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May & June 2006
Are we there yet?      

We knew we were in trouble when our vehicle broke down in the middle of nowhere. Imagine you are with us (Ken and two Zambian coworkers) as we travel back home from visiting the Ila (pronounced ēla) people group in central Africa.

It’s too far to walk the 50 miles to the main road, but maybe if we start walking we can find a vehicle going our way.

Fantastic! We find a large truck going in our direction. They agree to take us along but we have to ride on top with goats, chickens and other people. We wait as the truck can’t leave until a government official collects the road tax. (The Bible’s coming alive to us as we now understand how people in the New Testament felt towards tax-collectors. K)

We have no idea how long it will take before this truck can leave. Then we notice another vehicle nearby and ask if they can take us. They agree but the first truck we just got off is cleared to go and pulls away without us. Aaagggh!!

Anyway, vehicle #2 takes off just in time to get in front of a large cattle truck. Good thing — because the road is dusty and we don’t want to be behind that cattle truck.

Vehicle #2 only goes two miles because our engine is overheating. Put water in the radiator. Ok, that’s done. But in the process the cattle truck just passed us. Despite the rough road, our vehicle gets enough speed to pass it. Whew! No more dust.

However, we only go two more ...

The ILA people:

Population over 61,000.

Raise cattle for cash but rarely butcher one for their own use.

Are polygamous and alcohol addiction is a problem.

Had a New Testament translated in the early 1900’s by a missionary, but it is unusable today.
The Bible Society's van, where it broke down, when we visited the Ila people.
Adding water to vehicle #2

… miles and the engine is overheating again. Better stop to put water in a second time. Unfortunately, the cattle truck passes us in the process. We finish adding water and chase after it again.
When our vehicle stops the third time we take a closer look at the problem. Water is streaming out from the bottom of the radiator. Now, besides adding water every two miles, we know we need to also start looking for water.
Drive two more miles before the engine overheats again. Repeat the above steps eight times! How far have we gone?
During a stop for water, the cattle truck passes us and we never see it again. Our vehicle is going a shorter and shorter distance each time as the …

Life on the big red truck consists of trying to balance ourselves on sacks of corn between a chicken and someone's leg.

… rough road continues to tear up the radiator. Finally, we see another truck coming up from behind us. Time to abandon ship!!!
We gladly (glad to be free of a bad radiator) hop on the back of a big red truck and squeeze in between chickens, sacks of corn and people. Guess what? The driver of this truck goes about two miles, opens the hood and adds water to the radiator. Oh no!!!! We pinch ourselves to make sure this is not a bad dream. Now the red truck is going back and forth, passing and being passed, by vehicle #2. Try to remain sane!!!
Fortunately vehicle #3 has no further radiator problems, although we'll have to stop for several hours to do other repairs before the night is over.
The setting of the African sun takes with it its heat and now we are cold. The Africans traveling with us were smart enough to bring blankets to keep warm. All we have is a bed sheet to wrap around us as we bounce through the African night. There are a zillion stars overhead. In the distance we catch a glimpse of some antelopes leaping gracefully across the road. We can also see owls silently swoop through the night in search of their next meal.
But this is no tourist safari. "Wapia"! We learn the ...

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