Welcome to our latest Blog and thanks for your continued interest. The past month has proven challenging with a variety of problems both large and small which have been resolved in different ways. From where did this help come from, was it luck, coincidence or God's intervention as an answer to prayer, we know what we believe. Here are a few examples of the challenges presented to us in the space of a few days.
People are often keen to tell us how difficult it is to live here and that finding people willing to help or that you can trust is problematic, so it has been a very good month where this has proven not to be the case. The hospital vehicles have been a constant headache, for as soon as one is fixed another develops a problem which requires another expensive repair, at one point 4 of the 5 hospital vehicles were off the road. This is mainly due to the difficult terrain, poor road conditions and the recent very wet season. Finding a good garage and reliable mechanic has been both expensive and challenging. However recently we were put in touch with a Chadian mechanic, himself a Christian, who has offered to help us. He is prepared to fix all outstanding problems and then maintain them in the future with regular servicing and repairs as needed on a private arrangement. Being the chief mechanic at the main Toyota dealership and the fact that most of our vehicles are Toyota's we feel blessed that he is prepared to come to our aid. The dealership itself was unable to help as we hadn't purchased the vehicles directly from them.
A regular supply of water for the hospital and housing within the complex is supplied by our own bore hole. However on arriving one Friday we found that no water was available as the pump had failed and we hadn't a spare. The problem was compounded by the fact that visitors from the UK had arrived the previous evening and had not yet been able to wash or shower since arriving, not the welcome we would have hoped for. Friday within a Muslim country is like a Sunday in the UK, where tradesmen are difficult to find, let alone a supplier able to provide replacement parts. We thought we would have to accept our fate and do without, hopefully obtaining a replacement the following day. However we were pleasantly surprised when 4 Chadian workers unexpectedly arrived, along with a replacement pump, which they proceeded to fit. Not a simple or quick job but one which they duly completed by mid afternoon. Why they decided to assist a Christian hospital on their holy day we are not sure, but we were very grateful they did.Queueing in Africa is a completely alien concept so we had a pleasant surprise when we visited the one and only Post Office one Saturday morning while on our way to school to buy stamps. We found not only no queue, but in fact no customers at all. There is one counter where the one specific lady sells the stamps but on this occasion she wasn’t there and we presumed was simply running late so hung around waiting. A young man then arrived, spoke to the security guard and then came over to ask us in French if we wanted to buy stamps, when we said yes he asked us to follow him. Although unsure of where we were going or what we were to be offered, we duly followed. He proceeded to take us round the back of the post office, up a flight of stairs into his office where he asked us to sit while he found the appropriate stamps. We paid him the correct money, he fixed the stamps to our letters, we said thank you and made our way to leave however he asked us to again follow him. This time he took us back downstairs and into the sorting office where he showed us the stamps being franked and then put into the appropriate pigeon hole for Paris where they go before being sent onto the UK. We then shook hands, he showed us out and said our goodbyes. Now that’s what you call service, totally unexpected but very welcome and appreciated. Not sure we would have got a similar experience in the UK.
Finally the big issue of accommodation for us appears to have been resolved and we will be moving again on the 5th December to an alternate complex in N'Djamena. This will mean that we will finally be able to unpack as has been agreed we can stay there for the next 6 months. Although on the other side of town, further from the hospital, it is nearer to our school and we will have the luxury of our own front door. This past week has been particularly busy in our current residence with 9 different people arriving and departing at various times.
We are often surprised by the friendliness and helpfulness of the various people that we come into contact with. But why do they cross our path, is this just by chance and why do they react in the way they do?