David’s Triumph: the Truck of Life defies extreme terrain to reach Laindatang, East Sumba
A determined journey through perilous landscapes to deliver care, supplies, and life-saving support
Transporting our own drilling machine, weighing approximately six tonnes, to terrain that is not easily accessible even for the #TruckofLife, showcases the team’s exceptional determination and adaptability.
As you know, access to Laindatang is strictly impossible. It’s already challenging for the Truck of Life and dirt bikes. But for trucks, it’s extreme, and all conditions must be just right for it to happen.
For over a week, we had been repairing roads with the villagers to make them safer! It was another colossal task we tackled together with the villagers, using only steel crowbars as tools.
Around 4 p.m., when it hadn’t rained much, or just a little in the morning, we learned that the trucks were leaving Waingapu and attempting to reach the village of Laindatang. So, we hurriedly set out around 4 o’clock with the Truck of Life, as we had to be the first to cover the 8 kilometres of narrow paths to get ahead of the trucks. Ayu, Alex, and Primus were on the mission. Ayu accompanied me in the Truck of Life, while Primus rode the foundation’s dirt bike. And then, we waited for the trucks…
The trucks arrived slowly because these 8 kilometres are truly extreme. At one point, as the slope became steeper and slipperier, they got stuck, creating intense moments of stress and adrenaline. They couldn’t move forward or turn around; one even had a problem with its brakes, with the handbrake breaking. It was hazardous, and we were terrified because the slope was very steep and tilted, with cliffs; the risks were immense. The ground was white stone, and when it’s wet, it’s like snow, incredibly slippery.
So, the Truck of Life, until 11 p.m., had to tow these trucks in sometimes desperate manoeuvres. These trucks were maybe carrying around twenty tons, I’m not sure. And the Truck of Life, weighing just two tons, with tow ropes capable of withstanding 5 tons of traction, pulled them up the slope, helping them climb. At one point, the towing straps snapped with a sharp, cracking sound like a gunshot.
Fortunately, no one was nearby because it could have been dire. The Truck of Life and Alex repeated this operation three times until midnight. And after hours of immensely intense effort and stress, the three trucks and the Truck of Life finally made it to the various construction sites. We still had to unload the materials with the village members.
For the trucks, it was time to return. Going downhill was less of a problem. Plus, the slippery, very steep paths had dried out relatively, making it easier…
This story is like David against Goliath! Trucks weighing over 15 tons are overloaded compared to a two-ton, four-wheel-drive all-terrain vehicle. It’s also a beautiful lesson in resilience and collective determination to strive for something good.
This program here in Laindatang means a lot to Fair Future and to Alex personally. But it’s even more critical for the over a hundred families and the 78 students aged 6 to 12 who attend the school in Laindatang… A village without water, electricity, sanitation facilities, or access to medical care.
Alex Wettstein – Fair Future Foundation medico-social camp in East Sumba – Rumah Kambera, Lambanapu – TMarch 4th2024.
