Robertson Lucas and the Road to Mongu

About the Book

Daisy Bhandari is tired of being a nurse. She is tired of reporting the deaths of children. When the son of her good friends, Alex and Brenda, dies, she begins to investigate why no help is coming from Western aid organizations. With the help of Dr. Tony and Alex, she discovers government records are being falsified to paint a less-than-urgent picture to ward off any international assistance.

Tony and Alex go on a letter writing campaign, seeking help, but their efforts are thwarted as the local representative for the Dutch Embassy strives to keep relief organizations out of Western Zambia. One such letter does reach Robertson Lucas at the Union Aid office in Colorado, U.S.A. Satellite pictures from the State Department confirm there is a desperate need. The United States Government has decided to send 20,000 tonnes of maize for free distribution; however, no Non-Government-Organization wants to get involved.

Lucas agrees to assess the situation and flies to Zambia. Immediately he is met with opposition from corrupt politicians and foreign diplomats who refuse to acknowledge that there is any need at all in Zambia. To protect his own economic interest, the Dutch Embassy’s First Secretary gives orders to eliminate Lucas from the scene so as not upset the development plans he has for the area.

South African mafia figures enter the race to Mongu to protect their interests as well. The illicit economic infrastructure is predicated on making sure no relief enters the country. Bringing 20,000 tonnes of maize into Zambia is enough to warrant murder.

Will Lucas have the time to set up a distribution plan to prevent more children from dying? Can he keep the food out of the hands of local politicians who hope to use it as an election campaign ploy? Will the Dutch be successful in keeping the foreign relief out of the country to protect their own developments?  

“Robertson Lucas and the Road to Mongu” is an intriguing historical fiction about the cutting edge of good versus evil with thousands of lives hanging in the balance.

About the Author

Fred spent five years living in Europe while traveling through out Africa, the Middle East, the former Soviet Union and Eastern Europe managing development and disaster relief projects. War, famine, poverty and natural disaster would often leave people in a destitute situation. Working along with indigenous groups, it was his task to assess the local needs and then match Western resources with those needs while distributing them through the local channels. Fred and his wife, Dita, now live in Alberta along with their four children. He presently runs his own business, assists in coaching high school football while traveling periodically to developing countries with local youth groups to offer support in community development.