One of the church members invited us to come out and look around his property. He told us he has some cows, chickens and other animals there. He instructed us to bring gum boots (rubber boots) if we had any; fortunately, there were some gum boots at our house (left by the previous residents), so we took them. He also told us he would take us “around the mud track.” OK – sounds fine (though not sure what he meant).

We arrived at the property, spent a few minutes in the house greeting the family, making small talk, etc. Meanwhile, the man who was going to show us the property went to get a vehicle and soon reappeared at the house and asked, “Who wants to go for a ride?” Well, we knew that meant the three of us: my wife, my daughter, and me. (Pictured are Rhonda and Kimberly in the midst of this adventure.)

The 4×4 vehicle looked rather old and beat up. I got in the front and my wife and daughter climbed in the back. I found a seat belt to put on; my wife’s seat belt was out of commission; after about 5 minutes, my daughter forced her seat belt into operation! The vehicle was very dirty, inside and out. I should have taken a clue from the bumper sticker on the back of vehicle: “God Made Mud.”

Well, let me tell you, no amusement-park rollercoaster will ever top that ride! First, I don’t think there is a square yard of flat land anywhere on this 13-acre property. We were always going either straight up or straight down (and sometimes tilting left or right at the same time!). The old, mud-caked vehicle we were in was very deceptive in looks; the powerful engine and power-train took us places I didn’t think were possible to navigate! (I doubt the vehicle is street-legal.)

Context matters. We thought we were going to look at the man’s property and perhaps drive around pastureland – mostly flat, perhaps a bit hilly pastureland, we assumed. Instead, we found ourselves experiencing a wild and scary mud track ride on which this man loves to take unsuspecting people like us!

Every time he would start to either go straight up or down – often through brush or between trees which did not appear to offer wide enough clearance – I would ask, “Have you done this before?”

Of course, his answer would always be, “Oh yeah.”

You know how people talk about near-death experiences and seeing the bright light of heaven and then coming back to earth? I am sure I saw the light of heaven at least three times from my vantage point in the front seat of the vehicle.

Every so often I would try to look back to see how my wife and daughter were doing but they were bouncing around so much I was concerned for their physical well-being. I think I figured out something about my family during this experience. When my wife and daughter are scared they don’t say much; when I am scared I talk a lot.

We made it back to the house 30 minutes later, all in one piece and none the worse for wear (well, perhaps some minor whiplash), and soon our heart rates returned to normal. In retrospect, the ride – my first daredevil experience – turned out to be quite fun. (I’m sorry I do not have pictures from the experience; I was too busy holding on for dear life to even think about my camera, let alone attempt to take a picture!)

The guy who took us on the ride had fun listening to us and watching us as we tried to restrain ourselves and look brave.

Here is what we learned from our fishing experience, which we talked about last week, and our experience of going to see the property and riding around the mud track. When you are in a different culture or talking with someone of a different culture, even though you may be speaking the same language (English, in our case), it’s not always safe to assume that the words they are using carry the meaning you think they do. Context determines meaning. Sometimes a few simple questions may clarify meaning. (Although, in this instance, I doubt an explanation would have led to deeper understanding. Some things are better experienced than explained!)

Would I do it again? Sure! But now I know what to expect.

If you would like help in achieving your goals as a leader or in any area of your life, call us at 208-880-0307 or email us at errol@errolcarrim.com to schedule a complimentary coaching session. To read Errol’s other posts, visit Christ-Centered Life Coaching.