Finding a car=finding a mechanic or someone who knows about cars

My wife and I have been out of a car for a couple of months now and it's tremendously hard because we are sharing cars with my mother in law and her car has been dying on us and we aren't understanding why. So now I'm feeling really unsafe in her car and due to being in a car accident I'm having even more anxiety driving and I know that my wife can feel that anxiety and stress and I know she doesnt need that but i dont know how to control that. It's been a hell of a time trying to find a mechanic in the area (ours just had surgery and is out of commission) so we cant go to him and I dont know anyone else who can help us find a decent car that is safe and reliable and cheap, since we dont have a lot of money. And if we go looking at a car dealership well we would need someone who knows a lot about cars or a mechanic who doesnt charge anything to bring himself along to look at that particular car before we get it but we dont know anyone, so I feel so stuck. I dont know what to do. I feel so dependent on my wife's mother and now her car is not so reliable so I'm kinda freaking out and I feel like we are running out of options fast. I need a miracle from God.