255
July 1943
The Missionary Truck
By IRENE M. HUNTER
“Honk! Honk!” boys and girls! Did you ever hear of a truck like me that was a missionary? I suppose you never even thought that a big, red truck could be a missionary. But I am, and I think I’m the happiest truck in the world. Would you like to hear my story? I’ll “back up,” and tell you about myself. You see, my being a mission ary wasn’t really planned. My owner, who loves the Lord Jesus, had wanted a big bus for a long time. He planned to pick up boys and girls and take them to Daily Vacation Bible School. Every time he heard of a school bus that was for sale he would try to buy it, but every time some one else would buy it first C:.c day—“pop,” just like a tire blowing out —he thought, “I have that nice, big, red truck. I wonder whether it could be used.” He talked it over with his wife, who also loved the Lord Jesus, and she thought it was a good idea. Before this, I had been used every day except Sunday (I never worked on Sundays) hauling boxes of big golden oranges from the grove to the pack ing house. So you see, being a mis sionary was to be a new experience for me. It also meant that I wouldn’t be of much help to my master during the weeks in which four Daily Vaca tion Bible Schools were to be held. My owner knew that all he had belonged to the Lord, and because he truly loved the Lord Jesus, he was glad to give me to His service. There was only one thing that
bothered him. I am big—real big. My wheels are higher than most boys and girls are tall, and besides that, I have big sideboards that go up six or seven feet above my floor. My master wondered how the boys and girls could get up on me. I was to make so many stops along the coun try roads where the boys and girls would be waiting for me, that he knew the teachers couldn’t lift my heavy end gates off and on each time. He wasn’t concerned about whether I had power enough to carry all the boys and girls, because I have two extra shifts and can carry a ton and a half. I’m that strong. Finally, he decided to see how the boys and girls would solve the problem. The very first Monday morning, I started out with a brightly colored sign on each side, telling what my new work was to be. I even had a new driver—a lady driver who was very careful with me. AU the teachers rode on me, and how they laughed as we bumped along! Some of them were having their first truck ride. “Honk! Honk!” there by the road side was a group of boys and girls with bright, eager faces waiting for me. Could anything be nicer than their happy faces? Oranges are all right for work, but being a mission ary where boys and girls are con cerned is the best thing I know. Al most before my brakes could get me stopped, the boys and girls were on. It didn’t seem to bother them that I was big and high. They just u^ed my hub caps, tires, floor board, and my
sideboards for steps and climbed up and over. You should have heard them squeal and laugh as more and more boys and girls joined them. I remember they sang a funny song as we rolled along. It went something like this: “I’m a hayseed, full of seaweed, And my ears are-made of leather And they flop in windy weather. But for real fun, you must all come To our Daily Vacation Bible School. Rah! Rah! Rah!” They always sang this song when we went past a house where there was a boy or girl who wasn’t ready to go. Many times it helped them to be ready the next morning on time. Finally we would come to the little country church where the Bible School was to be held. Then came my real thrill. I would park under some shady trees and spend the entire morning listening in—I should say, since I’m a truck, “horning in”—on all the good things. I learned that they were hav ing a “Victory” Bible School. Through the open windows i heard of many victories. The most important thing I remember is that the only way to have victory is to know the Lord Jesus as Saviour qnd really live for Him. You can read about this victory in 1 John 5:4, 5, 12, 13. There were choruses about victory, too. At one of the schools I could hear all the les sons, because the school was too large for the church, and I had to be used for one of the classrooms. The teacher
............ . ' * Junior King's Business By M ARTH A S. HOOKER Member o f Faculty, Bible Institute o f Los Angeles - -- - -
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