A friend just reminded me that I have not written since May! I knew it had been a while but not that long. Thanks for the reminder, Shannon.
Life has its seasons and we don't always know the reason for each season. We have had a long season of waiting and wondering. We have been here almost 7 1/2 months and feel like we have accomplished very little and this from people who know that things move slowly here! Maybe this time was for Lynn and I to get used to spending all out time together! HA :) It has also been a time of turning to God and learning to be patient.
I have started going to the church offices a couple of times a week but often it is just to say hi and find there is nothing to do so I return home. I like getting out and even if there is no work I have the chance to visit with the men and that is important too. But things do change and I want to tell you about some of that.
In June Lynn and went to Kenya again for R&R. The day we flew in a co-worker was to fly out on that same plane and we had thought how cool if we saw each other at the airport. She was returning to Juba from her R&R. When we arrived at the airport and went in and had just started to fill out our immigration papers when a lady from the airline approached me and asked if I was Lynn ( here anyone with the name Lynn is a woman ) and it startled me and I said no that that was my husband and took her to Lynn. She said that there was someone who wanted to give us something on the other side of the wall. What?? We asked for more explanation and figured out it was our co-worker and then she told us the person was hurt. So, without filling out paper work they took us to the departure lounge which was just on the other side of the wall from us, and there was our co-worker sitting in a chair with her ankle wrapped up. She had fallen and was not sure if it was broken or if she should go on to Juba. Lynn told her that she should not go to Juba and instead go back into the city with us and get it x-rayed. This was all on the 14th of June. We took her to the ER ( called Casualty here ) and found her ankle was broken in 2 places and would require surgery! Surgery was on the 17th and on the 28th she flew to the States for recovery. She lives on the 3rd floor of our building and there is no elevator and she did not seem to want to be hauled up and down by rope:) Our 2 weeks in Nairobi we spent caring for her and taking care of insurance things for her and we were so thankful that we were able to give her a helping hand. Now, you could say it was coincidence that we were at the airport when this happened but we know this was in Gods plan. Mind you, the 2 times we have gone to Kenya for R&R someone has been admitted to the hospital and so I think we should not go back there! :)
With this co-worker in the States for a while we are trying to pick up some of her work, like doing logistics things for her. Then we found out that the money has come through for 2 schools so that will keep Lynn busy. Our season of waiting seems to be coming to an end.
Life in Juba continues much the same for us. It is such a "hardship" to HAVE to eat Ethiopian food several times a week. (Sorry Russel and Dana, just had to say it) Prices have gone up on a lot of things but so far we have still been able to get whatever we need, well except that I "need" more chocolate than I can find! Oh, one reason to go back to Kenya is I had the best chocolate milkshake I have ever had and it was that good the 3 or 4 times I had one:)
There continues to be heavy fighting north or us and so many places where Aid organizations have had to pull out of. In one town the hospital was targeted. We feel a little more tension in Juba but so far it has been ok to keep doing what we do. I even go walking at 6:30 in the morning and feel safe. The on going war does affect people negatively even though the fighting isn't in Juba. People ( including us) have difficulty making long term plans for fear that whatever they're planning and investing their time in will be destroyed at a later time. The local currency is also being devalued at a steady rate. Imagine that the sugar you bought 6 months ago has doubled or tripled in price but your wages have stayed the same. Many things including food are imported which means businesses must have a way of getting hard currency to buy these goods in neighboring countries. The only real source of hard currency for South Sudan is the oil they sell from the Northern part of the country. That's where the fighting is taking place and thus oil production is affected negatively. Needless to say this makes people unhappy with their government ! Pray for peace for those who are affected here in many direct and indirect ways.
Oh, I almost forgot to tell you about another really neat things that happened! I had a call from one of our co-workers giving me a phone number for someone here in Juba who was supposed to be a relative. What in the world? I don't have relatives here! I called the number and this lady answers and I say who I am and then tell her I have no idea who I am talking to. She laughs and says her name is Sara Sawylka. Yes I recognized that last name but was not real sure of the connection. She had been at a meeting where the moderator of our church was a speaker and after the meeting she asked him if he knew the name Robb McLaughlin and he said " yes, and did you know his daughter is here in Juba?" So, numbers were exchanged and we met up for supper and she lives about a 5 minute walk from us. It is truly a small world. She is a second cousin once removed. Tim, I think we share a great grandfather?
So, all in all, we continue doing what we do - wait. It makes being away from everyone even harder but we still know we are where we are supposed to be. Hearing from so many of you keeps us feeling connected. It is hard to believe that we will be back in the States in less than a year so while we are waiting the time has been going quickly.
