Pakistan Day 2

Depart for Peshawar at 6am. 3 hour drive, past Indus river. First glimpse of rural Pakistan – horse-carts, markets, etc.


Drop off Siva (CREST full-time worker) at Peshawar Mission Hospital. Siva will do logistics coordinating work for Peshawar-Balakot operations. Dr. David – UNICEF worker and Paediatrician tells us Balakot is overloaded with doctors, patients are few, clinical work lacking. Good idea for us to go to Bannu where the hardcore poor are and hospital in great need of help.


Bannu is 80km from the Afghan border, populated by some 3 million, mostly Pashtun tribes. Hardcore poor. Severely neglected, marginalized peoples.

Faith, Joan & I proceed to Bannu in another car. Drove across the Northwest Frontier Province, through the China-Pakistan Kohat Friendship Tunnel to Bannu. Another 3hr drive, through rocky mountains, ravines, and arid, pebbly roads. Drove past a township (?name) where illegal arms/ammunition is manufactured.



Car breaks down in the middle of nowhere – ran out of petrol. Stranded for a half hour while driver hitched a ride in a truck to get more diesel. Kept getting questioned by passer-bys but once people are told we are headed for Mission Hospital, no more questions asked.

Arrived in Pennel Christian Memorial Hospital, Bannnu – to be welcome by some other foreign mission workers and Dr. Reginald (director of hospital) himself. More about hospital later.


To our joy – we have private rooms, hot water, and super meals every day.

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