Update From Dr Ngoumape

I received an email this morning from Dr Ngoumape. The rebels are still advancing however the president of CAR is willing to talk with the rebels unconditionally now. I take this as a sign of progress and pray a resolution will soon be reached. Today Dr Ngoumape is going to speak at a National Day of Prayer meeting. His wife and children have been sent to the village of Bouar and are doing well. He decided to stay back in order to watch other kids (orphans) and take care of Pastor Dounia. Pastor Dounia recently had a stroke and is not well enough to travel to safety. Dr Ngoumape's home is on the outskirts of Bangui and he's hoping far enough away from where the fighting will occur, if it occurs, that they will be far away from the danger and noise.

Updated Map on Rebel Activity in the Central African Republic

Rebel Activity in the Central African Republic

I received news on December 19 that rebels had taken the villages of Ndele and Bria. Three or more rebel groups had banded together to accomplish this. Large numbers came from the north out of Chad. CAR military forces were deployed and made blockades at the towns of Bambari and Koga-Bandoro with the goal of blocking the major roads leading to the capital city of Bangui. On December 20th I received word that Batangafo was taken as well. Seven towns in total had been taken in just two weeks. The missionaries I stayed with were temporarily moving to Gamboula located on the border of Cameroon as a precaution. 

On December 21st Peace talks had begun between rebel delegates and the CAR government in N’Djamena. Rebeles have stopped the attacks and the Chadian government has sent troops to Sibut to block rebels from moving into Bangui.

I’ll keep the updates coming as I receive them.

Basic Gear

You may have noticed I’ve monetized my blog. I promise I won’t make earning money the main priority of this blog. My hope by doing this is that a) I ‘ll be able to fund some future trips/projects with any money that comes in and b) I can share some books, gear and other items I think might be of interest to you.  Conveniently I now have a segue to a post about gear I think you should bring with you.

A good backpack -   This will be used both on the plane as a carry on and in the field. Inevitably one of the planes you’ll find yourself in will be smaller. A regular carry on – even a carry on that fits the airline requirements will have to be checked which leaves you open to the risk of losing your bag. A backpack however will always fit in the overhead compartment.

In the field you need a good sturdy pack that will take a beating.  I recommend any of the 5.11 packs. I especially like the 5.11 Tactical All Hazards Prime pack. This is a very expensive pack but well worth the money.  There are plenty of reviews on Amazon if you’re interested. I highly recommend you not get any pack that is camouflage.  It might attract unwanted suspicion and scrutiny from customs. Remember you are a guest to your host country so be a gracious one and avoid doing anything that would cause suspicion.

Dickies Cargo Pants – I love these pants. They’re durable and clean up easily. There’s plenty of room to move around in them which is great if you have to walk any distances or if you find yourself crammed in the back of a suv with eight other guys for an hour or two.

Hanes Comfort Blend V-necks – My favorite shirt. They’re cheap so it’s not a big deal if they get ruined or you leave them for a friend you made in the field it’s no big deal. They’re light weight, cool and comfortable.

First Aid Kit – Lucky for me one of the more experienced men on my trip brought  a first aid kit. I was breaking up a large stone with a hammer when two small pieces chipped off and went straight into my hand. The cut was very small but bled a lot. Thanks to Gary’s first aid kit I was able to clean the wound, put some antibacterial ointment on it and cover it with a bandage. My lack of a first aid kit also earned me the nickname “Rookie” for the remainder of the trip. Save yourself some embarrassment and bring one. It’s also a great gift to leave behind for people who don’t have access to bandages or antibacterial ointment.

Electrolytes – If you catch a bug and end up sick you’re going to lose a lot of fluids. It’s imperative you keep hydrated. The more dehydrated you are the harder it is for your body to keep itself in good working order. Keep hydrated!

Boots – This is really more of a personal decision. Everyone moves differently so my recommendation is for you to find a boot you like. Personally, I really like the Timberland Pro Pitboss and the Catepillar Sentry boot. My reasoning is twofold - they aren’t too hot, the sole is thinner and more flexible. I had to climb around in some rafters for some electrical work in Africa and a thinner sole made it a lot easier to maneuver up there.

Socks & Underwear – I’m not sure if it matters much which brand you pick up but bring a lot of them. Keep your feet dry and change your socks a lot. Same with the underwear – you can wear the same pants repeated days and as long as you have clean underwear you’ll be fine. Underwear take less room in your bag than pants so it’s lighter to carry more underwear and less pants.

Hat – For me it’s the Real Deal Brazil cowboy hat. It’s tough and keeps your face and neck out of the sun which is extremely important.

Sunscreen – If you’re going to be outside in the sun you need lots of very powerful sunscreen. Sunburns in the comfort of your own home are bad enough. Sunburns in a foreign land are miserable.

Travel Vaccinations

Depending on where your short term missions trip takes you it may be necessary to get some additional vaccinations. I recommend going to the CDC Travelers’ Health site and looking up the country you plan to visit. Give yourself as much time as possible. When I went to the Central African Republic I opted to get vaccinated for Hepatitis A and B. This is a series of three shots. The second course is scheduled a month after the first and the third course is scheduled six months after the first shot. I categorize vaccinations in three categories.   

Required – You must have all required vaccinations before you’re permitted in the destination country. In my case I was required to have the Yellow Fever vaccination. The travel clinic will give you a small yellow card with documentation to put with your passport.

Recommended – As the name indicates these are vaccinations the CDC recommends but are not required. I chose to get all recommended vaccinations. In most cases insurance will not cover travel vaccinations. You may be tempted to skip on these to save money. I highly encourage you to think twice about skipping on these. It was rough coming up with the over $600 I spent on vaccinations. However one day on my visit, after a heavy rainfall, I fell up to my waist in a ditch on the side of the road. The streets in Bangui are not clean. After watching all the litter, debris, and who knows what floating past me I was VERY happy I decided to spend the extra money.

Routine – The good news is that there’s a very good chance insurance will cover these and they can be administered by your regular physician. Routine vaccinations are the MMR and the DPT vaccines. The DPT is the important one. If you do suffer an injury while abroad it’s better to get the vaccination here rather than there.  

Keeping a Positive Attitude

I’m happy to update that Dr Mboi received the blood pressure machine I sent down - many thanks to Myra for taking it along with her. One of the medical staff at Three Strands did some research and found some quality blood pressure machines which will be taken down with a team in early January. I’m very grateful to be in a position where I am able to help in this way.

This ordeal reminds me that a key to having a positive attitude in life is to remember single events are part of a longer chain of events.  Looking at the single event of this great man falling ill is very negative. However when you consider it as part of a greater chain of events it’s not a stretch to see this one negative circumstance has been the genesis of many positive outcomes.

A positive outcome for Dr Mboi is that he discovered he has high blood pressure before he had a stroke. My personal benefit is that I was able to connect with some previous friends from Africa and meet an additional friend, Mike Taylor. From that meeting I was able to send a BP machine to Dr Mboi so he can monitor his condition. Furthermore, additional BP machines will be going down with the group from Three Strands heading down in early January. These BP machines will benefit hundreds of people who would otherwise not have access to this equipment.