Team blesses Africans with transportation and protein enrichment

PK-22: Saturday

Nanga in training

Today we had the opportunity to conduct training for Nanga and Kevin of ICDI to maintain and operate the backhoe and skid steer.

There are a lot of details to pass on but our goal is for the ICDI staff to continue the work with the equipment after we leave.  As with anything new, it will take them awhile to learn and feel comfortable.

They did a good job and Nanga said he did not want to stop because it was fun feeling powerful to dig and pull things with the big backhoe.  We enjoyed our time with all of the guys helping us.  After our training we continued the work on the arrangement of the shipping containers until it was time to head back for lunch.

This afternoon we did a couple fun things.  The first was to finish the long journey for a very special bicycle that has travelled with us from Ohio.  Rick, with the help of Bill Buckwalter, carried a bike through airport security check points, with the intention of giving the bike to Andre' who is the ICDI cook here in Bangui at the guest house.

Rick presents Andre with bike

So after lunch we put the bike back together and Rick presented Andre' with his bike.  A huge smile came over Andre' and he gave Rick a big hug.  Andre' said that saying thank you was not enough to express his greatfullness to Rick for this wonderful gift.

The next fun thing was to visit a farm which grows a crop called spiralina.  We got to tour the farm and see this production in action.

Bruce Imhoff, who came with me to the CAR last March, invested in this farm and they were excited to show us the dividends of that investment.  They had constructed a larger area for a spiralina pond and have cleared land for two more ponds that they hope to construct with the proceeds from their harvest from their farm.

Dale Imhoff with spirulina farmers

The spiralina has the highest concentration of protein in the world (70%).  This end product can have an awesome impact on the malnurishment probem.  In addition to the spiralina the farm also has fish ponds and banannas trees.  When the farmer found out Dale was Bruce's brother they could not contain their appreciation and did not stop thanking him.  It was great moment!  Thanks Bruce!!

We enjoyed Andre's pizza tonight for supper and we are going out to have some ice cream later

Thanks
Tim

Spirulina pool