Specifications for harsh African conditions:

- preferable Toyota Landcruiser Prado or Mitsubishi Pajero

- in good running condition with less than 120,000 km

- diesel engine is preferred for Africa

A receipt for income tax purposes will be given for appraised value of vehicle.

Contact us today!

This trip to Africa and Europe was much more than a race in the Sahara Desert. It was a tremendous ministry trip for me – meeting so many people in the desert as well as after the Marathon des Sables.

The Marathon des Sables was something else this year.  Much was different and I suppose much went wrong, but also much went right.  Rains, heavy rain would you believe in the Sahara Desert. It rained heavy duty as we (840 runners) were enroute to the southern part of Morocco – riding in 18 buses into the Atlas Mountains, planning to arrive in the Nowhere Sands of the Sahara by late afternoon.  We met up with a raging river crossing the road.  All support vehicles including about 100 jeeps, many army trucks carrying supplies like Berber tents and other crew tents, 44 doctors and medical equipment, tons of water, laptop computers to set up a classroom, big Safari (Dakar-Paris Rally) food trucks, and much more had to go to the first set up camp in the desert.  We waited 3 hours and the 150 meter wide and 40 cm deep river still raged on.   One jeep washed away and who knows where the driver ended up.  Finally after three hours wait, one big truck tried it again. He made, and then the buses tried it. We moved all our luggage up into the passenger area of the bus, and the driver left the luggage doors open, so when he drove through this rushing river, the water could run through the luggage area of the bus as we drove along the water road slowly and in excitement and a little fear.  We made it.

150 runners had made it to the first bivouac Berber tent area, only to find out that it was impossible to sleep there, it was impossible even to walk in this muck. Some tents had washed away and so these runners all had to be rescued out of this area, to be brought to Erfoud, a small city in S. Morocco at the edge of the big Sahara Desert. We all ended up in Erfoud, all 18 buses and all other vehicles.  We were about 1200 people.  Now what?  Where do 1200 people just suddenly check in, in the desert?  We all got booked into various Hotels, lower class Hotels.  It continued to rain, lightning flashing and the thunder was rumbling.   Next day – what now, no one really knew. In the evening we were told the first day was cancelled and we were wondering whether the whole race would be cancelled.   We stayed in this Tafalilet Hotel for three nights, before we could go out to the desert to run.  All things were different than other times of the MdS.  The sad thing was now that many runners got sick from either the salad, food or the water in the rooms. I know I brushed my teeth and that is where I think I got the bacteria.   Some runners got sick before they ever started. For me it was a tough day one due to lack of energy already. The great thing about the first day of running was that it was “dune” day with 20 of the 30 km being huge dunes.

The following night was extremely cold. It was 5 degrees and my sleeping bag was too thin.  I was losing more energy plus I got a terrible case of diarrhea.  I lost more electrolytes and froze. Next morning I was worried and did not know what to do. I had given up mentally already.  I went to see the doctors and they asked if I had a fever – I said no.  Then they said give it a try.  I went out to the start and I was weak. I continued for about 10 -12 km and with every step I got weaker.   I got blurred vision and started to weave out to the left and right and could not stay on the course. I sort of half fell down and then a USA soldier who had fought in Iraq saw me. He asked me how I was doing – “not good” I told him about my vision and so he asked whether he should shoot off my French Military Emergency flare gun.   I said yes – why not.  He seemed enthused to do that until he found out that my flare gun was faulty (had water in it) and so when he pulled the cord, the bottom opened up and about 10-20% shot out at the bottom hitting him in the stomach, injuring and cutting his stomach – burnt a hole in his T-shirt.  The majority of the flare went up and in about 7 minutes two doctors came on a Quad and 2 more doctors came in a jeep from the other direction.  They immediately checked my heart and BP and my blood pressure was very low.   Then they hooked me up to an IV – ran 2 bags into me, transported me to CP 1 where they gave me 2 more bags, and here I began to shake with some “Schuttelfrost”.   Then I was taken to the main camp, where the doctors continued the IV a total of 8 bags, four liters till I could pee again.   They did an ultra sound on my return vein and the computer showed that is was basically flat, indicating serious dehydration.   I was out of the race after 5 hours of treatment in the desert field “hospital”.   Now the initial disappointment hit me.   Feet were repaired as well after this.  I could now go to my Berber tent and rest. My role now changed to one of encouraging my team mates, Walter and Dale. I missed out on the 91 km stretch and the last days run of 42 km.   What a big disappointment.  I wept for 25-20 minutes during the night.  I was recovering now.

The MdS however was not over. Soon I was able to smile again and I became positive.  In fact I had laughed and smiled at the time I was lying in the sand with the IV hooked up, some one told me.

I met some very nice people in the desert. Runners from Australia, Spain and Germany and other countries became friends.  We shared email addresses and the life continued.  Make the best of it.  Continue to promote the good cause of  Water for Life.  How weird that the fund raising project sub title is Turning Sand Into Water – Well, water we had when it rained before we had sand.

The time in Germany was absolutely wonderful. So many new runners’ contacts.  Visiting a runner medical doctor in Wuppertal was so meaningful and wonderful where I stayed two nights.  Then the presentation meetings in Southern Germany were so exciting and well attended.  Over 100 runners and business friends came out to hear my one hour presentation.   Several articles were written in the Germany newspapers about my experiences.  The fund raising project continues.  The friendships continue.

The project is to continue till we raise funds for 3 wells in Benin, Africa.

Albert Martens

In one village where a well had recently been drilled, one woman shared how this water had made a big difference in village life:

“Before we had this well, we had to walk far to get water that was brown and dirty, and sometimes it had dried up completely.  We knew that this water made us sick when we drank it, but we had no choice.  Water from this well is close by, easy to get, and is always clean!  We can be healthy again!”

What a privilege and a joy it was for us to be part of a ceremony in Benin with the Beninese Ambassador to Canada and the Beninese Minister of Water and Energy, celebrating the 100^th well.  One hundred wells means that up to 100 000 people now have close access to fresh, clean water!  On that day, we and the Beninese could say with joy and relief, “Water is Life!”

Water is Life!  Please join us and help bring it to other villages in Benin, Tanzania, and Southern Sudan!

To read more about water wells in Benin, please read the latest report

Albert Martens treks on in blistering heat during a desert marathon

The “Marathon Des Sables” (Marathon of the Sands) is a 7 day, 230 km race through the deep south-Moroccan part of the Sahara desert.  This year, the 24th annual Marathon Des Sables runs from March 26 – April 6, 2009.   In 2008, 801 runners from 32 countries competed.  The physical conditions are extreme and the stress is intense…50 of these amazing athletes dropped out, unable to complete the race.

Marathon Conditions

Ø      Running on sand…no tracks or roads

Ø      Extreme distances, up to 80 km each day

Ø      Huge sand dunes – Day 3 is 15-20 km of dunes, hundreds of metres high, passable only on foot.

Ø      Runners must be self sufficient, carrying food in backpacks during the race.

Ø      9 litres of water per day provided at checkpoints that runners find as they run.

Ø      A compass helps navigate the course, and at day’s end runners sleep in native tents pitched on the sand and stones.

“Mental challenge is crucial & preparation is important-it makes or breaks the race.  Thousands of thoughts go through your mind when you’re in the wilderness, running thru this brutal area.  Sandstorms can be very rough.”

Together, we can help Albert, Dale and Walter turn desert sand into Water for Life!

Water for Life

Today, water-related diseases kill a child every 20 seconds, and are responsible for 80% of all illnesses and deaths in the developing world. (click here to watch the new Water for Life video)

Water…something you and I take for granted, is worth more than money or precious stones. Clean water is health.  Water is Life. And ironically, water can also be a source of death. Diseases, like cholera, dysentery, typhoid fever, and guinea worm parasites plague too many men, women, and children. They spend their days suffering through extreme abdominal cramping, diarrhea, vomiting, fever, and headaches.

However, the provision of clean, un-contaminated drinking water through the drilling of deep-capped water wells can end this cycle of suffering and death!  A village elder was asked what a difference the well had made to his African village:

“My people are no longer weakened by sickness and weary from their daily water excursions. Instead of spending 5 hours a day packing water, children are able to spend more time in school and women are able to spend more time tending their crops and performing other income-producing activities.”

Abundant fresh water gushes from a newly-drilled GAiN water well

Goals

One of our main goals is to raise funds to help people in poverty.  Athletes in Action, partnering with GAiN Canada and compassionate donors, can help transform people’s lives by bringing something as simple as fresh clean water.  GAiN’s Water for Life initiative has already drilled 140 water wells in Africa and up to 140,000 people are drinking pure, clean water! This year we runners want to raise funds to provide 3 water wells through GAiN Canada.  Knowing that these wells will provide water for up to 3,000 people for generations will be incredible motivation for us to endure the difficult conditions.

Is the suffering worth it?

“I think about the blistered feet…we’ll have blistered, bloody feet that will be pushed to the limit.  That’s a little bit of suffering, but it’s so temporary, compared to the suffering of children in Africa.  Such sweet children, through no fault of their own, suffer long term.  Our blisters will heal in 2 or 3 days, but that’s nothing compared to the suffering of sickness that African children endure every day from drinking disease-ridden water.”

Clean water brings health, hope and life!

Join the race!

“Please join us to fund water wells by donating to GAiN Canada.  One well will serve up to 1000 people for generations.  A donation of $13.33 will help underwrite our marathon expenses and provide fresh, clean water for one person for life!  We want to raise funds for 3 wells, bringing fresh water, life, and hope to 3000 people.  With the 3 of us running, compassionate people contributing donations, and GAiN drilling water wells, I’m confident that together we will make a difference in bringing pure, clean water, health, hope and life to African children!”

Please click here to join Albert, Dale and Walter in the race to bring fresh water, life, and hope!

Malungo, in the coastal Linde region, is one of the first villages in Tanzania where GAiN drilled a water well. Recently a visiting Canadian drilling team spent a few days in Malungo with our local GAiN drilling team, supplementing their drilling technique training. The visiting team drove to Malungo with Isack, our project manager. Several kilometers from the village, they began to see women with buckets making their way to the village. When Isack told the Canadians that these women were walking to Malungo just to get water from the newly drilled well, they didn’t believe them right away. As the truck came nearer to the village, the numbers of women increased, and once in the village, these numbers formed a lineup to the new water well pump. Now convinced, the Canadian team really took note that this well was a “going concern”, bringing life-giving water to dozens of families. What impacted the team even more, though, was the fact that over the several days that they spent in Malungo, the lineup was always there – a steady stream of women flowed through, counting it worth the walking for hours and the time waiting in line, in order to have pure, fresh water for their families. To get an even larger scope of the difference this is making to this area, Isack confirms that people from 8 surrounding villages are now coming to Malungo to get their water!

Village of Adjagbo

Adjagbo is a village at about 25 km from the capital of Benin, Cotonou. GAiN drilled a well there in July 2007.

“We are so happy that we can’t thank Global Aid Network enough. Our village is big and we are numerous in it but we did not have clean water to drink. We use to take water from a hand-dug well. The water is contaminated and makes us sick. This dirty water could not even cover the needs of the whole village. Life was very difficult for us during dry seasons. We are all now very happy for new well. Its water is clean and good to drink. One more time, we thank Global Aid Network.” Village Chief, Adjabgo

Village of Hahame

Hahame is a village at about 100 km from Cotonou, not far from a lake called Aheme. The lake is salt water and any well drilled in the area usually yields salty water, difficult to drink and very bad for washing with. People usually also become sick after drinking this water. When the GAiN drill team went to the village to drill a well, the people knew that the water quality would never be good. But they were surprised! The well was completed in January 2007, yielding abundant, clean and sweet water. It was unbelievable but true, to the happiness of all the villagers.

Village of Matokou

The problem of lack of water was very crucial in the village of Matokou. The people had been drawing water from ponds and became very sick after drinking it. Even when the Government drilled a well for the village, the well water was red and was still undrinkable. The villagers are very happy today because they still have good drinking water from the GAiN drilled well, completed in December 2006.

Village of Govie

(water well completed in December 2005)

“The water well given to us has helped our villagers very much. We used to go as far as 4 km to fetch water at the stream. Now that we have a well here in the village, everybody is happy to have clean water.” Village Chief, Govie

Village of Guede Codji

The village of Guede Codji was in a serious need of clean water when the GAiN drilling team first visited them. At the time, people were drawing water from a hand-dug well and the water was very dirty. Many times government officials came to the village and promised to drill a water well for them, but it would never happen. So when the GAiN team said the same thing the villagers did not believe them. They said, “We’ve been being told this for a long time already. People used to come and promise us this kind of thing so that we would vote for them, but they never come back after election.” Our team said that they were different people, even though they worked in partnership with the government. “We are Christians and want to share the love of God with people.”

The next time the GAiN team visited the village, they brought the drilling rig. The people were surprised, and then they believed that the GAiN team was different. In November 2005 they completed the water well, and the villagers were very happy.

Village of Adjarra Adovie

Adjarra-Adovie is a village about 35 km from Cotonou. The GAiN team completed the water well there in November 2005.

“We thank Global Aid Network for the well donated to our village. In the past we did not have good drinking water. Our people used to draw water from the lake. It was not clean and made people sick. Today our lives are saved in that we have clean drinking water which doesn’t make us sick.” Resident of Adjarra-Adovie