Bahai Beach 10

Bahai Beach 10
31-08-2006

Dear all,

Another harrowing event this night. It seems like Ali Baba’s 100 nights. Schecheradze needs to keep on spinning stories to appeal to the sultan and extend her own life by yet another night. As a world champion powernaps I was lying in front of my villa when I was rudely awaken from my sleep. Half sharp no specs a guy was flashing his knife and telling me to follow him. In the corner of the compound our 3 guards were forced to squat on the ground. Marc our logistician was also there and hoodlum number 2. This chap was carrying an AK-47/Kalashnikov. In Arabic instructions were dispersed. Luckily we understood they wanted the keys to the pick up. Very unfortunately first the arm of one guard, then the head of another and then my wrist was used as stick wielding practice. Finding the keys in the designated place was easy and the crooks left us with schreeching wheels. A third mischief maker jumped in. All this took place in about 15 minutes at about 22.20 at night. Within three minutes the military police arrived. Our guard has a huge bruise, was bleeding and a bit groggy. The other guard is ok. And me well I am tapping the letter with a left wrist that is swollen by about 50%, Luckily karate reflexes saved me from a splitting head ache.
What to feel for such losers; contempt, grief, anger, or just sorrow. Well in the end they lose out. Bullet in the brain or a Chadian jail either perspective will not lead to a stairway to heaven or endless virgins. No just sadness, humanity can be beautiful at it fullest when laughing, creating art, being just and honest but also intensely ugly. Shrug the shoulder and dip the wrist. Initial reflexes like revenge are primitive and futile. So what box the guys? Their reckoning will be there. I got a job to do. Sure we do not take incidents like this lightly here. Bruises and blood are apparently part of the deal.
And then my mini break got cancelled. As I have mentioned before at times one in two flights does get cancelled.
Let me give some good news as well; a fifth kokai, konya, jedad entai was purchased. She is grey blackish and has great potential for gulus. The lady who has breast cancer shall be taken to N Djamena on Monday…
The 4 suspected cases of meningitis ( two deaths) have so far not become more (cross finger) and cholera is still 50 kilometers away from us in Sudan. Let us hope custom service keeps it out. Then again cases of hepatitis E have been found in a village not far away from here. In the hospital most patients are doing well many referrals from the camp have been returned home. We are trying to make a collage of the returned patients and a photo when they left to give our health center a more human face. With the vaccinations in place at the Health Post and Health Center we are getting tons of happy young kids frolicking around. I shall sure miss this place when `I go for my break in Holland. It may sound weird but I get more then give here. A sense of belonging, daily steep learning curve, managing motivated and unmotivated staff. There may come a day soon when we fire all 43 community health workers to rehire those people in the camp who are willing to work a full day instead of a half day. As you can understand not all is rosewater and honey but the smile of kid that was sick and about to day only days earlier makes my day.
All be safe. I wish you peace and love.

Namaskar,

Ashis