Traversing Senegal

The day began by us leaving Dakar at 6 a.m. even before the Muslim call to prayer. The journey to Sedhiou takes us south, southeast of Dakar for something like 342 kilometers or 214 miles. During the first part of the trip we met most of the traffic coming into Dakar. By leaving early, it saves you 2 to 3 hours driving time because the traffic really snarls about 7 a.m. Daylight found us headed south toward Salle’, the home of Musa our driver and the location of several tourist hotels. We made a pit stop at the hotel in Kaolack. While the girls where visiting with the manager, Larry and I were watching a construction crew who were moving sand from the ground to the second floor. One fellow had three buckets that he filled and lifted via a rope and pulley to another worker. Then two other men joined him. However, they threw the sand to the second floor a shovel full at a time. From the size of the pile, they were going to be there for about 3 hours. When the girls returned, they shared that the manager had asked them to pray for him which they did.

Back on the road again at the encouragement of Musa, we had a new road for about 20 miles before the old road showed back up. When a road is going to be replaced, no maintenance is done. We felt that Russell could stay buy for months filling these potholes. Near the border with the Gambia, we passed through a village having a market. A lot of folks were selling and buying. A lot of livestock were present and being sold or traded. It sounded like they had an auctioneer. But not knowing the language, we were not sure. Cindy just had to go get some pictures. I am not sure that she got the picture of the driver of semi who made himself a hammock under his trailer. While we were waiting, a donkey cart pulled up close to the van and left the load of really fresh meat (a goat) on a local merchant’s table set up beside the road … in the sun.

After getting Cindy in the vehicle again, we drove on to the Gambia. Of course, this takes a period of time to go through police, customs, and immigrations of Senegal and then the police, immigrations, and customs of the Gambia. The ferry is a few miles further down the “road” … now a dirt one, we come to where the papers are shown to the ferry folks and “tickets” are purchased to pay for the van and each person. The trucks lined up to cross were backed up for about a mile or so. We drove past these and up to the gate. The fellow, after visiting with Musa and Joseph, opened the gate and let us past to the loading area. Musa drove right up to the ferry when he was stopped by the men loading it vehicles. We all got out and then shortly Musa drove the van on to the ferry. I think that he “helped” them out with a need they had. (Larry estimates that we saved the minimum of one hour probably more like 2 hours).

The ferry ride was interesting. The operator when passing the other ferry over corrected so we crossed the Gambia River backwards! Then he turned it back around so that we could drive off. Musa sent Joseph off on a errand for some things for him but also to purchase a sack of sugar (50 kilos or 110 pounds). It seems that as though sugar is in short supply here as well as being less expensive in the Gambia. We also purchased gasoil (diesel) fuel for the van for the same reasons. Once on the road again, we had stops at police, customs and immigrations of the Gambia, as well as the same for Senegal again. We arrived at the river house around 4 p.m. or 10 hours after we started … for an average of 21.4 miles per hour. This was faster than the medical team!

When we arrived at the river house, we were greeted by a host of folks including Pastor Ngore and Claude the Mandyak nurse who is spending his vacation here. We hope that while here, the Lord shows him His will about coming to work with his people. With all of the help we received, unloading the van and carry it all in was taken care of quickly. Amadou, a young man whom we have watched grow up, had made ataya for us. The only way to describe it is espresso tea with a lot of sugar. The team is resting except for Cindy who went to town to do some shopping.

We will try to include a picture or two but we had problems doing so with yesterday’s blog.

Pray for the team as we plan on teaching at Kounayan Macagne in the morning and on Saturday. We will be presenting the plan of salvation, teaching doctrine, sharing health principles and doing the Creation to the Cross presentation.