Jan 20 CAR Update

 I wanted to get you caught up on our last two days.

Thursday was our travel day from Bangui to Berberati.  Our trip took around 14 hrs, this journey is not for the faint of heart.  About an hour into our trip we stopped in Boali, where Water for Good has its radio station.  We dropped off some much needed supplies that we brought from the US so the guys can make some repairs and help get the nighttime transmitter working.  The Water for Good radio station has a huge impact on the country as its broadcast reaches all across the Central African Republic.  The radio station did sustain some damage as the Seleka rebels looted and destroyed as they took over the country.  But it has been back up and running for a while now and soon once repairs are made it will be fully back online.  Walt was excited to take a look at the broadcasting equipment in the humble studio built in a shipping container.

     Our journey then continued on to Berberati, Being able to drive on asphalt was a luxury we only got to experience for a couple hours.  The majority of our trip was on untouched dirt roads.  This was like a 6-hr workout for us and the vehicles.  The roads were washed out and hard to find a path to drive on at times.  The ruff terrain tossed us back and forth like a pinball in a pinball machine.  If you have ever ridden in a pick up truck and noticed handles above the passenger doors and wondered "whoever uses these", well, these were lifesavers for us.  The person in the middle of the back seat got tossed back and forth, because there was nothing to hold onto.  The roads were worse than I had experienced in previous trips by far.  

     Another noticeable difference was empty towns that normally were bustling markets in previous years.  Many people fled during the war and only part of the people have returned.  The Seleka rebels systematically killed and destroyed people and infrastructure.  They destroyed fuel pumps in every town that had a gas station leaving getting fuel to buying from local guys who carry their fuel in smaller containers.  This was then followed by the exodus of Muslim people fleeing from the Anti-balaka who were retaliating for the attrocities committed against the people.  Many of the Muslim homes and businesses were either boarded up or completely destroyed.

     Well, part way through our trip one of the trucks quit running.  This caused us to be broken down for about an hour and a half in the middle of the bush.  We broke down in a section of road that was one lane only, no one could pass us on either side, so after awhile we had oncoming traffic waiting for us to get out of the way.  Thanks to Marcellin's mechanical skills, the truck was back up and running and lasted all the way to about 2 kilometers from our destination in Berberati.  At this point in the road, there was a large truck stuck almost tipping over into a ravine.  The truck was blocking the road, but thankfully for us, Marcellin and Patrick dug out the bank of the hill on the left side of the truck and just enough dirt moved to get our trucks by the big truck.  But just as we went to leave, the truck that had broken down earlier quit working again.  This time we could not get it running  but since we were close we just hooked up a tow rope and towed the truck to town.  So finally our journey was complete, time to rest.  Even though it was a long tough day, we are thankful to be here to help make a difference here in the CAR.

     Today, Friday, we took some time to scope out the needed projects here.  Walt began his crucial work of diagnosing the problem with the hydraulic system on the drill rig.  Please pray that he is successful as the drill rigs are what allows new water wells to be drilled.  Bruce and Rick began the project to transform the shipping container into an office.  This office will house the teams that go out and do the maintenance on the water well pumps.  So pray that by the time we leave it will be close to move in ready.  I just worked with Jim and bounced back and forth helping Walt and Bruce and Rick.  A lot of the people here remembered me from previous trips, almost all asked to see my hand.  On one of my trips in the past, I seriously injured my finger ("almost cut it off" adds Jeana). I guess it had a major impact and I know it encourages them to see me come back, especially when I bring others to help.

Thanks for your prayers

Tim