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| Greetings From Chad |
Welcome to our latest Blog. We have been back for 2 weeks
now after our brief but lovely visit to the UK. We arrived back late Sunday
evening and were straight back to work Monday morning as was pay day for the
staff. The hospital is less busy now than when we left with cases of malaria
reducing in number as we are now into the dry season. It is very hot, dry and
dusty during the day but cooler at night allowing us to sleep better.
This week we took delivery of an early Christmas present, the hospitals new solar powered vaccination fridge. This will enable the hospital to take part in local vaccination programs, which is a much needed resource. Getting it to the hospital, along with the solar panels, proved challenging particularly as we out of town with difficult approach roads. However after putting out an appeal to other Christian NGO's we managed to source a truck from the charity Malaria No More, who were willing to help us. However due to the size of the packages a second truck was needed. Luckily we found a nice guy and his truck to hire just outside the freight offices at the airport . His truck had seen better days with the road being visible though the floor in many places but he did have some rope to tether the fridge so it wouldn't topple over, which was the deciding factor in deciding to hire him. We set off in convoy with me following behind praying for no incidents and for the fridge to stay upright. Going over the many bumps and holes in the dirt tracks was worrying, with many wobbles on the way but thankfully we arrived safely.
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| Many Hands |
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| Safe delivery |
The fridge has now taken
up residence in the Pharmacy awaiting the installation of the solar panels to
enable us to begin to use it.
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| Fridge insitu |
The many offers of help I received in response to my appeal
for help was encouraging. I have recently found out that there are 47 separate
NGO's working here in Chad on various health projects, trying to improve the
lives of the Chadian people. Quite a staggering number but is an indication of
the many needs here.
One problem we do face here is poor quality of goods and in
some cases poor workmanship. Yesterday on a short trip into town we experienced
this first hand, as driving slowly along the main high street the wheel of the
hospital utility vehicle came right off, leaving us to pull into the side
carefully on just 3 wheels. Thankfully no one was hit by the flying wheel
bouncing down the road or hurt in the incident. People quickly arrived from all
directions to assist us, including passing taxis who offered their tools to
help. Others collected the wheel and the nuts, another jacked up the car and
replaced the wheel with help from passersby, whilst others collected rocks to
help stabilise the car. It transpires that the wheel had been held on with only
3 nuts and these probably hadn't been tightened properly. A kind clando driver
(motorbike taxi) offered to take me on his Moto to find places to purchase 3
more nuts. After some searching at different stalls selling car parts we
managed to find some which appeared suitable that I could buy. Back at the
vehicle these were swiftly put on and tightened properly, again by a passing
taxi, allowing us to be on our way back home, all be it cautiously. Whilst I was
away Sue had been befriended by a small child who took the opportunity to sell
her his peanuts, and who then waited with her until I returned.
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| City Life |
On this positive note we hope you all have a great Christmas and Peaceful New Year
Love Malc and Sue