon of Never Ending Darkness, The Black Hole... It is in a depression (difficult cell coverage), it has no shoulder or sidewalks (no place to pull over out of the road), it has blind turns and no street lights when it gets dark. It is The Pass That Time Forgot!

OK, OK, enough of that. (Rich waves hand dissipating misty fog). We got rolling, and I followed him into the gulch. A little trail of water was being left by his car. Not good. We got past the worst possible place to stall, but then he pulled over in the only place that had a little bit of room for both of us. He hopped out and started refilling his radiator. I mostly kept an eye on traffic. After a long second refill, we were off again and soon out of the gulch. We shared a wave and a shaka as we parted ways. I hope he can get that fixed tonight. He needs it to drive to work tomorrow.

From Thursday, September 21, 2006

2007-04-09T21:35:00.000-10:00

From Thursday, September 21, 2006
Along The Way Home...

Meet my new friend Alex.

Alex was on his way home to Waipahu after dropping off a family member at the nursing home when he ran out of gas. Alex told me he ran out of gas around 1pm. I found him at 6:15pm! I was flabbergasted!

I happened to have a bottle of "Emergency Rescue Fuel" with me, which we put into his van. He crawled in and tried to start it, but after his earlier attempts to get the thing going, he had drained the battery! Fortunately he had some jumper cables so we jumped his battery and it started right up.

I went over to shake his hand and say goodbye. I had a hard time understanding everything he was saying. The freeway was loud and he had a heavy accent, but he seemed genuinely moved by the help God had brought him. There was a cross on his neck and hanging from his rear view mirror. I wonder if he was praying. When I was driving home today, I just felt like I had to stay in the right lane.

He told me he had to get to Waipahu to pick up his 4 kids. I showed him pictures of my kids. We shook hands and and said our goodbyes. He asked for a business card and I gave him one of my "Spread The Word" ones.

Maybe I'll hear from Alex again sometime. I think it is kinda ironic that he ended up in my blog titled "The Fuel Depot".

Posted by Rich at 9:44 PM

The Purpose for This Blog

2007-04-09T21:08:00.000-10:00

Aloha!

This blog is for recording the events and people that the Lord leads me to along the roads and freeways of Hawaii.

I believe that every follower of Christ should be available to minister to the people God brings along their path. The Spirit of God has moved me to care about the people who are stranded along the road. With each passing car, they are reminded how little they matter to others. Even when in obvious distress, people do not stop. The latest trend in bumper stickers says it all "Ainokea" (meaning I No Care!) It is easier to remain anonymous and keep on driving, than to stop and see what can be done to help.

That's why when someone does stop, it stands out. It is like screaming "I CARE! You matter to me and you matter to God!"

Philippians 2:3-4 says:

"Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others."

Selfishness has always been a problem for me, so I am hoping that by choosing to serve the stranded of Hawaii, God will change my character to be more like His, and as I change, I'm hoping to point people to Him.

He is our Ultimate Rescuer. He has the resources we need when our lives are broken, when we are stranded, or when we're just plain out of gas. He is our Maker and Designer, and He can always fix what's broken.

Why Do You Stop?

2007-04-08T07:52:00.002-10:00

I am an only child and grew up with a very selfish attitude. I always saw things in light of me and my goals. Our family went to church but I always thought it was boring.

It wasn't until my teen years that I understood that going to church doesn't make me a Christian anymore than being in a garage makes me a car! Being a Christian has little to do with attending church and everything to do with a RELATIONSHIP with Jesus. Through the Bible, He showed me how much people matter to Him, that He loves them with a deeper love than I will ever fully understand and never be worthy of. I began to see the destructiveness of my heart and behaviors. I knew I was a sinner and He offered me forgiveness and a fresh start. He began to change me from the inside out! I started to see the world fresh through His eyes. I started a relationship with Him that has now grown for many years and it is the center and joy of my life.

Recently, I began to notice the people stranded on the side of the road, then it became more than noticing, it became caring. Soon the caring was becoming overwhelming and I began to feel bad when I passed by. What was happening to me? God was answering a prayer I had asked of Him. A prayer to increase my love and compassion for people and to remove my selfishness. I placed my faith in Him to do this work in my heart, and began yielding to His leading.

Soon I started gathering resources....gas, water, jumper cables, duct tape. The first time was a little scary but I stopped for a motorist. What he told me broke my heart. He said he had been stuck there over 5 hours! Imagine being reminded how little you matter to people with each passing car for 5 hours straight!

My heart changed from caring into a mission. People needed to know that they matter to God. Now I always drive in the right lane. I consider it a privilege to help people and I try to represent Him to the people of Hawaii. Sometimes all I get to say is "God Bless You", sometimes all they see is my "fish" sticker on the truck, but in faith I am counting on God to use this to further His kingdom however He chooses to.

If there is one thing I'd like you to know about, it is God's ultimate rescue effort for you. If I have helped you in anyway, then as a favor, please read My Life Needs A Rescue and think carefully about it.

The Ultimate Rescue

2007-04-08T07:40:00.000-10:00

The central theme of the Bible is God's love for you and for all people. This love was revealed when Jesus Christ, the Son of God, came into the world as a human being, lived a sinless life, died on the cross, and rose from the dead. Because Christ died, your sins can be forgiven, and because He conquered death you can have eternal life. You can know for sure what will become of you after you die.

You have probably heard the story of God's love referred to as the "Gospel." The word Gospel simply means "Good News." The Gospel is the Good News that, because of what Christ has done, we can be forgiven and can live forever with Him.

But this gift of forgiveness and eternal life cannot be yours unless you willingly accept it. God requires an individual response from you. The following verses from the Bible show God's part and yours in this process:

God's Love Is Revealed in the Bible
"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." —John 3:16 (NIV)

God loves you. He wants to bless your life and make it full and complete. And He wants to give you a life which will last forever, even after you experience physical death.

We Are Sinful
"For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." —Romans 3:23 (NIV)

You may have heard someone say, "I'm only human—nobody's perfect." This Bible verse says the same thing: We are all sinners. We all do things that we know are wrong. And that's why we feel estranged from God—because God is holy and good, and we are not.

Sin Has a Penalty
"For the wages of sin is death." —Romans 6:23 (NIV)

Just as criminals must pay the penalty for their crimes, sinners must pay the penalty for their sins. If you continue to sin, you will pay the penalty of spiritual death: You will not only die physically; you will also be separated from our holy God for all eternity. The Bible teaches that those who choose to remain separated from God will spend eternity in a place called hell.

Christ Has Paid Our Penalty!
"But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." —Romans 5:8 (NIV)

The Bible teaches that Jesus Christ, the sinless Son of God, has paid the penalty for all your sins. You may think you have to lead a good life and do good deeds before God will love you. But the Bible says that Christ loved you enough to die for you, even when you were rebelling against Him.

Salvation Is a Free Gift
"For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast." —Ephesians 2:8-9 (NIV)

The word grace means "undeserved favor." It means God is offering you something you could never provide for yourself: forgiveness of sins and eternal life, God's gift to you is free. You do not have to work for a gift. All you have to do is joyfully receive it, Believe with all your heart that Jesus Christ died for you!

Christ Is at Your Heart's Door
"Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me." —Revelation 3:20 (NIV)

Jesus Christ wants to have a personal relationship with you. Picture, if you will, Jesus Christ standing at the door of your heart (the door of your emotions, intellect and will). Invite Him in; He is waiting for you to receive Him into your heart and life.

You Must Receive Him
"Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God." —John 1:12 (NIV)

When you receive Christ into your heart you become a child of God, and have the privilege of talking to Him in prayer at any time about anything. The Christian life is a personal relationship to God through Jesus Christ. And best of all, it is a relationship that will last for all eternity.

If you are making this commitment to Christ today, please let me know. I would love to encourage you and send you a Bible and help you get plugged in to an awesome church family near you.