Frustrations

When do you know if you are doing the best thing for someone else? After much thought and prayer we decided that we would purchase the combine so that the members of the community would be able to harvest their rice in time. However, things did not go according to plan.
Our rice was ready to harvest the first part of February but, due to the frequent rains, it took 2 ½ weeks to harvest 20 hectares. But harvesting was only the beginning. The rice was slightly moist so needed to be taken to Yapacani immediately so that it could be dried. Due to the rain, the road became impassable and some of the rice was left on the truck and began to overheat. After first getting stuck, the truck broke down and the rice had to be manually moved from one truck to another. Finally, the rice arrived in Yapacani and Jake was able to have it dried, hulled and sold. The other three trucks arrived in a timelier manner but due to low prices, it is in storage.
Each year the price for renting the combine is set by the owners of the machines. New machines work faster and there is less loss. The average price last year in our area was $90.00 per hectare or $100.00 per hectare if the tracks are needed. However, the price is much higher east of our place where there are larger farms -- $120 per hectare or more. We decided that we would harvest in our community for $90.00 per hectare and the community verbally agreed that they would use the machine. After harvesting for two neighbours, our machine was not used because a older, smaller machine came in and was willing for work for $80.00 per hectare. After much discussion with our partner, Alberto, it was decided that we would move the machine out east and harvest there. It was a painful decision but we could not afford to have a costly machine sitting idle but we also could not harvest at $80.00 per hectare.
Of course, after our machine left, the other machine also left for greener pastures and many of the farmers ended up in the same predicament that they were in last year. The rice became too ripe and was difficult to harvest; the price was docked. In spite of everything, all the rice was finally combined.
Although we explained that the combine was a business venture, there is still the idea that, either because we are ‘gringo’ or because we are missionaries, we should be doing things for less, or preferably free. We are frustrated because we know that the new machine does a better job and that the $10.00 per hectare would be easily recovered since the rice does not simply go through the back end of the machine. Many of the neighbours know that also but like the price of the older, less efficient machine.
So what will happen? We do not know. Will the farmers realize that they will never get machines on time if they are not willing to pay for them? Will they realize that they need to work together so that it is worthwhile for a combine to come in to harvest all the little pieces? This year there was a small percentage of the rice land actually planted due to the rain, but what will happen if all the land is planted and the machines are busier?
We pray daily for wisdom – but the wisdom of one is not necessarily the wisdom of another.