Monday, November 17, 2008

Update

Thanks everyone for your kind messages. Jorge and his friends are doing OK. They will be back today, accessorized with bandages, neck braces, and the lot, but home safe and sound nonetheless.

My friend Cassandra's office sent a car to collect them. I had their location wrong earlier - they were 9 hours from the Malawi border, so they have been traveling back since yesterday.

Jorge sounded pretty exhausted and drained over the weekend, but when I spoke to him last night, he seemed to be getting back to his usual pain-in-the-neck self (lucky me.)

They experienced the best and worst of human nature through this ordeal. The worst was that people started stealing from them the minute the car stopped moving, even as they were lying there hurt. I would wish pain and suffering upon these thieves, but then I remember it's rural Africa - they've probably already had more than their fair share.

But they were also shown great kindness. People gave them rides, took them to the hospital, took them into their home. A pastor came and spent the day with them, helping them to navigate the process of getting the car towed and reported. It turned out that the organization I work for has an office in Nampula, so they helped Jorge and his friends get good care at a private clinic - that seemed to have helped them out a lot. And I'm not sure how, but Jorge says they were able to recover most of the stolen goods.

So for now the tally sheet seems to still have humankind in the good column, not evil.

7 comments:

ghkcole said...

gwyneth,
oh, wow. i miss a week of your blog and i miss a lot. i am so sorry for all you have been through; i know you must have been worried sick. i eagerly await your post about everyone being back and doing ok. my stupid rss for some reason will no longer show me your blog, so i will just remember to go straight to it.

you are not gong to live in Africa forever, right? sorry, i know you probably hate when people say that....

Brandi said...

oh my goodness... I missed your first post about this. I'm so glad that everyone is home safe. I hope that your injured friends have a quick recovery.

Shannon said...

I'm glad their on the mend and closer to home. I know you're looking forward to giving Jorge a huge hug!

Anonymous said...

With you so far away I find I automatically say a prayer whenever I think of you - glad that it is so rarely needed for things like this and that humankind closer to you is indeed trumping in the positive sense in this instance. Hugs and best wishes to your family and friends.

Anonymous said...

As always, the people at church joined in our prayers for you all. We're so glad that everyone is home safely and that good triumphed over bad. Love to you all.

Anonymous said...

No, I'm not Annie Mouse, I'm Joan!

Anonymous said...

So glad that everyone seems to be okay and getting home. But, on the bright side, maybe Jorge learned his lesson and won't cry wolf anymore.