So, I have left Abeche now and am now soaking in the hot and slightly more humid climate of the capital city, N’djamena. We had a great trip down with seeing gazelles and some crazy birds and of course hitting paved road. Pavement had been somewhat of a lost idea to me in the last 5 months. It was also interesting to see a small amount of the damage from the war of a month and a half ago. Outside the city we saw burnt vehicles and the digging of a trench around the city as a result of the rebel activity. We also visited the large market on Sunday where much of it was burnt or destroyed because of the rebels hiding in there. Otherwise there’s not a lot of evidence of the war. Especially since I didn’t know the city before although those who did would say the same.
Since arriving we’ve taken in a bit of city life. Ice cream (twice!), swimming at one of the hotels which is definitely stepping outside of Chad for a few hours, and I found my beloved diet Coke. It’s true I drink much of the aspartame ridden beverage in my homeland and have not seen it since leaving the airport in France. So, you can imagine my excitement when finding it in the grocery store the other day. Yes, I did say grocery store. There’s also one of those here, not a market for buying “packets of salt and sugar.”
As for the next two weeks I will try to not become anxious about going home and continue my job as a teacher. I’m enjoying quiet afternoons of reading and playing with the boys and my own room and bathroom. I’ve never had that in my life- my own bathroom that is. Nights are hot though in our well walled concession. At least the electricity has come back which means fans work, they also help to keep the mosquitoes at bay.
That’s it for this week. I contemplated trying to fool you with a cruel April Fools joke but I was neither witty nor brave enough to do so. Hope you all have a great week.
I’m bringing home an African baby.
Monday, March 31, 2008
Sunday, March 23, 2008
saying goodbye part 1
Well, this week went by quickly with much packing (okay not that much) more saying goodbye. I write this before I actually say goodbye to the rest of our team and my housemates but having said goodbye to Chadian friends.
I spent one last night with my good friends Jamila, Noora, Zanuba, and their adorable mother yesterday. They were probably the hardest of Chadian friends to say goodbye to. Other goodbyes include my neighbours, my Coke supplier and friend Saleh, my Arabic class and our teacher, my English class, our house helper Yakhuta, and the UN guards who so graciously let me in so that I can send this each week. Not to mention my 2 American students who I’m not sure I’ve ever even told you about. I’ve been splitting my time for the last month and a half between the Drodrolagi’s (the family I’ve been with the whole time) and the Donoghue’s (an American family who arrived in late January).
Don’t expect me home next week though as my adventures in Chad continue for 3 more weeks in N’djamena. Then a little of this and that before I actually hit Winnipeg soil, which I’m hoping will not still be frozen at that point. I am glad that I have a few weeks left with my Fijian family before saying goodbye to all those big brown eyes. Eroni was talking about us leaving the other day, as they are going on holidays for 3 months, and said, “We’ll go to Fiji, you’ll go to Canada and then we’ll all come back.” Tears came to both of our eyes when I informed him that I wasn’t coming back.
So, I’ll leave it at that for this week. I’m almost finished packing for the big city. I’m looking forward to the French pastry shop and swimming pool out there that I’ve heard so much about and Coke for half the price! Happy Easter to all, I hope you’ve all had a good time with family and have peace and hope knowing Christ our Saviour died and lives for us all. Amen!
*Disclaimer on last week’s blog: I don’t know if I actually was on CNN (I highly doubt it but I think our director was and our car) and we had no real part in bringing the kids back we merely needed a convoy for safety reasons to drive that road and that was convoy of convoys. Also it only took us 4 hours to drive back with no broken radiator and a stop to buy 50 mangoes for $6-7 CDN mmmmm.
I spent one last night with my good friends Jamila, Noora, Zanuba, and their adorable mother yesterday. They were probably the hardest of Chadian friends to say goodbye to. Other goodbyes include my neighbours, my Coke supplier and friend Saleh, my Arabic class and our teacher, my English class, our house helper Yakhuta, and the UN guards who so graciously let me in so that I can send this each week. Not to mention my 2 American students who I’m not sure I’ve ever even told you about. I’ve been splitting my time for the last month and a half between the Drodrolagi’s (the family I’ve been with the whole time) and the Donoghue’s (an American family who arrived in late January).
Don’t expect me home next week though as my adventures in Chad continue for 3 more weeks in N’djamena. Then a little of this and that before I actually hit Winnipeg soil, which I’m hoping will not still be frozen at that point. I am glad that I have a few weeks left with my Fijian family before saying goodbye to all those big brown eyes. Eroni was talking about us leaving the other day, as they are going on holidays for 3 months, and said, “We’ll go to Fiji, you’ll go to Canada and then we’ll all come back.” Tears came to both of our eyes when I informed him that I wasn’t coming back.
So, I’ll leave it at that for this week. I’m almost finished packing for the big city. I’m looking forward to the French pastry shop and swimming pool out there that I’ve heard so much about and Coke for half the price! Happy Easter to all, I hope you’ve all had a good time with family and have peace and hope knowing Christ our Saviour died and lives for us all. Amen!
*Disclaimer on last week’s blog: I don’t know if I actually was on CNN (I highly doubt it but I think our director was and our car) and we had no real part in bringing the kids back we merely needed a convoy for safety reasons to drive that road and that was convoy of convoys. Also it only took us 4 hours to drive back with no broken radiator and a stop to buy 50 mangoes for $6-7 CDN mmmmm.
Sunday, March 16, 2008
CNN live
I got to experience a special delivery this week, not of a baby but of children. Back in November I wrote about the organization that stole 103 children who have been kept at the orphanage for the last 4 months. Our good friends there have worked tirelessly and with little help from outside organizations including the well advertised and funded UNICEF (although they were “in charge” of taking them home). So, if you were watching CNN this weekend and didn’t hear the names Annemarie, Annalina, Phillipe, Saleh Idriss, or Carmen or those of the Chadians who prepared their every meal and kept them clean then you can know that these were the amazing people who took care of them all this time. I guess I just wanted to make sure credit was given where it was due. I have no idea what the media said though.
All that to say I was in the convoy that headed to the Eastern border of Chad to return these children. We went to Adre to do some repairs on the WEC property out there but it’s safer to travel by convoy and we’d been waiting for one for months so we were happy to join them. We were there as the Chadians gave speeches and as the first children were returned to their parents after more than four months. What a joyous reunion! We also watched the CNN reporter struggle through the harsh conditions of Chad (heat, dry, and poor roads- an understatement). He mentioned to our director that he wished he’d gone to Palestine or Israel for the weekend instead. Chad isn’t for the weak. It took 6 hours to drive the 170 kilometres there with the road conditions which caused holes in the radiator hose, only 4 hours on the way home.
I thoroughly enjoyed our time in Adre. It’s actually cooler there as it’s about 1000 feet higher in altitude. From there we could look over the border into Sudan and it’s well known Darfur region. We saw the bullet holes in the home of some good friends of ours and I talked with a high school biology teacher who is one of only 5 teachers in charge of over 300 students. Not many are willing to go teach in this war torn town. It’s hard to believe what this town often faces as it seemed so tranquil, it was a relaxing weekend.
I also got one more sick day in before leaving Abeche, in one more week. As the heat soared to over 40 degrees and the fans sat still due to a lack of electricity it was more and more uncomfortable to be sick. Praise the Lord it was only really bad for about 12 hours and that the power came on an hour and a half earlier than it usually does. Most days the power goes out around 7 in the morning and returns between 4 and 5 in the afternoon. That day it came on at 2:30- Machallah (praise the Lord).
I have one week left in Abeche and a month left in Chad (to the day today). I heard Manitoba got some reprieve from the cold this week. I hope that continues for you and that it’s all warmed up by the time I get home! Have a great week everyone.
All that to say I was in the convoy that headed to the Eastern border of Chad to return these children. We went to Adre to do some repairs on the WEC property out there but it’s safer to travel by convoy and we’d been waiting for one for months so we were happy to join them. We were there as the Chadians gave speeches and as the first children were returned to their parents after more than four months. What a joyous reunion! We also watched the CNN reporter struggle through the harsh conditions of Chad (heat, dry, and poor roads- an understatement). He mentioned to our director that he wished he’d gone to Palestine or Israel for the weekend instead. Chad isn’t for the weak. It took 6 hours to drive the 170 kilometres there with the road conditions which caused holes in the radiator hose, only 4 hours on the way home.
I thoroughly enjoyed our time in Adre. It’s actually cooler there as it’s about 1000 feet higher in altitude. From there we could look over the border into Sudan and it’s well known Darfur region. We saw the bullet holes in the home of some good friends of ours and I talked with a high school biology teacher who is one of only 5 teachers in charge of over 300 students. Not many are willing to go teach in this war torn town. It’s hard to believe what this town often faces as it seemed so tranquil, it was a relaxing weekend.
I also got one more sick day in before leaving Abeche, in one more week. As the heat soared to over 40 degrees and the fans sat still due to a lack of electricity it was more and more uncomfortable to be sick. Praise the Lord it was only really bad for about 12 hours and that the power came on an hour and a half earlier than it usually does. Most days the power goes out around 7 in the morning and returns between 4 and 5 in the afternoon. That day it came on at 2:30- Machallah (praise the Lord).
I have one week left in Abeche and a month left in Chad (to the day today). I heard Manitoba got some reprieve from the cold this week. I hope that continues for you and that it’s all warmed up by the time I get home! Have a great week everyone.
Sunday, March 9, 2008
gaga
Gaga is not how I feel about Chad rather the name of the refugee camp that I was privileged to visit yesterday. I spent the day trying to capture everything but it was difficult to take it all in. A friend of mine is the country director of the Aid Organization CORD which is how I got to go. She was spending yesterday, March 8, at the camp for International Women’s Day.
The Gaga CORD staff, all Chadians and one refugee, had organized a day of speeches, singing, and small dramatic presentations. Each speaking to the rights of women. Girls are usually forced to marry at the age of 13, no longer being allowed to go to school and never having met the man before. I visited the school rooms that have been built at the camp, they’re simple. A blackboard, sand floor and cement walls.
Later in the afternoon a game of soccer, football around here, between the refugees and the Aid workers had been organized. The refugees won and they celebrated as though they’d won the World Cup. “Gaga foog, Gaga foog” (Gaga up, Gaga up), they chanted. It was amazing to see the sense of community that’s developed in the camp. During the soccer match I had the privilege of being the ref for the teenage girls volleyball game. A volleyball camp was conducted earlier on in the camp where the girls were given the opportunity to play a sport. Not very common!
We also visited the women who have started their own small businesses making bread, spaghetti, perfume, and toques and booties for children. I think these people have come a long way from their desperate situations in Darfur. Fifteen thousand refugees live in Gaga and 9 000 new refugees have poured into Chad in the last few weeks. This crisis has persisted since 2003 and it seems as though there may be no end in sight. Troops are supposedly moving into Sudan but reports from different sources give different information on their status.
As the day ended we drove out to the nearby CORD base to watch the most beautiful sunset. It was a picture perfect African savanna sunset although my picture of it doesn’t do it justice at all. I spent the evening with the Chadian staff and slept in a small concrete hut. I was exhausted though having been in the over 40 degree weathering sun all day and so I had my bucket bath, used the cockroach ridden squatty potty and soon after said good night. What an amazing experience!
I was thankful to not have a nosebleed yesterday as that has been a problem for the last week with the Harmatan winds bringing in more dust, if that’s possible, and the temperature rising. I’ve never had a nosebleed before this past week. Remarkably though it seems the cracks in my feet are starting to heal a bit.
From the African sun,
Vanessa
The Gaga CORD staff, all Chadians and one refugee, had organized a day of speeches, singing, and small dramatic presentations. Each speaking to the rights of women. Girls are usually forced to marry at the age of 13, no longer being allowed to go to school and never having met the man before. I visited the school rooms that have been built at the camp, they’re simple. A blackboard, sand floor and cement walls.
Later in the afternoon a game of soccer, football around here, between the refugees and the Aid workers had been organized. The refugees won and they celebrated as though they’d won the World Cup. “Gaga foog, Gaga foog” (Gaga up, Gaga up), they chanted. It was amazing to see the sense of community that’s developed in the camp. During the soccer match I had the privilege of being the ref for the teenage girls volleyball game. A volleyball camp was conducted earlier on in the camp where the girls were given the opportunity to play a sport. Not very common!
We also visited the women who have started their own small businesses making bread, spaghetti, perfume, and toques and booties for children. I think these people have come a long way from their desperate situations in Darfur. Fifteen thousand refugees live in Gaga and 9 000 new refugees have poured into Chad in the last few weeks. This crisis has persisted since 2003 and it seems as though there may be no end in sight. Troops are supposedly moving into Sudan but reports from different sources give different information on their status.
As the day ended we drove out to the nearby CORD base to watch the most beautiful sunset. It was a picture perfect African savanna sunset although my picture of it doesn’t do it justice at all. I spent the evening with the Chadian staff and slept in a small concrete hut. I was exhausted though having been in the over 40 degree weathering sun all day and so I had my bucket bath, used the cockroach ridden squatty potty and soon after said good night. What an amazing experience!
I was thankful to not have a nosebleed yesterday as that has been a problem for the last week with the Harmatan winds bringing in more dust, if that’s possible, and the temperature rising. I’ve never had a nosebleed before this past week. Remarkably though it seems the cracks in my feet are starting to heal a bit.
From the African sun,
Vanessa
Sunday, March 2, 2008
maybe we don't live in the bush
Another week has passed and it went by quickly. I officially finished my English course as I had one straggler finish her exam this week. I am helping teach a beginner level class for the last few weeks I’m in Abeche (3 more!). Then we’re off to N’djamena for 4 weeks until I fly over the big blue ocean to home.
Great excitement came to Abeche on Thursday when the cell phone network was finally turned back on after a month of it being gone because of the war. Even Chadians are attached to their cell phones, maybe more so because not many people have a land line.
A great part of my week was taken up planning for the weekend as we had all the missionary kids come over for Friday to Saturday for a little mini-camp. We being Mirjam and I. We did the story of Queen Esther with our only girl as the Queen herself and much help from the other missionaries who became the King, Mordecai, Haman, and beauty contest contestants. It was a lot of fun and the kids were all sad and very tired when it was all over. It’s hard for me to believe how many weeks I’ve spent at camp on end in the past. Only with God’s strength!
Today, Sunday the 2nd, our household decided to try out the new Chinese restaurant in town. You did read it properly, there is a Chinese restaurant in Abeche. It’s basically a N’sara (foreigner) place though with N’sara prices! It was weird to step into the Western world for 2 hours (the food was slow coming). The food wasn’t exactly Chinese as I’m used to it but it was good. I think I’ll stick to the local restaurant though for the rest of my time here though. The food’s great and cheap and it’s called 4 Etoiles (Four stars) so it must be near the best.
Well, that’s all for this week. It’s getting up to forty degrees now during the days. No such thing as Spring around here, straight from cold to hot season. Talk to you soon, I hope March came in like a lamb.
Great excitement came to Abeche on Thursday when the cell phone network was finally turned back on after a month of it being gone because of the war. Even Chadians are attached to their cell phones, maybe more so because not many people have a land line.
A great part of my week was taken up planning for the weekend as we had all the missionary kids come over for Friday to Saturday for a little mini-camp. We being Mirjam and I. We did the story of Queen Esther with our only girl as the Queen herself and much help from the other missionaries who became the King, Mordecai, Haman, and beauty contest contestants. It was a lot of fun and the kids were all sad and very tired when it was all over. It’s hard for me to believe how many weeks I’ve spent at camp on end in the past. Only with God’s strength!
Today, Sunday the 2nd, our household decided to try out the new Chinese restaurant in town. You did read it properly, there is a Chinese restaurant in Abeche. It’s basically a N’sara (foreigner) place though with N’sara prices! It was weird to step into the Western world for 2 hours (the food was slow coming). The food wasn’t exactly Chinese as I’m used to it but it was good. I think I’ll stick to the local restaurant though for the rest of my time here though. The food’s great and cheap and it’s called 4 Etoiles (Four stars) so it must be near the best.
Well, that’s all for this week. It’s getting up to forty degrees now during the days. No such thing as Spring around here, straight from cold to hot season. Talk to you soon, I hope March came in like a lamb.
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