I hesitated to publish these details, as all is better now, so don't be too alarmed as you read this account.
At about 2:50am on the morning of Jan 22, noises were heard outside of our bedroom. Believed to be outside the house and those of the guard, I suggested that we ignore it. A few moments later I thought to investigate. Going to our bedroom door and peering through a crack I saw several shadowy figures with flashlights in the adjoining room. At that time panic set in. It was about 3:00am, and they had already managed to compromise our front door to gain access into the house. I made a noise to let them know that we were not asleep but awake and aware. The response was "Give us your money or we will kill you" (being white, the normal assumption is that we have money).
Kaye and I tried to make a hasty phone call to the guard company contact that we had been given, but were not able to make a connection (phone off??). At that time a forcible entry into our bedroom was being attempted and we tried to push back and to keep the door closed. I asked Kaye to hand me a hoe that was in the nearby closet.
When entry was made, I swung the hoe and believed to have stuck at least one of the perpetrators. Continued swinging and screaming forced them out of the house and back into the carport area. The aggression then turned to them throwing bricks through every window in an attempt to hit me. Failing that, due to my agility, one of them jammed a long wooden board through the door and hit me in the head. Upon seeing blood, I called it quits, retired into the bathroom and layed on the floor.
They then proceeded into the bedroom asking Kaye for money and rummaging through our belongings. During the ordeal, one of them slapped Kaye on the face responding to her continued denial that we had any money.
In the end, they got what they wanted and left. It was then that we looked outside and saw that they had tied up the two night guards that we had, so we cut them free. The guards' keys had been taken, along with their cell phones, so they had no way to call for help or to even open the gate to go out and seek help. They were finally persuaded to scale the wall, go to a neighbor's house and ask for help from other fellow guards. It was about 2 hours before any real help arrived.
Once at the house, the guard company assisted us to the hospital and police station to get help and to file the reports. The invaders had climbed over the back wall and made their escape the same way. We had had a work crew rebuilding the back brick wall for about two weeks, a week or so before this, so the workers are some of the prime suspects.
Stolen were each of our computers, our cell phones, an iPod, our mattress, clothing and shoes, two backpacks (sorry, Ryan), a billfold (w/credit cards) and bank checks, batteries, a watch, reading glasses, a fan, a camera, and a little cash lying around. We are still trying to assess all of the missing items in order to properly represent the value for, hopefully, compensation by the guard company.
After the reports were filed and medical attention given, the Peace Corps thought it necessary for us to be transported to Lilongwe (the PC Headquarters) for R&R, which we obliged. Actually staying with the PC Country Director at his house was a very nice experience. His wife was out of town so I think he enjoyed a little company.
We are in the process of resettling into a servants/guest house located in the backyard of very good friends of ours that we had met through our church in Blantyre. It will be a wonderful respite for us, and we will be immediately next to friends and people with who we can communicate, if ever needed. Our old place was within 9ft high bricked walls and no one would have even been able to hear anything. In addition, it was a distance from the city and fairly isolated. The new arrangement will be significantly better. Plus they have dogs which all Malawians greatly fear!
We have now traveled back to Blantyre, made some minor security improvements to the new house to meet the PC standards, and have unpacked and resettled. It is about a 15 minute shorter walk for me to work, and also for Kaye.
In hindsight, our old house had been compromised once in November when intruders entered another part of the house and stole about 9 mattresses, wall outlets, and many of the interior door knobs. At that time, it was decided to change security companies, which was done, and to add additional padlocks to the exterior doors, which was done. It is not too difficult to break the locks! All standard security precautions were in place. We should have started looking for other accommodations then.
As stated, we are now believed to be fine, and in better spirits every day. Keep us in your prayers, and remember that there are bad people everywhere.
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
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