FERGY - A Charity Adventure

With this Massey Ferguson 135, on the first day of spring 2005 we will set out from Graz to Afghanistan or Northern Pakistan. At the point of destination the tractor shall be given to people who are in need of. We decided for the Ferguson, because for this vehicle spare parts are available in Pakistan and Iran, and his simple technic allowes repairs on the spot. His maximum speed of 27 km/h, according to the paper of standardization, leaves us hopeful to make 100 kilometers in five to seven hours under optimal conditions and lack of wind, with fully loaded trailer. The trailer, our mobile home, equipped with bed, cooking area, enough room for stowing, window, door and a heating system shall serve us as a home during our journey and afterwards it will become a separate home for a family with child. With Fergy and trailer we want to go from Graz to Triest, on with the ferry to Greece, across Turkey and Iran, there we will make a decision about our further route. Afghanistan or Pakistan?

The idee for this direct charity came mostly from the memory of our trip 2001 to and through Afghanistan, at that time we were on the road with a 27 year old bus, called “Jahmobil”. We got to know land and people, their suffering and needs, saw the poverty. So it was our first thought to bring Fergy with trailer to Afghanistan. There members of the charity organisation World Vision would recive the tractor and use it for a agricultural project and for building new streets. To our regret we were vehemently dissuaded from our plan to go into Afghanistan because of the political situation in the world. “The insecurity in the land never has been that high before. This year more than 100 members of charity projects have already be killed.” (Mail of the charity organisation Adra on 08.07.2004)

So not to endanger ourselves and others, we decided to bring the tractor to Northern Pakistan, in case the political situation in Afghanistan would not stabilize.

There in Gillgit we got to know Kajum, who is helping with his own means poorer people in his neighbourhood.

In addition we also can visit Peshy Pürzel , the young owl, we raised on our last trip.
Insha ‘allah, our way will be decided in Iran. Whether Northern Pakistan or Afghanistan, everywhere people in need wait for help, in the near surroundings or far away, no matter where we are.