The Beginning of the Bridge

Phil and I go way back. Trombone buddies was how it all began, actually. We went to high school together in Kijabe, Kenya and played trombone in our school band and Jazz band. Who knew that ten years later he would volunteer his time to be the head engineer for a bridge that we desperately need in Yabus? The two weeks he just spent with us in early February flew by as we surveyed potential sites, found one, and began putting stakes in the ground to begin digging.

One of our main concerns is that no one has ever seen a bridge like this before. It's a bit like getting on an airplane when you had never seen one before. Not exactly something you think is a good idea. Phil addressed this issue by making a model out of bricks we had lying around, some string, and pieces of bamboo. Hopefully this will help ease people's minds. We'll see.

The plans are drawn, the site picked out, and the Phil is willing to come back when we get approval for the bridge. Please pray with us that this bridge will get approval from the government and be embraced by the community.

Who needs a bridge?

Ganza man taking water from the river


Yabus is divided in half by a river. Here is what each side has to offer:
The Northside has the marketplace, clinic, airstrip, primary school and roads to the northern part of Sudan. It is home to the Bertah, Mabaan, and Uduk tribes.

The Southside has the secondary school, farmland, and roads to the southern part of the country. It is home to the Coma and Ganza tribes.
Unifying these two sides of the river will benefit 60,000 people and further the growth of one of the least developed places on earth.

Boat Crossing

For the uncrossable months, we built a boat that is pulled across the river. A metal cable was stretched across the river and attached to the boat with pulleys. It has a metal frame and is kept afloat by 6 fifty-five gallon drums. The boat is only 8 months old but the Yabus river has taken its toll on it. A flood bent the frame and the barrels are being eaten away by rust. A long term solution has forced us to look at building a bridge. We believe this bridge will offer a safe mode of transportation across the river for the next 30 years!

Flooding of the River

The main problem the people of Yabus face is the flooding of the river which happens during the rain-drenched months of August through December. You can see here in these two pictures the changes the river undergoes during the year. The photo above was taken in December when the river is receeding and crossable by our vehicle. The photo below was taken in September and shows the river at flood stage and totally uncrossable.

Crossing Yabus River

Two men help each other across the Yabus River in December