Dear all,

So it's been a month since I arrived in the heat of N'Djamena, it is needless to say hot, hot, hot!!! Temperature are averaging 35°C and we have been reaching 40°C! Apparently it's the rainy season (it has rained about three times since I've been here), I suppose I am in the Sahel which is semi-desert. The hard part will be from February to May when temperatures get up to 45°C.

As you can imagine there are many mosquitoes during the rainy season and they are no stranger to me! They decided to give me a warm welcome by giving me their disease! Yep after a few days I became acquainted with paludism (form of malaria)! I suppose it's part of the fun... 

One might say "why didn't you take your anti malaria tablets?" 

Well I did sort of, not very regularly. Some say to take them, some say don't bother: just do a cure when it comes round, so I opted for a mixture...which took me to the dispensary! where I met Soeur Christine (marseillaise with a parisian accent: she didn't get away with that!). She's been around for....wait for it.... 20 years! Apart from being a doctor, she teaches dogmatic to the seminarist's. 

My arrival: Well how should I put it? It's hot over here but my arrival was more on the icy side. When I got off the plane and was picked up by my boss, that would be soeur Monique (more of her later), I was  dropped off at the parish where I'm staying. Met the guardian, he duly gave me the key to my chamber where after a long flight next to a Texan (off to the oil fields), no water was left for me and no hello or welcome either! (something like: over here is the toilet, would have been nice! I eventually found my way around). So austere and hot would be how I would classify my first night, already dreaming of fresh green grass, trees and mountains...!

It's 4.30am, fairly fresh, calm and piece is upon me...when suddenly I hear a rather noisy chap...

"ALLAHHHH WAKBAAA, ALLAHHH WAKBAAA!!!" ummm, what is that noise? so exotic, who is the maestro singing in my ears? "ALLAH WAKBAA!! ah yes, I finally have the pleasure of meeting the God Wakba!...providentially, I have my ear plugs! (they serve me every night also against the dog's, we have three). So as we get to dawn, the crack of dawn, the bells start to ring! It's 5:30! We have a chap called Dieudonné (God given) who is the "sacristain" who looks after pretty much everything outside and in the church. Very hard working and always on hand! Following the bells, we have the rooster who just in case one wasn't awake, well, wake's you up with cockaduladoo or cocoricoo in a proud fashion, that is, for the French). We have eaten him since then :)

After mass which is at 6am, I finally met the priest of the parish. Fr Benjamin looks like a village chief with scars over his face from his initiation,  but after a difficult start he's turning out to be very nice. I then had the pleasure of discovering where we eat and the kitchen....There are rats in the cooker...BUT we have a kitten! Just need to be patient now and wait 6 months before he is able to come to some satisfying conclusion! I spent my first two Sunday's cleaning :(

To sum up the situation, there is Fr Benjamin, his vicar and me. The cook and the cleaning man (sort of old boy). Three dogs who stop me from sleeping at night :( They have local meetings at night (it's Disney round here)  and converse in a loud manner and a cat to eat the rat. Priests over here drive around in 4x4 and motor bikes. I move around on a moped, very classy! Some think I'm Chinese...(not sure if that's good or bad)

The job: So what am I up to around these parts you may ask? I'm here with an NGO called "la DCC" (catholic delegation for cooperation) on a voluntary project.  I will be teaching French, English, philosophy and helping out with history/geo. Also some prayer time with the kids called: "The Hour of God". The centre is called "The Emmanuel Centre"(God with us), its 20 years old and has a decent library which is amazing around here. It's open to all creeds. Sister Monique Godde is from the St François Xavier Apostolique congregation founded by Madeleine Danielou. She has to her CV 17 years of Ivory Coast and 25 years of Chad, needless to say, she's an expert. We are celebrating her jubilee this year.

Social life: Yes, there is a social life here! The Centre Culturel Français au Tchad, funded by the French embassy, is a place where concert's, debates and shows go on. It also has a library and some DVD's. When I first arrived, we went over there for an evening celebrating and debating with local artists. Amongst the dignitaries was the French and German ambassadors, cultural minister, French colonel, famous artists from the area (singers, actors etc). It's a small world around here. One can meet easily the elites: Church, State, army, UN, building people (Vinci, Bouygues). The French army as 1200 soldiers (les Eperviers), an airfield - les mirages patrol every morning. The Americans are here as well with an embassy and some marines.

The city is divided into three parts: the power (president, admin, army), Muslim quarter for the north, Christians down south. N'Djamena is built along the Chari, the main river which goes into the lake Chad. There is a grand mosque with the market around it, a cathedral under reconstruction. The roads are pretty good (there is petrol). 

So far it's been at times difficult, especially with the illness and the dirt. But when well it's ok. I'm looking forward to seeing some countryside! 

I'm in good company, there are others working here for my NGO and we have a house where we can regroup. There are others who are working for a hospital, the UN and the French embassy so it's interesting. I met the Vatican's ambassador's secretary. He's just been living three years in Strasbourg so we have something in common! There is a girl from Pierrefonds! another from Obernai! and there is a French patisserie :)

I hope all is well for you all. Send me some news, I have decent internet. Many thanks for your thoughts and prayers who have been much needed. Today is the feast of St Francis, may he be an inspiration to you all.

God bless,  Francis