When we finally heard the news on 27 December that Rigo was out of hospital and back in Sonsoro after the car accident he was involved in (along with Parfait), Lazare suggested we pay him a visit...
So after lunch, we hopped on our bikes and made the trip down the road (about 20km)...
Mummy will be very pleased to know we donned helmets for the occasion - Etienne's longest bike ride yet...
We followed Lazare out of Kandi and then through a small village...
...then overtook him...
...all at a very relaxed pace. Lazare likes to live life in the slow lane and Etienne was happy to keep his speed down too. Mr Sensible and Economical :-)
Lazare then led the way once more as we turned onto the very rough and bumpy dust track...
We encountered one of the huge cotton trucks that are everywhere at the moment - of course it churned up a load of dust... Thanks mate...
We entered the courtyard, not sure as to what state we would find Rigo in...
He was having a bit of a snack while he supervised some boys setting up the drums and sound system for their evening church meeting. (Some people just can't help but work!)
As we talked with him, we found out more about the circumstances of the accident. They had been in a Peugeot 505 estate taxi (with 12 passengers altogether..!!) and Rigo had the 'pleasure' of being in the front passenger seat. They left Kandi at 3am as they were planning to catch a bus in Parakou at 6am to go to Camp Meeting with a bunch of Adventists from Parakou. The taxi was running a little late so he stepped on it... At around 4am, a large lorry with full beam lights appeared on the opposite side of the road, blinding the taxi driver. The next thing they knew, the taxi had smashed straight into a stationary tractor which had been left in the road with no lights on. The taxi driver fled but the passengers were trapped in the car. Someone appeared after a few minutes, reached through the front window, tugged hard on Rigo's clothes and stole a whole wad of money (over $500) that he had been carrying on him to buy some windows and doors for the new church building (at least that's what Etienne thinks he said it was for - Béninese French is not always easy to follow). That guy then ran away, leaving all these injured people trapped in their mashed up taxi. It's just incredible how evil some people can be... Fortunately, a Good Samaritan came by soon after and called an ambulance and everyone was taken to the nearest hospital in Bembereke.
After a few days in hospital, Rigo and Parfait were well enough to leave, but they didn't have any money to pay for the treatment they had received and so the hospital wouldn't release them. (Where's the logic in that? They end up staying longer and incurring more expenses without being able to obtain the money!) Several church members had tried to contact them in the hospital to see if they needed help but their phones didn't seem to be working so they really were on their own. (At least Parfait's ex-fiancee was working in the hospital and was able to get some help for them!!) After a few days, the police showed up and gave Rigo his wallet, which still had a little bit of money in it, so he was able to pay their fees (which were horribly extortionate) and they were finally allowed to go. The NHS seems like a dream compared with the hospital situation here!
Parfait showed us a picture of the taxi after the accident - it's an absolute miracle that Rigo is alive. God sent some mighty angels to protect him as he didn't even break any bones. He just has some scarring around his ear, some back and rib pain and some ankle injuries...
We spent a while sitting and chatting with him, encouraging him to take it easy and ensure that he asks for help when he needs it. We prayed together and then left as their evening programme was about to start. Please pray with us for Rigo and Parfait - that their recovery will be swift and complete and that this will turn out to be a blessing for the Sonsoro group as new people are forced to take more responsibility during Rigo's recovery.
We headed out past the drying laundry...
...and enjoyed a relaxed ride home in the beautiful light of the setting sun...
And then the smell and noise of Kandi destroyed the tranquility!
Safely home just before dark :-)
So after lunch, we hopped on our bikes and made the trip down the road (about 20km)...
Mummy will be very pleased to know we donned helmets for the occasion - Etienne's longest bike ride yet...
We followed Lazare out of Kandi and then through a small village...
...then overtook him...
...all at a very relaxed pace. Lazare likes to live life in the slow lane and Etienne was happy to keep his speed down too. Mr Sensible and Economical :-)
Lazare then led the way once more as we turned onto the very rough and bumpy dust track...
We encountered one of the huge cotton trucks that are everywhere at the moment - of course it churned up a load of dust... Thanks mate...
We entered the courtyard, not sure as to what state we would find Rigo in...
He was having a bit of a snack while he supervised some boys setting up the drums and sound system for their evening church meeting. (Some people just can't help but work!)
As we talked with him, we found out more about the circumstances of the accident. They had been in a Peugeot 505 estate taxi (with 12 passengers altogether..!!) and Rigo had the 'pleasure' of being in the front passenger seat. They left Kandi at 3am as they were planning to catch a bus in Parakou at 6am to go to Camp Meeting with a bunch of Adventists from Parakou. The taxi was running a little late so he stepped on it... At around 4am, a large lorry with full beam lights appeared on the opposite side of the road, blinding the taxi driver. The next thing they knew, the taxi had smashed straight into a stationary tractor which had been left in the road with no lights on. The taxi driver fled but the passengers were trapped in the car. Someone appeared after a few minutes, reached through the front window, tugged hard on Rigo's clothes and stole a whole wad of money (over $500) that he had been carrying on him to buy some windows and doors for the new church building (at least that's what Etienne thinks he said it was for - Béninese French is not always easy to follow). That guy then ran away, leaving all these injured people trapped in their mashed up taxi. It's just incredible how evil some people can be... Fortunately, a Good Samaritan came by soon after and called an ambulance and everyone was taken to the nearest hospital in Bembereke.
After a few days in hospital, Rigo and Parfait were well enough to leave, but they didn't have any money to pay for the treatment they had received and so the hospital wouldn't release them. (Where's the logic in that? They end up staying longer and incurring more expenses without being able to obtain the money!) Several church members had tried to contact them in the hospital to see if they needed help but their phones didn't seem to be working so they really were on their own. (At least Parfait's ex-fiancee was working in the hospital and was able to get some help for them!!) After a few days, the police showed up and gave Rigo his wallet, which still had a little bit of money in it, so he was able to pay their fees (which were horribly extortionate) and they were finally allowed to go. The NHS seems like a dream compared with the hospital situation here!
Parfait showed us a picture of the taxi after the accident - it's an absolute miracle that Rigo is alive. God sent some mighty angels to protect him as he didn't even break any bones. He just has some scarring around his ear, some back and rib pain and some ankle injuries...
We spent a while sitting and chatting with him, encouraging him to take it easy and ensure that he asks for help when he needs it. We prayed together and then left as their evening programme was about to start. Please pray with us for Rigo and Parfait - that their recovery will be swift and complete and that this will turn out to be a blessing for the Sonsoro group as new people are forced to take more responsibility during Rigo's recovery.
We headed out past the drying laundry...
...and enjoyed a relaxed ride home in the beautiful light of the setting sun...
And then the smell and noise of Kandi destroyed the tranquility!
Safely home just before dark :-)
