Road Trip

It was only 260 kilometers—about 150 miles. Back home, it would have been a trip of two and a half hours; but here in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), it was different. VERY different! In fact, this road trip illustrated what an adventure driving can become when road maintenance is neglected for over ten years.

One of the many "adventurous" sections of our road trip!

It all started when I was asked to visit the head office of ACOTBA-SUBO, one of the Congolese agencies handling Bible translation in the country. I had only two ways to get from Bangui, Central African Republic to their office in Gemena, capital of the far northwest province of DRC. The first choice was to wait around for several weeks for the Wycliffe Cameroon JAARS plane, which makes occasional trips to Gemena every couple months. The second was to cross the Ubangi River by dugout canoe, then hop on a chartered Hilux 4x4 truck for a nine-hour drive. Needless to say, I opted for the second choice.

What I didn’t opt for was the most incredible, jaw-jarring, seat-jolting, mind-boggling road trip I’ve ever been on! What is left of this stretch of the international African highway from Cape Town to Casablanca can hardly be called a road anymore. Deep ruts three- to four-feet deep cut across the route everywhere, and regular washouts force detours into the bush. The rainy season makes every single pothole a major mud hole or small lake.

Example of stuck truck--after two days of digging!

Fortunately for me, Luka, the full-time, professional chauffeur of ACOTBA-SUBA was driving the trusty Toyota Hilux; and a true professional he was! Navigating the slippery mud holes and gutted mini-ravines along the way, he quickly proved to me he knew what he was doing. At times, he would even stop in front of a mud hole and discuss with his assistant the best way to traverse. Nevertheless, there were still a number of times I really believed we would not make it and become totally stuck like the dozen or so other vehicles we passed along the way. Can you guess the average time it takes to dig out a vehicle along this road? Two to three days!

If I’ve impressed you so far, perhaps I will impress you further by reporting that I made this trip with Luka not once, but twice within a three-day period. Now that I realize how crazy it was to attempt such a tight schedule, I can only say how grateful I am that no significant incident happened both going and coming back.

Although my new knowledge might change my future travel planning, I can’t say I’m sorry for the experience. First, the time spent consulting with the director of ACOTBA-SUBA (reported in my previous blog post) was really significant and worth every mile. Second, I will always remember these three days as the time when I gained a brand-new perspective and understanding of what it means to be a contemporary Congolese living in a truly broken country. When provincial leaders consistently line their own pockets with the funds designated for road upkeep, it helps one understand why everyone here feels so used and abused. Nothing short of a moral and spiritual revolution that transforms worldviews and mindsets across this entire country will ever bring the kind of change that can make a difference—to roads and everything else.

Which, by the way, is exactly what God teaches throughout Romans 12. Maybe ACOTBA-SUBO’s labors to produce God’s written truth in dozens of local languages will help start that revolution! 

With Luka--a truly professional chauffeur!