Educating a Medical Bridge

Recently all of Mercy Air's aircraft were in Mozambique at the same time. The heli was in the south of the country whilst the two fixed wing aircraft went to central Mozambique.

The fixed wings took a variety of people in a variety of planes to do a variety of jobs but at least all the people, planes and jobs were at the same location at ASAM just north of Chimoio.

The 310 went up a couple of days earlier with a bridge building team - more of that later.
The Kodiak took a total of eight people, an education team of two and a doctor/nurse team of five and one pilot of course.

Paul and Dr. Roger Pacholka

It was 38 deg when we landed in Mozambique.

The airstrip and hangar at ASAM that Mercy Air helped build and perhaps showing some of the remoteness.

Unloading.

Squeezing all three planes in the hangar was a mission in itself.

The medical team were there to run a number of clinics as well as give seminars on various subjects.

Say Ahhh!

One of the patients seemed to have been expecting us.

One of the mornings we were walking out of a house when we almost stepped on a Mozambican Spitting Cobra which then slithered for cover under a gas bottle. We're not usually the violent sort and just aim to relocate the offending creature, but this was a bit too close to the house so... the hunt began.

All are not huntsmen who blow the huntsman's horn, but a while later with the aid of a large stick and the gas bottle itself... Result: People 1 Snake 0. We're sure there will be a rematch soon though.

Probably a good job then that one of the doctors did a talk on snakes and snake bites.

Followed by a practical session on resuscitation and intubation

This was requested as a result of a girl who lost a leg after being bitten on the ankle by a Puff Adder a while back. We met her on the way back from one of the clinics.

Some of the medical visits required a lengthy walk through the bush...

..crossing crocodile infested waterways...

..to bring help to people in their villages...

..and huts.

Planning and fundraising for the bridge had taken many months but the team worked really hard over a few days in often less than ideal weather to make the dream a reality.

John welding.

Finishing touches.

The team with the 'almost' completed product. Just a bit of concrete work at each end to finish it off.

These kids walked back and forth across the bridge many times just for the novelty of it.

Dwight and Lynne Lagore with a few of the kids who will benefit greatly from this endevour.

No less valuable was the many days Anne and Santi spent doing evaluations and teaching the mission staff.

As the bridge was finished the team left a couple of days early - after a slight delay in departure whilst some African Killer Goats were chased from the airstrip.

The medical sorts did some more clinics...

..and visited the ASAM school to do a talk and give out some caps.

It was children from this school that the bridge had primarily been built to help, as two of them had lost their lives to crocodiles earlier in the year. We heard that even two weeks before we arrived a cow had been taken by a crocodile.

This school is also the location of a partly built library that can now be finished thanks to a kind donation from a church in the UK. We will likely get more involved with this in the coming months.

On the last evening we clambered up a rocky outcrop to enjoy the last few rays of the day.

Then it was the turn of the Kodiak to depart after packing the aircraft in the relative cool of the hangar...

..posing for a photo...

..and pulling it out.

Hard work!

After takeoff we flew over the bridge on our way out...

Thank you.

Mercy Air team

An Golly Goche

Last week four Mercy Air staff flew in support of Martin and Simone Schumann, who are German missionaries in N. Mozambique. This was the sixth time Mercy Air had flown there.

The total trip was 2200 miles (3500Km). The white line on the map below is the length of the UK.

 We flew past some pretty impressive scenery on the way up.

The place we landed was an old military fighter base and still had a hangar load of Mig 21's.

We took 1200 solar powered audio Bibles and another load of Artemisia tea which can be used to cure malaria. We also took supplies to help them finish some projects on their house.

The plane was full but getting it and us into Martin's vehicle was another issue!

After that there was only the matter of a 2 1/2 hour drive in the dark on a dodgy road to where they actually live.

Arrival after 11 hours of travel

Apart from delivering the Bibles and Artemisia we were there to help with a number of projects.

The Schumann's have had no running water in all the years they have lived there. Paul re-wired a water pump...

...before he and Allan plumbed it in to transfer rain water caught in underground tanks...

up to a header tank and then in to the house for use in the bathroom and kitchen.

Allan made a mess in a bathroom...

...but then tidied it up leaving a newly installed sink.

Hendri worked on the Schumann's vehicle which had suffered after many kilometres on bad roads.

Then he attacked their motorbike which hadn't run in over two months. Martin uses to access the villages.

How many blokes does it take to change a motorbike tyre?

Up to four apparently.

Cathy did an ante-natal checkup on Simone who is expecting their fourth baby.

She also did a fair bit of baking.

  Paul climbed a tree...

 

...and then ended up on the roof patching up holes and cracks.

Mad dogs and Englishmen...

Prior to that he conscripted some help in cutting the strips of fabric.

Child labour

While he was on the roof some guys called from the beach (which is less that 50m away). They had a Yellow fin Tuna which they'd just caught.

We negotiated a price and then they carved it up in front of the kids which didn't seem to phase them. I guess it happens quite a lot.

Allan went off to visit some villages where Martin teaches. They had to go when the tide was out though so they could cross the estuary. 

No wonder his bikes don't do so well!

The village was still someway further on - and on - and on.

Cathy and Simone did their own visiting...

...and even found one man listening to one of the audio Bibles Martin had given out.

We came across quite a few moths including this interesting beast.

Next day we got up at 04:00 to drive 2 1/2 hrs back down the Black Widow road that even eats the vehicles that helped create it...

...to be in Nacala in time to take off and fly 125 miles down the coast to be in Angoche by 08:30.
To drive would take over 6 hours, by Cessna 310, a mere 40 minutes.

Our welcoming committee was comprised maily of local kids.

We went to Angoche to meet a team that had worked in Angoche in the past but were back on a follow up visit. Just so happens that two of them were both traveling back to SA at the same time so we spent a night and flew them back the following day.

But not before traveling out to the bush to see some of their work.
One was way out on a dirt road - did we say road, that might be a bit kind. The whole village gathered under a huge tree.

 You always see some interesting T shirts where you'd never expect them.

 After lots of singing and dancing and talking we were led into an overly warm hut and fed.

 

Our accommodation in town was quite comfortable although Health and Safety might have some concerns with the hot water arrangement in the shower.

Note the dodgy switch and exposed wires by the shower head - circled.

The next day we were up early and off again. Before we left the airport we looked in an almost derelict hangar and found two Piper Cub's well past their fly by date.

A quick check on the web when we got home revealed a picture taken in 1950 of the aircraft at the same airport.

The aircraft was made in 1948

So, as quick as it came a week full of activity was over, leaving only a 5 hour/950 mile flight to get home. Plenty of time to look back and contemplate what was accomplished and look forward to how we can help serve in the future.

Thank you.

Mercy Air team

Bridging the Gap

Recently Mercy Air's collaboration with ASAM in Mozambique continued as plans were drawn up to construct a much needed bridge.

'Crocodile Dundee' aka Rick Neufeld with the community team and a 2 metre crocodile.

Over the past few weeks amazing developments have taken place. Besides our own 'Crocodile Dundee' (aka Rick Neufeld) killing one crocodile with support from the local community, significant progress has been made to make this 57 metre suspension bridge a reality. Besides providing a safe way to cross the crocodile-infested river (and there are many of them), this bridge will ensure that 3 communities have access to school all year round, even when the river is flooded and impossible to cross. It will also provide safe all-year round access to the health clinic, the grinding mill and the new library being built at our local school.

To date, even without knowing the cost of this project, 11 individuals, 3 churches and 1 business have generously donated over $27,000.00! We roughly estimated around $30,000 for the project but due to inflation since the company who gave us the quote built the last bridge, as well as due to import duties of the materials into Mozambique, a fairly realistic costing is now $46,000.00. We do have a few additional pledges already from people who want to be a part of making this happen, and we are confident this project is both vitally important and achievable, so we are going ahead!

From right to left: Tony, Allan, Sjaak, and Dwight.

This week Allan Luus who is an engineer and CEO of Mercy Air, flew up to the mission in central Mozambique to bring plans and do a site visit to further assess the realities we are facing to get this done. Sjaak Walhout, a Dutch pilot missionary who owns his own RV experimental aircraft (otherwise known as a pocket rocket… for its over 160 Kt airspeed on 29 liters an hour!), volunteered to fly Allan up. After clearing into the country, they flew into the mission airstrip.

After a much needed quick lunch, they headed straight to the bridge site.

The engineer sweating it out on site! Thanks Allan.

School children and community members helping to clear the site for the planting of markers.

By the time they assessed the first location and then crossed the river to the far side location, they were sweating! A white engineer with his shirt off got a few comments from the local school boys, but very soon they settled down to helping with some of the clearing. Markers were installed, measurements were taken and any local conditions related to the design were jotted down. By night-fall they were back at the mission to enjoy a meal together and a quick review of the days’ work.

Going over the plan and costing.

Early the next morning while Sjaak and Andy fueled the little RV, Allan and Dwight reviewed plans and likely costing as well as any items needed to each follow-up on until the next site visit. Then the little RV fired up and blasted off into the deep blue sky! They were reminded again of how every step in progress at the mission opens doors for other significant progress and new chances to demonstrate God’s never failing love for the people He cares so deeply for!

Children crossing the river with other smaller children on their backs.

A team is now clearing the foundation locations and concrete, stone and sand will be transported to the site and somehow hauled to the other side of the river as well. In the meantime the plan will be tweaked and the final materials order made up for preparation and shipping.

Anxious community members already have the area cleared!

Thank you for your interest, generosity and prayer to make this amazing project a reality.

ASAM and Mercy Air team