Many people have asked what type of 4x4 vehicle the school needs. We have been investigating all of our options and have finally come to a conclusion. The school would be best benefited by having a Toyota Landcruiser 70 series. This is a vehicle that is only sold in Africa and Australia. It is called the "work horse" of vehicles in Africa, and is built to endure the incredibly rough roads and conditions like those in Macha. It seats 13 people and has fold-up seats in the back so that it can easily be used for transporting supplies.
Ideally we could find a deal on a 2-4 year old vehicle. We looked at importing a used one and found that it would cost about $30-32,000 after taxes and import fees.
We have found a Toyota dealer that sells these vehicles to Not-For-Profit organizations in Africa for about $35,000 (NEW). This is a hefty price tag, but considering the sticker price is $10-15,000 above this and it would be a new vehicle, we think this would be the best option. Reliability and Durability are the keys to getting the most out of this vehicle. The closest mechanic is 2.5 hours away (on the bumpiest dirt road you have ever traveled), and that is not even a real mechanic...you have to go 6 hours to get to the real garage! That means that the only work that we want done on this vehicle is preventive maintenance...no break downs!
Whew! I am sure you are bored to death by these details, but I just wanted to let all of you who are so generously helping the children of Macha and MICS what the exact plans are.
Below is a video that gives plenty of details on the LandCruiser 70 series (click on the image to start the video)
Last week a cargo container from the US arrived. The main item in the container was a giant playground set for the school (similar to McDonald playground). In addition to that, many boxes of clothes and school supplies were packed around the playground set. One of the boxes contained about 75 pairs of shoes. These shoes had been collected by a teen age girl in Virgina. She heard about the school and wanted to help the children.
Many of these children have so little. You would not believe how many of these kids have only one pair of shoes...and it that one pair is several years old. their poor toes are jammed up tight into the shoes.
It is amazing to me how many people from so many different places are willing to get involved and help with MICS!
I had the privilege of being able to help hand out the shoes to the kids at MICS. One of the boys had wanted a pair of running shoes, so I was able to find him a pair that fit. Now he will be able to run with me!
This weekend a neighboring village had a harvest festival. I decided to check it out. There were people everywhere! Running through the village center in my Pajamas created quite a commotion.
I guess I kinda stood out!
The people were very friendly and excited to have their picture taken with the Pajama Guy.
The chief of this village is a big supporter of MICS. He is interested in the possibility of bringing the same level or education to his village.
Today at lunch time, the children wanted run with me. So I ran a few laps around the school yard with them. They are excited about the pajama idea and think it is really fun. Here are a couple of pictures of the children at the new school campus.
I arrived in Macha, Zambia this morning. It took almost 48 hours to get here. My parents were waiting for Austin (my cousin) and myself at the landing strip (literally just a dirt pathway!)
I found out that the "Macha Olympics" were this week and they were having a special 7k run this afternoon.
Of course, the American guy in Pajamas had to run in the race!
I got beat by a bunch of little kids! Man, are they fast...even without shoes!!
Elevation, hills and lack of sleep all slowed me down, but even without those factors...I don't think I could have even come close to winning!
Anyway, it was an excellent welcome to the village and I had a great time on my first Macha run (the first of many!)
I am leaving for Africa today. It will take me about two days to get to Zambia and then another day to get to the village of Macha. Please pray for a safe trip!
I am excited about the trip and all the things ahead. I will be posting pictures and stories as time goes on, so be sure to check back for updates!
It has been a very busy week. Between taking my board exam and running, I haven't had too much extra time!
Today Darla and I ran the Nike+ Human Race. It was a 10K (6.25 miles) race that started and ended at Soldier Field. They also held the same race in 25 cities around the world...with a total of over half a million people!
Just in time for the race, a new set of pajamas arrived from SnoreStop. I definitely stood out in the crowd with my all white pajamas in a sea of red Nike tshirts!
I have a confession to make...I was beat by a girl! Yes, thats right. Darla beat my time by 2 whole seconds! She did an amazing job. This was her first time ever running more than 5 miles, and she did the whole race without walking at all!
My good friend Dan was our official photographer and support crew. It is always great to have someone cheering for you at the finish line. Thanks Dan!
