SNupdate (SNEL Update)

SNEL did not finish their rampage last week.  They continued to shut off power during the day so they could go around, snipping people’s power lines if they couldn’t prove their payments for the last fifteen years.

Our neighbor directly across the street is a third-generation missionary.  She grew up here, knows the people, knows the languages, and has been through it all.  She said this is the worst she’s seen it.  In the past, you simply proved that you paid your bill faithfully.  This time, no matter the circumstances, they want payment receipts through 1998.  If you don’t have those, then you owe for them.

Her sentinel went down Friday to try and work it out at the office, and came home with our notice.  A notice to cut within 48 hours if we didn’t prove payment since 1998.  Thanks, SNEL, for not even being “man enough” to bring it to our gate.  So, we talked it over with our neighbor.  We had about half a dozen options.  If the first thing doesn’t work out, move to Plan B etc.

Plan A was to simply send Alex to the office Saturday morning and tell them that the guy who normally lives here, and has since 1999, is not here.  We can’t help you.  That didn’t work.

Plan B was to show them the three receipts for the months we have been here, and tell them the same story (the truth).  We can’t help you.  Nope.

Plan C was to actually try to find the receipts from most of those years.  We now know all of the receipts prior to 2007 were thrown away shortly before our arrival.

Plan D was to give our notice to our neighbor, who has friends in high places.  That is the latest.  So far, she thinks things will work out and they may be stopping back next April once the original renter is back, but for now, our line may stay intact.

Just so you know, Plan X was to just let them cut it.  As far as we can tell, it’s completely buried under our cement driveway and they would either have to cut the rest of the road’s power, or hack away at the cement.  And, as mentioned in the previous post, they don’t have the tools necessary to do that.  

Fortunately, the real deal is that God is in control.  He’s in control of whether or not we have power.  And whether or not it matters.  If we don’t have power, then we learn to deal with it (until this blows over, then we pay a guy to reconnect it).  We remain faithful to our attempt to be Christlike is all of our dealings, whether it be with friends or with corrupt extortionists (is that redundant?) who claim to have…uhhhh…POWER over us.  Please pray that this will blow over quickly and, hopefully, our power line will remain intact.

Of course, then again, they’re also having to power share and it gets turned off in the evenings anyway lately.  Oh SNEL…