So I was in a car accident...in Africa!

I'll start by saying that I am okay and so is everyone else involved.  We are very thankful that it wasn't worse on so many levels.  The breakdown: I (yes, I was driving) was turning and focusing on not hitting all the pedestrians on the side of the road when a pick up truck, driving too fast, came over a blind hill and smashed into the car.  Neither me, nor my passenger, ever saw the vehicle, and didn't know there was a problem until we had been hit.  It all happened pretty fast and the sequence of events don't seem to make any sense in our heads; like not hearing the screeching of tires or people screaming on the side of the road until after we were hit.

Luckily, we were just outside of the ABC campus, so many of the people there that helped were people we knew.  This is a really good thing as often people and cars are looted after an accident.  About 50 people were on the scene within two minutes.  Calling the police is just about useless, so someone had to go find them.  Strangely, the policeman was found in a bar (kind of like a donut shop, I suppose). I didn't ask a lot of questions on that one. 

No one was seriously injured, mostly just sore after being jolted around.  The most serious injury was when a looky-loo tried to help move the car out of the road and cut his finger.  He ended up getting stitches in the clinic.  I havechemical burns on my face from the airbags.  I try to think of the burns as a chemical peel about to reveal younger, softer, smoother skin.  Truthfully, I am surprised that a car from the early 90s had working airbags, but it was a Toyota so...

The next day I had to go to the police station to give my report and pay a $13 fine.  I would have to say that was one of the most efficient things I've done while here in Malawi time wise.  We figured it would take us all morning but it only took 45 minutes.  Sometimes I am surprised that anyone is in a hurry.  The paperwork consisted of writing down the events on a blank piece of paper.  It wasn't very high-tech or involved.   FYI, the police station looked like what you would expect it to in Africa (small, rundown, and bare).  Would have loved to take a picture but I didn't want to up the price of my fine.

Even with the somewhat discouraging event of a car accident, I still want to be here and feel that I should be here.  Keep me in your prayers.  Safety and good health can't be under emphasized.



Click here to see more pics.