As a missionary in a remote part of Africa, I can’t always call the local plumber, electrician, or internet expert to come over and help me fix something. As many missionaries know, often when something needs to get done, someone is either volunteered or volunteers to do it in order for life to continue to function. You do the task, and if you don't know how to do it you have to learn.
Some people are really good at their jobs, like the local tailor down the street who is making my bee suits. He has a lot of sewing experience in general so he was up to the challenge of using an unfamiliar design, but struggled with the project because he did not have the final product in mind. It has taken many trips down to his little shop to show him photos with detailed explanations to move forward with this project..
Many projects have never been done here, or are done so rarely that there are no specialists or even people familiar with the procedures. As a result, those of us who are the most familiar with the project have to do the work. Since coming to CAR I have learned about and helped with electrical work, plumbing, management, and now a little about setting up a computer network and internet systems!
During last year Gamboula got a satellite dish for internet. There was a missionary here who knew all about the process and did a fantastic job dealing with all the technical craziness that is involved in it. Since the evacuation in March, he and his family have been in the States. Therefore another missionary named Josh had to come finish setting up the system and train myself and a few others how to keep it up and running.
As a younger American, I can maneuver around technology a little. Learning how to set up servers, troubleshoot problems in the network, and set up relay systems all in a short period of time was quite challenging. Time will tell how well the three of us taking the classes learned the material.
My last project was to go out to the relay antenna/tree, climb up it, and do some last minute tweaks on the system. So I found myself hanging from a harness 40 feet above the brush doing something I don’t really know how to do. My agricultural work at the farm was on hold, and I was playing IT guy. I am learning a lot here, and wonder what the next thing I will be learning is!
