Friday 23rd April
Awakening on our first morning 6:30 am it is difficult to believe that we are here. It is just after dawn and the cock is crowing Already it feels hot and it is dry and dusty which gives an effect of being shrouded in mist. A new day, a new beginning.
We guess that many of you share our amazement that our travel plans were largely unaffected by the recent travel chaos. Saying good bye to family and friends over the past week had seemed necessary but somehow unreal as the chances of flying were slim. Then just twenty four hours before our departure the volcanic ash flight ban was lifted. We finished packing our bags and finally on Wednesday morning, 21/04/10, we heard that Ethiopian airways had organised an extra flight and that we were able to leave.
At midday we took a taxi to London Heathrow, our 12 suitcases ,2 guitars and assorted hand baggage just fitted in the mini bus. This sounds like loads, it is a massive pile, but it includes all our books, school materials and personal effects etc. Experienced Chadian missionaries had advised us against sending freight unaccompanied. There was only one complication and that was at Heathrow as at check in as they had no record of our need for extra bags! But thankfully after a 90 minute wait they got a message from Key Travel and we were booked in. A night flight to Addis Ababa where we had a breakfast omelette before the 3 hour flight to N’djamena where we were met by N’dilmbaye with Roy and Jane Jones. All our bags arrived at the same time and we drove the 20 minutes trip to our new home arriving at 14:00: 26 hours later (there is no time difference in the summer)
Thank you for your prayers and support over the past few days we remain amazed and praise God that the trip went so well. Now we just need to get used to the heat and the newness and start planning our next steps, there’s plenty to sort out and with the heat everything moves slowly including us.
By next week we should have internet access and perhaps a phone card later today which all sounds great.
Bye love Mark and Andrea
