Let the Journey Begin

       When my great-grandparents, grandparents, and even my dad first went to live in Central Africa, they had to take a boat from the United States. This journey took weeks, and was quite treacherous. Having grown up going back and forth from the US to Africa, I have made this journey many times, but in my case it was quick and for the most part fairly easy compared to what previous generations had to endure. Modern air travel has made travel to and from other places easier. Despite the ease of travel now, going to Central Africa is still a little more difficult than going to most places. There are very few direct flights to the continent from the United States. To get there, one must often go through Europe or the Middle East somewhere. 

       Saturday morning I start my trip to the CAR. I will fly from LA to Dulles (Washington), to Brussels (Belgium), and then Cameroon. All in all, with flights and airport layovers, this trip should take about 30 hours. Some time in the next week I will drive the rest of the way to CAR.
       For those who know me, you know that I am just a little obsessed with airplanes and anything associated with them. This much flying and being around airports is exciting and for the most part really enjoyable. Nevertheless, international travel often has its complications and unplanned adventures, so I would appreciate prayer as I go. In a little over two days I will be in Africa! 

What is a Visa?

       To some, a visa is a piece of plastic you use to pay for something when you are shopping, or to withdraw money. To others, it is a stamp in a passport that is their ticket to another country. Some people have both a visa in their passport and a VISA card in their wallet. This allows them to go to another country and easily get cash almost anywhere at a moment's notice. However many people who live in developing countries, like the Central African Republic (CAR), don’t have this double luxury. A visa is needed to get in the country, but there are no ATMs around. Cash can be quite difficult to get, and there has to be a lot more planning involved in order to get money when you need it.

       It is like this for many other things too. Food, and basic necessities like shampoo and clothes are more difficult to buy. Many markets don’t have much available because they are either so isolated or there is just not high demand for these goods. Often things can be found in larger cities, but it takes a lot of planning since you may not always have a chance or time to go such a distance. So when you are able to go, you stock up on goods to take back and have available for when and if you need them. I am constantly amazed at how easy it is to get something when I feel I need it here in the States. At a moment's notice I can walk out of the house, drive to a grocery store, pay for a product with money that is readily available, and be back home very quickly. Things just are not this simple in central Africa.  

       Yesterday I found out that I got a visa for CAR in my passport. This is my ticket into the CAR, which is one of many developing countries without ATMs, or well-stocked stores just around the corner. I have traded in one visa for another. Life is going to be different and challenging over the next two years as I figure out how to get things when I need them, or be patient until I can get them. On the other hand, I will not be needing quite as much either. Life is simpler and does not require a whole lot of products out there. Either way, this new visa is going to require a change in my lifestyle.  

Lord's Army?

More about the LRA can be found on BBC.com

       Central African Republic was in the news again today because of some violence, but this was not from the recent war. Fighting between the dominant rebel group and the government seems to have stopped for now. There are still plenty of other rebel groups in the country though, including one of the more conspicuous ones, the Lord's Resistance Army (the LRA).

       The LRA started its fight so it could take over Uganda and govern by following the 10 commandments. Believing God had called them to carry over threw the government, they have been using fear and destruction as tools of war across the region. They are responsible for the brutal slaughtering of many innocent people, as well as the abduction, mutilation, and/or violent indoctrinating of tens of thousands of children over the last 25 years. Many may remember last year's YouTube video "Kony 2012" that went viral overnight. Joseph Kony is the leader of the LRA and is wanted for war crimes in the international criminal court.  

       Last Friday one of his "bodyguards", the one in charge of "child abduction", was killed.

As of last October there have been 100 US Special Forces soldiers in CAR, hunting this incredibly violent group along with several African countries militaries.

      The LRA appears to be hiding somewhere on the west side of CAR, and my mission station (Gamboula) is located on the far east side, so there is currently not a high risk of them affecting my work there. However, they are still a very dangerous and unpredictable group and I would appreciate prayer regarding stability in the eastern region of CAR, as well as the speedy apprehension of this group. 

So close

       In less than one month, I will be in Yaoundé Cameroon!  Since I was so close to raising my total budget for two years of living in the Central African Republic (CAR), I was given the go ahead to book my flight! Unfortunately, the easiest way to get to CAR is to fly to Cameroon, and then drive the rest of the way to CAR. At this point I am not sure how long it will take to catch a ride to the mission station of Gamboula where I will be living, but I am excited to finally have a date to leave the US for Africa.

       The whole process of getting to CAR has been quite complicated. I will be living close to Cameroon, and will use that country as my entry and exit point into CAR. If there is any political unrest, Cameroon is also a more stable country to retreat to for a while if that is deemed necessary. For these reasons I am getting a two year residence card for Cameroon. This will allow me to travel to and from there over the time I will be in Gamboula. I also need a two year residence card for CAR.

       Before getting the residence cards, however, I need to get visas for the countries. These visas are quite complicated to get as they require a traveler to have: proof of purchase of a ticket to and from the country and a letter of invitation from someone in the country with exact dates you are coming. It can take a few weeks for these visas to be issued. Not knowing exactly how long the process would take, I had to book my flight for a date that I thought was far enough out to allow time for the letters of invitation for both countries to get here, and then still have enough time to hopefully get the visas back in time for my flight. 

        As of right now, I have tickets to get to Cameroon, part of the way to CAR, and have received and sent in the letters of invitation. The visas have not been issued yet, but I still have a few weeks to get them. I am also at 97% and need to raise the last 3 % (about $150/month) of my budget before I go.  

Peace deal signed for CAR after Gabon talks - Africa - Al Jazeera English

      There has been a peace deal signed between the Rebels and the government of the CAR! I am relativity new to the politics of the CAR, and these groups, but from what I understand, this seems to be a good sign. Some of the terms are talked about in this news clip Peace deal signed for CAR after Gabon talks - Africa - Al Jazeera English
       Hopefully things will calm down by the time I get there, but it is Africa, any thing can happen at any time.

6% left!

       This past week, given my current level of support, I have been given the go ahead to begin working on Visa applications for the Central African Republic (CAR)! I don’t have dates yet, but it looks like it will be sometime in Mid-February.
       Today the Rebels and Government of CAR are in peace talks in the neighboring country of Gabon. The hope is that a deal would be made, and the political situation would calm down by the time I get there next month. 

Conflict in the CAR

      During the past few weeks, there has been a rebel group marching on the capital of the Central African Republic. They have advanced quite quickly forcing the evacuation of a lot of the country. In less then a month, they took more then half the country, and today are only about 40 miles from the capital. It seems they are willing to talk though, and are going to be meeting with the government for talks in Gabon on Tuesday the 8th. There have been quite a few countries including South Africa that have sent troops to aid the CAR including South Africa which might be one reason the rebels have halted their advance.
      I am in communication with the missionaries I will be working with, and they are still there. The village I will be going to is just about the farthest you can get from the violence, and work is going on as normal. Still as I get ready to go it is uncertain what the next few weeks are going to be like in the CAR.
      Pleas join with me in praying that peace would be reached at these talks over the next few days.

Here is an article from this mornints news about situation: http://www.aljazeera.com/news/africa/2013/01/201317102214414514.html