Thank you for your partnership in the ministry we are involved in with MAF in Chad. Since our last letter we’ve seen a marked increase in the presence of security personnel in and around N’Djaména – a response to terrorist attacks in June and July in the city. Thank you for uplifting us through this time; we have felt a real peace in the midst of turmoil and uncertainty. For roughly the last year stories of Boko Haram and their shocking, brutal campaign in northern Nigeria and the surrounding region have been all over the news. Chad’s forces have been instrumental in the effort to subdue the threat next door, but in June, and again in July, that threat hit home. Twin attacks at the central police station and a police academy and then less than a month later at the central market have brought everyone to high alert. Police and military check points are a common sight now. All stores have armed guards with metal detectors posted at the entrances. Most mission and expat groups have raised their security levels as well, although so far there have been no indications that foreigners have been or will be targeted. MAF have also adjusted our normal operations to reduce our exposure to any further events. While flights are going ahead as scheduled, we try to avoid certain areas of town and minimize our time when stopped anywhere other than the housing compound or the airport. Those doing the shopping go together and try to keep it to once every 10 days or so. Attending church services was put on hold for about a month until additional security measures were put in place where we meet. Despite all this we have experienced a spirit of peace. We know many at home are praying for us and we would ask you to continue in that but also to pray for continuing peace in Chad. We have experienced 2 months without any trouble, so we pray that will continue. Bobby Alston and his team of dentists have had a long history of returning to Chad each year to run week-long dental clinics in remote locations. Their aim is to create positive relationships and trust which helps open doors for the long-term missionaries already working in those communities. On this latest trip I flew them to Am Timan and then Haraze in the southeast of Chad.
With less than 1 dentist to every 5000 people in Chad (W.H.O 2012), dental needs here are endless. Bobby and Donna’s willingness to come every year at their own expense, travel extensively within Chad, and operate with the most basic of facilities in the remotest of settings, is so greatly needed and appreciated. It is a great encouragement to see how the aircraft can reduce their travel time and make these busy weeks each year much less taxing and tiring for the visiting team. At the end of the July, and the height of the insecurity, we enjoyed a 3-week break in Morocco. It was a much needed getaway from the daily challenges of Chad. We had a great time together as a family exploring the old medina, relaxing at the beach, eating peaches and plums (and other luxuries not available in Chad), walking and more walking, body boarding, and just unwinding. We arrived back, refreshed and ready for life in Chad again!
Besides flying the MAF planes, Phil is also responsible for keeping the housing compound running smoothly which includes keeping up with maintenance. He can often be found cutting, gluing, oiling, cementing, drilling, welding, replacing, installing and tightening all sorts of things around the compound. As a kid Phil remembers the maintenance guy always seemed to have the most fun and wondered if he’d get a chance to do the same one day. In the course of all that fixin’, he has become friends with the owner of a small hardware ‘store’ around the corner. It’s not quite Canadian Tire but has most of what he needs. Kaitlyn celebrated her 8th birthday (Aug 9th) in Morocco and in true Kaitlyn fashion, we all dressed up and went to a ‘white table cloth’ restaurant! The staff sang happy birthday in French to Kaitlyn, complete with a cake that said “Happy Birds-day” (‘birthday’ in a French accent). Kaitlyn enjoyed the day’s events and commented that this was her favorite birthday! Lily was very apprehensive about beginning grade 1 at Wellspring Academy this August. She wasn’t too sure if she would like going to ‘away’ school (as she calls it) and was nervous leading up to her first day. We prayed a lot about it with her…and held our breath when we picked her up from school…where she said “It was the BEST first day EVER!!!” She is settling in well and enjoys art and math. Evelinne ("Evie") also had a birthday (Aug 6th) while we were in Morocco…her 1st already! She is walking full time now and her vocabulary is coming alive – well, not actual words – but signs and lots of pointing and saying ‘UH!’ Evie loves to play outside, have baths, kiss the cats, raid the kitchen plastics cupboard, carry people’s shoes around and dance whenever she hears music. We love her to bits!
Praise for a great start to school for both Kaitlyn & Lily Praise for good health and safety (no hospital visits for us!) Pray for a new pilot for Chad as one of the pilots and his family are leaving the program in December which will create a big hole in the flight ops and in compound life Pray for ongoing peace and safety in Chad