In our recent prayer letter we spoke of our plans to open the hospital in November. There are many things that need sorting out but one of our priorities is to sort through 5 shipping containers stood in the middle of our yard. They contain the accumulated building materials, medical equipment and supplies and personnel effects of previous missionaries over the past 5 years. Termites have been able to get in through the wooden floors as they were in contact with the ground and have eaten their way through quite a bit of stock so a solution needs to be found. We decided to empty the containers, clean them and then move them to a better site at the same time placing them on large lorry metal wheel rims to keep them well above soil level. Sounds easy enough but where do you find a crane or forklift big enough to lift a 40 foot shipping container? Ndilmbaye, fresh from his first annual leave in 3 years, found a local company about 4 KM away with such expertise and they agreed for a sum of 100000CFA per hour (£120) to come and do it.Most of contents of the containers were removed to the wards and operating theatre in preparation and we were told that the forklift known here by the trade name Manitou would come on Friday 18th June. By 4 pm it was clear that they weren’t coming, the message was that they were too busy but would be sure to come Saturday morning, then Sunday morning and at last it arrived at Sunday lunchtime and promptly broke down in next to the containers. Despite the efforts of a couple of mechanics nothing could be done without a new fuel pump so they had to the market in town. It would have to be the next day .Unfortunately just before it arrived we had got out 3 heavy pieces of X-ray equipment and we couldn’t lift them back in even with the help of half a dozen young men from the village. We bought some large tarpaulins and covered the equipment as well as possible. Monday, the news was not good, no parts in Chad, it would have to be ordered from Cameroon, and they refunded our advance, and suggested we try to find someone else. Despite our prayers it rained but at least the tarpaulins did their job.
All very depressing if you are that way inclined, but happily for the moment we’re not.
A week later, I was beginning to wonder whether we would ever get a solution when out of the blue the original team came back and said they now had a replacement vehicle and they could come that evening if we would advance 2 hours work. Pleased but slightly sceptical we gave the money. Fifteen minutes later , LeManitou noveau est arrive! The driver was highly skilled and we were able to do the job with 15 minutes to spare. We also were able to lift all the heavy equipment back inside.
In the process we found as usual some wildlife, a desert hedgehog and a small monitor lizard, only 18 inches. It was caught and photographed and I was asked if the children wanted it. I said they could let it go, so they did and it ran under a pile of things next to the caretakers shack. Remind me next time to say let it go outside the wall. Suddenly one of the men decided he wanted to eat it, but the lizard was not to be found.That same evening the spare part arrived and the repaired forklift was able to leave!
Now with the arrival of Clare, a nurse, our work at the hospital begins in earnest; the Arabic will have to take second place. The containers are cleaned and sprayed and planks on bricks are arranged for shelving. We are sorting through gloves, bandages and all manner of more complicated equipment and deciding which is still useful and in good condition. It will take the next few weeks. Meanwhile the builders and painters are finishing the rest of the hospital. I wonder what the next snag will be.
