Moving to Dakar
I finally remembered what day it is – in time to send along this Wednesday Update! I must be getting back to ‘normal’ – what’s normal?
Anyhow, most of you know by now that Bob and I will be heading back to Africa on Nov. 5th. We have thoroughly enjoyed our time here in the states, not only with family, but also with some of you as we have visited in your churches. Your love and care for us has far exceeded anything we ever imagined, and we thank God continually for your response to our sudden needs.
We will be going to Dakar Academy in Dakar, Senegal, where around 90 of our ICA students are enrolled for the rest of this school year. We will be joining other ICA staff who have been asked to come and help with the increased student body.
As we left everything behind in Bouake, we are busy restocking – but only are allowed 4 rubbermaid action packers to put everything in. Actually, we will be able to purchase most things in Dakar – as finances allow. We’ll be doing a lot of sharing with other staff members who are in the same position as we are. None of us plan to make this a permanent location; we all want to go back to ICA when it reopens in August 2003, if God wills.
In spite of a recent cease-fire agreement in the Ivory Coast, the US has issued a mandatory evacuation of all it’s non-essential personnel and all family members. They are arranging with neighboring Ghana to issue temporary visas to allow for the quick removal of American citizens through Ghana. The economy of West Africa has been greatly affected by this struggle within the strongest country of the region. Even Senegal, where we are headed, is already facing loss of income from fewer exported goods.
Please pray for peace in the Ivory Coast. Pray for African friends and neighbors who are still in the Ivory Coast, and dealing with all that we were able to escape. Pray for us as we prepare to return to Africa, and for the ICA students and staff who are making a new home, even though only temporarily, for this school year.
The very next morning, we awoke to the sight of the red flag outside our main office, warning us that conditions were unsettled in town, and we should not leave campus. That day began what appears to be a political and military battle for control between the mostly Muslim rebels of the north and the mostly ‘Christian’ loyalists of the south. Throughout the next week, we could often hear gunfire in the near distance as rebels took control of Bouake. Electricity and power was cut, and we were operating a diesel generator for limited hours and were running out of fuel. During that time, we had rebel soldiers stationed outside our wall within 100 yards, and several battles were fought within 3 kilometers. One of the worst battles for us was actually fought across our campus, with tracers from bullets clearly seen in the air above our heads, and evidence of some bullets actually falling inside our walls. Because of lockdown drills instituted since the robbery of July 17th, all staff and students quickly ran to ‘safe’ places. How like our God to take that previous ugly event and turn it into something good!
After that intense and too-close battle, we increased the urgency of our request for a military-escorted evacuation. Finally, on Wednesday, September 25th, we were filled with relief as the French military arrived to secure our campus and then to escort us out of town. This 90-kilometer trip took 10 hours because of the route required to avoid the rebel forces, and the need to have gasoline brought to our 21-vehicle convoy by helicopters. The next day, the remaining 1000 or so expatriots in Bouake were also evacuated during a 48-hour ceasefire.