WAWA!

I have been in Chad for a month now and I have to tell you the honeymoon is over. Reality has definitely set in and I have to tell you at this moment it is not so fun. I am in the capital city of Ndjamena and I have been here a week now and it is definitely testing my patience. It is not all bad but at the moment as I continue getting settled and discovering how to function here I would say this motto WAWA – West Africa Wins Again!- says it all. I believe very strongly that it is important to celebrate every victory, big or small but I have to be honest. Lately there have been very few victories for me to celebrate. But let me get there in a bit.

The first thing I need to explain is that even though Chad is geographically in Central Africa, it is culturally French West African. What this means is a petty bureaucratic approach to education and administration where it is more about giving people position and power than getting things done. So, things are done over and over, and over in triplicate with stamps and signatures- all from different people in different offices and buildings in different parts of the city. There is often a form to get a form that you have to fill out to get signatures which you need to actually start the process you actually want to get done. Often the forms need to be accompanied by a letter which needs high level authority and if one word, sentence or phrase is not completely correct it will be refused and you must start again. White out is NOT an option! This is what Jonas, our logistics officer in Ndjamena has been doing all week for my work visa- bless him!

Now, imagine trying to work in this system (which is hard enough already) and now add that fact that the city is literally flooded from all the rains (note photo) and the power is out for days at a time and almost always off during the day. Now to make things even more fun, now imagine you can’t speak the language so the little things like negotiating a taxi or ordering food or asking directions all become monumental challenges. Even the computer keyboard in the internet café is French/Arabic so the keys are all funny and in funny places! This is where I am living at the moment. WAWA! My colleague and I both agree Kenya is aggressively more efficient; I never thought I would be saying that!

So, I have been in Goz Bëida the past 3 weeks and things have been going very well. There have been challenges and things that have been wearing on me but overall I have been getting settled in Goz Bëida and life there has had a sense of comfort even though I am out in the bush 70 km from the conflict that rids the Sudan-Chad border. The major challenge in Goz Bëida has been the rains. Our work is being delayed as we are often unable to travel to the communities/camps we serve. In the office and now in our home we have discovered the hard reality that our roofs are not made to hold out the rain. We suffer major leaks when the rain falls and sadly that was much of August and should also be most of September – the rainy season here means rain almost every day and heavy downpours. I literally have a small river that runs in my office (check out the pic- wish you could see the video!) and there is a significant leak the falls right over my bed in the residence so I have set up a plastic sheet over my bug net so I am literally harvesting the rain water in my room!

Apart from the rain, what makes Goz Bëida more workable for me is that we have a couple of vehicles and even without that it is safe to walk in the daytime and things are relatively close as the town is pretty small. Here in the capital of Ndjamena we have such small operations we can’t justify having a car so we depend on taxis which have proven to be ridiculously expensive and even more unreliable. We have had a little luck with the moto taxis but nothing too exciting yet. Another plus with being in Goz is we have recently installed a solar power system and we have generators in our house and office so we have pretty reliable power. In Ndjamena we have been suffering from major power outages- days on end. Then when the power does come on, it is usually on for a few hours and then off for many more, usually it is off the better part of the day making work a challenge and frustration. My computer battery is good but not that good!

So, needless to say, my patience is being tested, my spirit feels like it is under constant attack but I am holding my head high and refusing to give up. I continue to look to Christ for strength and for the right perspective. I also continue my French lessons and I find great joy in the little (very little things) that I am able to accomplish each day. I have found great solace in my colleague Jane who is fluent in French and has grown up in West Africa. She has been here in Ndjamena since I got here last week. She has been a gift and I am truly thankful to God for her presence – here in this difficult season and overall. She adds great depth, personality and experience to our team.

I could go on but this is already too long and you get the point. Your prayers are valued as well as your sense of humor- goodness knows, it is needed at this point!

I KNOW THIS SOUNDS GRIM, PLEASE KNOW I AM OK AND I KNOW THINGS WILL IMPROVE - THIS IS PART OF THE ADJUSTMENT PHASE AND DARE I SAY… CULTURE SHOCK- NOTHING TOO UNEXPECTED!

‘I will extol the Lord at all times; his praise will always be on my lips. My soul will boast in the Lord; let the afflicted hear and rejoice. Glorify the Lord with me; let us exalt his name together.’ -Psalm 34:1-3

Blessings from all sides! Home Assignment: April – July 09

Many people have told me they could never do what I do or they recognize the sacrifices I make to live and serve in Africa- some point out the fact that I have left behind dear family and friends others seem more humbled by the comforts and conveniences I have chosen to go without. To those people I say there may be great sacrifice from your perspective but from my perspective I have simply been doing what I believe I have been equipped and called by God to do and in doing so I am gaining so much (not losing). Also, I try to share the incredible benefits gained from my time in Africa. There are many!

Certainly there are challenges and struggles I face in Africa that I would not typically face in the US but it is worth it for the many lessons learned, the deep relationships formed and the incredible memories made. Some day I hope to share more about this as I believe much of who I am today is thanks to the time spent here in Africa. But for now, know it is these relationships and rich lessons that inspire me when I get to go home for my furlough or home assignment.

Every two years I make the official trek back home. During this time it is my task but more my joy to connect with people and to share how God has been working in and around me through my work and life in Africa through World Concern.

What an incredible honor and joy! For 3 solid months I get to meet up with and build relationship with people I truly enjoy and respect. I spend a portion of my time with family which is always a treat and it requires me to move around a bit. My sister Deanna and her family live in Maui so I ‘have’ to go to Hawaii. My brother Vanoy and his family live in Baltimore so they get me to the opposite side of the country and also allows for a base to make a few east coast visits. The rest of my immediate family is in the Northwest so I am able to see them throughout my time in the Seattle area.

Along with spending time with family I love connecting with my closest friends. Many live in the Northwest but some are scattered in other parts of the country such as Colorado, Tennessee and New York which means more moving about! I always cherish this time with friends- sometimes I only get to share a meal with them but if I am lucky I may get more. However, due to this short time we are good about diving in and being intentional. I feel blessed to have such sweet time with so many amazing people.

When I am not with family or connecting with people on an individual basis I am often doing presentations with churches or groups or I am at our HQ in Seattle working with our staff there. One way or another my home assignment is generally very busy and far from restful but it is a change of pace and change of scenery which is always healthy. I am totally filled up after spending time with people that I so enjoy and yet by the end I am also starting to miss those I left in Africa! Ah, the challenge and joy of having a big heart and many homes!

So, now that my 2009 furlough is officially over and I am back in Africa starting my next term, I would say this: It was amazing; it was more than I could have imagined and it was a gift! I could write pages and pages about the people, places and events that I experienced but I am sure that would get boring so I will just say surely I am blessed. Thank you to all of you that in one way or another invested in me during this time. I am richer for it and I thank God for you!

Touching Lives in Goz Beida through Cash for Work

This past week I was so proud as our staff facilitated a couple of project fairs which are part of our Cash for Work and Food for Work Programs. This is something I have heard a lot about while in Kenya but I’d never actually attended one. My staff did a great job! They are seasoned veterans at this as we have done many. Let me explain (and show you through the pics which run in order of the process) how it works and why I love it so much.

To begin, together with the chiefs and community committee we identify those beneficiaries that will participate in the program. Most of the beneficiaries will then work in a variety of projects we select around their camp. Projects include digging water pans to collect rain water which is needed in such an arid area; planting trees and caring for them as part of our reforestation program; digging demi lunes or building contour lines which helps slow rain run off and thus slows erosion and environmental degradation. As workers clock a certain amount of time they are earning work hours which are then translated into vouchers. There are also a select group of vulnerables who for a number of reasons can't work, they are also given vouchers. These vouchers are then able to be used at a project fair to purchase household items or food for their family.

So, after the beneficiaries have worked 10-20 hours our staff set up a project fair outside their camp. This involves coordinating with approximately 100 merchants from the area who agree to put on a one day market in a particular community. They must agree on common and fair prices that will assist the beneficiaries while still allowing the merchants to make a profit. They also must agree to come set up their temporary shop on the agreed upon day of the fair and receive only vouchers from the beneficiaries, no cash. Then at a later designated day they will be able to trade in the vouchers for cash.

Now, the day of the fair is very exciting. The committee is there to start the whole process, guiding the merchants on where to set up and at the same time setting up the temporary ‘bank’ where people will register and receive their vouchers. Once everything is set we start the fair. The first step is our staff call names on a list in groups and they are given a small sheet of paper with their information on it such as their name and the number of hours worked translated into a voucher amount. The beneficiaries take this slip to our registration table where they are checked then ‘sign’ which in this case is their fingerprint. They then receive their vouchers, in the 2 fairs I just worked the average amount was 15,000 CFA or $30.

Once the beneficiaries receive their vouchers they then move on to the last staff member who recounts the vouchers to verify the correct amount was given while at the same time taking a moment to make sure the person is clear on the value of each voucher as this is an unfamiliar form of ‘money’. At that point the beneficiary is able to get into the fair which is really just a temporary market.

This is one of the things I love about this program. Usually these beneficiaries have to travel a number of kilometers to get to the nearest market in Goz Beida but with our project fair they are able to get all the necessities right in their own spending no extra time, energy or money for transport.

We held two fairs this week and were able to assist over 1,300 families. Due to the fact that these families are displaced or refugees and live in camps they already receive a specific ration of food from the World Food Program’s distributions. These distributions are crucial but they are not comprehensive as they lack items such as vegetables and sugar. Many families are forced to sell half their food rations in order to get cash so they can buy these and other items. As we employ people into our Cash for Work and Food for Work programs they are able to work and earn an income which can be used to purchase items they lack and more importantly it gives people the ability to purchase items such as meat, sugar or tea or even household items without having to sell their much needed food rations.


I love that we are improving the physical environment and actually developing and investing in the community. What makes this even more special is that the area that is being developed is not going to be home to most of these people in the long run. They are displaced or are refugees and will most likely return home or to a more permanent location in the near future. These projects which are improving the land is actually helping to keep ethnic and tribal tensions low as these 'visitors' areinvesting in the hosts’ land. Another great thing about this program is the simple fact that we are creating meaningful work. When given the chance most people would rather work vs being given handouts. People like to feel valued and useful and there is a certain dignity that comes from earning an income. I also love the fact that we are providing the families a chance to be empowered and to choose how they will provide for their family. Instead of just waiting in line and getting a pre determined set food ration, families are given the chance to go shopping for their family’s particular needs at the fair.

This program was first looked at by merchants, local leaders and community members
with skepticism but is now a very popular program by all. Everyone seems to benefit in one way or another. The merchants are practically guaranteed a good profit, the host community and leaders see their land being improved and the workers get the income which they earned themselves and which allows for food and goods to be purchased which will surely impact the family in many ways.

Who Knew Goz Beida Had Such Fun?!?!?

It has been an interesting weekend and I mean that in all sincerity. I have been in Goz Bëida one month and so far and other than the party we hosted for our staff last weekend there has been very little ‘spontaneity’ and though I find many ‘creative’ ways to entertain and enjoy myself there is not a lot of what we would call traditional FUN. Considering where we are it makes sense and to be honest I never had any grand expectations when coming here. That is not why I am here. However, this weekend things changed a bit and now a whole new world is opening up to me in little Goz Bëida.

First, on Friday at the weekly coordination meeting we (our expat crew) were invited to a party. It seems each of the NGO’s and UN bodies take turns throwing a bash and
all are invited. This is the first one I have heard of since arriving but it seems they can be pretty frequent. As sun was setting we set off for the party hosted by Oxfam. Once the party got going there were about 30 or so people having lots of interesting conversations, eating good food, drinking sodas, water and beer and then there was dancing. Have you ever noticed how different we are all when it comes to the dance floor? Imagine, we had a mix of people from all over Africa, quite a few Brits and other Europeans, a few Americans and some from Latin America. Let’s just say the dancing was interesting and it was a fun night and for me a very resourceful one as well.

Since I am new and everyone knows it I have the freedom to ask a million questions and that’s what I did. I felt my way around and tried to learn more about this place and what people do for fun and for comfort. I was pleased with what I found. Some highlights for me include: Pringles and much more are available at the EUFOR base (I am working on making friends there); there are croissants in town at the little ‘french bakery’; I gained some tips on how to stay cooler at night so I may be able to avoid waking up in the middle of the night in my sweat; I got invited to the gym (can you imagine, a gym) at the base and found out there is a crew that goes running on weekends on the airstrip and best of all there is a group that goes hiking every Sunday afternoon in the nearby mountains (large hills)!

Obviously, that leads me to my Sunday afternoon. After church I was off to the market with one of our staff to find some tennis shoes as I packed light and only brought my sandals. Younuss is happy teaching me Arabic while I teach him a little English. I had some success and found some used sneakers for 6000 CFA (about $12). I had some lunch, caught up on some reading and was finally off for my first hike in Chad!

There were four of us, 2 Americans, a Brit and a Congolese. The fun of being around so many people from Congo is I get to use my Swahili which is quite fun, especially when I often feel so inadequate with my lack of French. We headed out around 3 and had a big task ahead of us, climbing one mountain, going down, through the valley a bit and back up another mountain and back down towards home.

On the way there we passed a number of camels and kids. Kinda cool! The air was hot
as it was the end of the afternoon, there was sand under our feet early on but it quickly changed to rocks. We took about an hour for the first big hill, pretty steep and pretty quick but I didn’t notice much as I was so excited about being
outside and enjoying the ever expanding view of town. This was my first hike and major physical activity since breaking my leg last year. It felt so good to be active again and feel no pain or weakness in my leg.

We then walked in the valley between the two hills for a while passing women and children collecting firewood and a very exotic man on a camel rode by. Then we started working on the second hill which was more of a challenge, partly due to the fact that the trail was a bit overgrown with tall, golden grass but also as we were starting to get a bit fatigued from the first climb but mostly it was the slope. This was by far the steepest hill I had been on since I was on Mt Kilimanjaro. We were actually scrambling at some points, on all fours to keep our balance and to gain more traction. We eventually made it to the top but I had struggled the last 10 yards or so, much more than the others and was not sure why until I looked down at my foot. My shoe was losing its soul! My shoes that I had just a few hours earlier bought in the market were falling apart on the mountain! What could I do, I just kept going, hoping they would stay together just a bit longer. Luckily they made it
(barely) and I managed to make it down without going barefoot, I can’t say the shoe was that helpful. But, by six we were all home and pretty tired not to mention covered in a pretty good layer of dirt/dust/sand. Not a bad way to end a pretty eventful weekend in Goz Bëida.

Valentine’s Day and President’s Day -Goz Bëida Style!

No red hearts, no chocolate, no cards, no gushy commercials or pressure to do anything really. Valentines Day as an event was not at all on the radar for most residents of Goz Bëida, however our staff were sure not to let it go unnoticed. A few weeks ago when I proposed we do a staff day of fun to bond as a team they picked the date- February 14th! One of the guys mentioned it was Valentine’s Day some American holiday he had heard about. I took the time to briefly explain what it was about and said it was a great idea, we would have our own Day Of Love – a day to just be together outside the office, playing games, enjoying music, eating a meal and just lovin’ on each other. So, our Day of Love finally came and it was a great day!
Around lunch time people started showing up. First the committee that was in charge of the day and then the rest of the staff. A few of us were playing UNO, a favorite

card game of mine from my youth, and college, and Narok…. Little did I know that the game of UNO would become the centerpiece of the whole day. Did you know you could have 10 people playing at once? Just about everyone joined in at some point and they caught on pretty quick, dishing out bombs like the Draw 4 Wild card and dishing them the Skip card at just the right time making sure someone didn’t win in that round, etc. There was a lot of laughter and tons of fun. Other games were being played; some were dancing, talking, playing with baby Octav and just enjoying the music. Chad actually has some great music, it must be the West/Central African influence, I will try to get some of my own.

Around 4:30 the main course was ready- BBQ! We had a large sheep purchased and prepared in a traditional way which means it is roasted with couscous, onions, potatoes and all the spices inside- kind of how we do traditional turkey with stuffing in it- but this was a sheep and so tasty! We all enjoyed the traditional dish and all that went with it.

Now, to add in the President’s Day part you need to know the President of Chad doesn’t come to places like Goz Bëida very often- our staff seem to remember him coming only once before so the fact that he was coming through and spending the night was a big deal and people were coming out of the wood work- in fact, it wasn’t just the people but the ‘equipment’ that was also coming out of no where, passing right by our gate as we are on one of the main roads. Loaded pick up trucks, army, armored vehicles, tanks and more bazookas and automatic weapons than I have ever seen in person. The ‘parade’ passed by for hours so we found sneaky ways to capture bits on film.
Greg climbed up our wall and peaked over and Derreck and I peeked through the little holes in our gate and I found that my little camera would actually capture pretty good images through there while remaining undetected. We saw too many ‘loaded’ pick ups to count and with each one passing the people would cheer and wave their flags. All very interesting and so extremely different from what a Kenyan or US Presidential convoy looks like and I have seen both. Needless to say with all the additional ‘activity’ in town we decided to cut our day short to make sure our staff left the house before dark but no one seemed to mind, it had been a GREAT day and all had experienced a bit more love thanks to the festivities we had enjoyed together.

I hope your Valentine’s Day was special!

A Typical Monday in Goz Bëida, Chad

6:00 Wake up, it’s still a bit dark, there is no power so I turn on my headlamp for light

6:05 Go check to see if the ‘city’ water is on yet- not yet-

6:10 Go boil water for morning tea for me and the guys

6:15 Check again to see if water is on – not yet….


6:15 Breakfast! Tea + bread and jam or cereal with powdered milk or perhaps an omelet!

6:25 Read My Upmost for His Highest my favorite devotional book and from Bible

6:40 Water is on! Wash up and get ready for the day

6:55 Pack up and leave for the office in one of the land cruisers, 2 blocks away

7:05 Arrive at office hearing the sound of our staff singing French choruses for devotions

7:35 Devotions end and short staff meeting starts

8:00 Meeting ends, greet staff with my poor French, they laugh and I keep trying

8:05 The generator goes on, office is buzzing as field staff prep to go to the field

9:00 Field staff leaves, office gets a bit quiet, managers and admin remain at office

9-12 Work on reports, reply to emails (offline), review budgets, deal with HR issues…

12:00 start getting restless as the heat is starting to get to me and my hunger is growing

12:35 Generator off, walk towards home, greeted by school kids learning basic English

12:40 We arrive at home, peek to see what ‘surprise’ has been prepared -chicken or beef?

12:45 Wash up, eat lunch and fill up water bottle, 1 liter already taken in during morning

1:05 Time to rest and read a chapter in my book, listen to music, try to stay cool

1:45 Start prepping to return to work, walk in the heat of the day through the sand to office


1:55 Back to work on those budgets, reports, work plans, meetings with managers, etc.

3:30 I always know when this time of the day comes, it is the hottest and I always feel it!

4:15 Field staff return bringing much needed energy to keep me going as its too hot for tea

5:00 Start packing up, generator goes off, within minutes the office is nearly empty

5:10 Expats head across town (a few blocks away) to UNHCR to try our luck with email


5:15 Tap on HCR gate, show ID, head in for internet, search for a seat but I find the ground

5:20 Download new mail, cut and paste emails from Outlook outbox to send via Gmail

5:50 Hop on Facebook and check things there, change my status if anything inspired me

6:10 UNHCR guard comes and politely kicks us out of the internet ‘café’(just HCR’s yard)

6:15 Leave compound, finish more email if wireless is strong as laptops rest on car hood

6:25 We finish up, hang on tight as Ayamba is driving faster than usual through the sand

6:30 Arrival at our compound, guards check if it’s us & delay entry if seatbelts aren’t on!

6:31 Home for the night, I note the stars are out, the air is cooling, the night is quiet

6:32 Ayamba yells, “Groupe” and the guards turn generator on, no longer quiet

6:33 As we enter, pass the dining table, we curiously check what’s been prepared for us


6:35 The water is on- we each fill our buckets in case water doesn’t come tomorrow

6:45 Shower if enough pressure otherwise bucket bath- oh so fun! Put on shorts, cooling…

7:00 Catch up on news if CNN’s on or try to guess what’s going on if its news in French

7:30 We sit to eat dinner together- chicken or beef with rice, pasta, cous cous or chips

8:00 Finish dinner, what remains we give to the guard and lock ourselves in for the night

8:10 Down time to talk, read, work out, catch up on work, watch tv, etc.

8:30 Water stops coming in, off again until next morning

9:30 Get ready for bed, wash face with bucket water

9:45 Generator off, quiet again… other than the random donkey in the background!

10:00 In bed, hoping to get a restful night of sleep if not woken by the heat

Special Sunday

I left Nairobi exactly a week ago and today I had the honor of going to church for the first time in Chad. My options were few as there is only one Protestant and one Catholic church in Goz Beida -but in some ways that is already more than I expected. I went to the Protestant service which was to start at 8 and there was an added perk in that my colleague was to be the speaker. Due to this he went on before me. I was dropped by our driver just after 8 and saw that no one was going in the building so I just waiting for the appropriate cues to know when to enter (as I don’t speak French and couldn’t ask what was going on). As the service started there were only about 10 or 15 of us but it didn’t take long for the church to fill up. By the time we finished 2 hours later more than 200 people had come to worship.

Though I didn’t understand the words I was able to follow much of the service as it was familiar enough. I could read from my neighbors’ hymn book and struggle through the French pronunciations. I was able to figure out what scriptures were being read and follow in my own Bible, imagining what the message could be about. Today we read text from 1 Kings 11:1-9, then Deuteronomy 8:11-14,17 and finally Ecclesiastes 12:1. Near the end of the service there seemed to be announcement and then people started introducing themselves randomly. I gathered they were the visitors so I stood up as well and introduced myself, partly in French and partly in English – it worked, I communicated, even if very poorly.

There were 2 highlights for me that were very inspirational. First, the worship was amazing, there were a few basic drums and some other basic sound making devices but mostly it was acapella. Their voices rang out in joy and confidence and I knew even though we didn’t share the same language we shared the same great and loving God, the same Christ that I believe in with all my heart.

What was really special is in the middle of the service a group of people from all around the church came to the front and sang a few songs. I could not tell what was going on or why this was different but clearly the dynamics changed when this group started singing. They were more energetic (both in their song and in their dance) and the congregation responded to them much more. I quickly recognized one of the singers was from our staff and enjoyed all the more. Later I found out this was a special part of every service where people from one of the many tribes are asked each week to share a few songs in their local language. This week it was people from the tribe of Kim and it was extraordinary. I only regret that I didn’t have my camera so I can’t share it with you any other way.

The other highlight for me was at the end of the service when we left the building.
Starting with the one that shared the main message (also from our staff) each person walked out of the church and lined up outside, creating a large circle. Each of us walked around the circle shaking the hands of each and every person that was ahead of them. When we had greeted everyone in front of us we joined the circle to then shake the hands of those that were coming behind us. I literally got to greet each of the 200+ people who had been in the service which means I was able to shake their hand, say a simple greeting and look into their eyes. I can’t explain well why this was so special but somehow I felt I was finally seeing Chad as I looked into the eyes and the faces of each consecutive person.

I guess after living the past week in compounds (first in N’djamena, then Abéché and now here in Goz Beida) which are pretty fortified and seemingly ‘cut off’ from the rest of the world and community it was refreshing and meaningful to finally interact with and see at close range the people of Chad. The people I have come to serve. I know as I get more time here and have opportunities to go visit our projects I will have more interaction with our beneficiaries but for the time being this was a nice change and made for a special Sunday.