Brian Mendonça
Past-midday. With xumta (prawns) and modso (red snapper) in the boot, I was getting the fish home to
cook for lunch. That too after waiting an eternity for the fish to be cleaned
in the Vasco fish market. Just as I hovered around the tree stump on which the
fish was cut, another person in front of me – evidently from one of the hotels
-- came and emptied a whole sack of fish to be cleaned and cut!
Traffic was crawling. That black Xylo up front did not seem
to be moving at all! The car immediately in front of me swerved to the left and
overtook the Xylo on the wrong side. As I moved in behind to fill in the empty
space we were already at the turn at St. Andrew’s church, Vasco. Another car
behind me overtook mine from the left and wedged itself into the empty space
pushing me to the kerb. I had no choice but to slow down and let the boor have
his way.
By the time I reached the Hiralal crossing to slip into
Mangor, the car had found its lane and headed onto the highway. I heaved a sigh
of relief. It was then that I saw it. Behind the black Xylo on the rear
windscreen were two words which simply said, ‘YAHWEH PROVIDES.’
The tenseness immediately ebbed out of me. Here in the melee
of a traffic snarl stood one of the most important messages. I was struck by
the reference to Yahweh, the God of the old Testament before the coming of
Jesus. In ancient times people believed in Yahweh implicitly in all their
doings. They knew He would provide. How many have that trust now?
As I looked to see the vehicle more closely I saw it was
full of local tourists. The windows were up and the AC was on. A little girl
tried to peek out of the left rear window but her efforts were fruitless. No
doubt she felt unhappy not to have the winter breezes of sunny Goa caress her
cheek. The number plate read KA 03 M 2958.
I am fascinated by travelers who come in to Goa by road. No
matter what, they make the journey with families, little kids and even aged
people. They are there for the thrill of the journey, the happiness of
travelling together, and the promise of adventure and a bag of new experiences
-- and the quiet reassurance that Yahweh provides.
All through our lives we have found this to be true. In
times of difficulty we raise our thoughts to God and He has always provided.
Stone by stone, brick by brick we build our lives with the awareness of the
Almighty.
This article is a tribute to these intrepid travelers who
travel into Goa by their own vehicles. As I continue my hobby of carspotting I
spy MH 02 AQ 548 -- an Esteem – resting in the shade of a tree. Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam [Sanskrit] ‘All
Creation is one family.’
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Pix of traffic on Mandovi bridge, Porvorim end, Goa; courtesy yahoogroups. Published in Gomantak Times Weekender, St. Inez, Goa on Sunday, 3 January 2016.
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