I am not one to do a lot of this kind of writing so why am I doing it now? Having just moved to Juba, South Sudan there are lots of people I want to stay in touch with and share this experience with and this seemed the easiest way.
This is a country of that means a lot to me - my parents were missionaries here back in the 50's and early 60's. I lived here the first 4 years of my life and then came back after college and met my husband here. I feel like I am coming full circle to be back here now. I wish my parents could be here to see this new nation - a nation that they had prayed for for many years.

We have been here for two weeks and from day one it felt comfortable and "normal". We have always loved living in Africa - the pace is slow, people are important and God is so real and close here. There is a freedom here, a freedom of the Spirit that I cannot explain. Maybe it is that life is so basic and people believe in good and evil here in a way that we cover over in America. Maybe it is the slow pace that lets us experience God in new ways or maybe it is the fact that things really are out of our control here so we have to rely on God even more. Whatever it is, I have always felt very close to God here.

We are living in a small 1 bedroom apartment that is very much like a motel in that they clean our rooms for us and wash our sheets and towels for us as often as we want. The kitchen is....small! but, we have wifi, air-conditioning and electricity 24/7 so I will deal with a small kitchen. We live right in town and for me that part has been a real adjustment. One of the perks is that in a 2 minute walk we can be at a resutrant that serves Ethiopian food so I will deal with living in the city!:)

Today Lynn and I took a walk down to the Nile river and had cold drinks on a patio. Sitting there, watching the Nile flow by I was struck with how ageless it is and wondered about all the people who have sat along its banks - it makes one feel small. I thought of the early missionaries and how hard it must have been for them. I thought of the Sudanese and how they have lived off the Nile for ages and how this river holds so much potential for this new nation.

We are hoping to learn Juba Arabic while living here and for me it will be a challenge! I find myself wanting to speak in Swahili or maybe a little Amharic - I am not sure this old brain can take any more confusion:) Lynn is better at languages than I am so maybe I will let him learn and I will just send him to do the shopping!

Enough ramblings for a first posting. Please keep us in your prayers and keep the people of South Sudan in your prayers. Pray for peace.