Church, Work and Life

Today we went to church with Manwella.

     Manwella is the head house keeper in our apartment building and goes about her work singing praise songs and laughing all day. She has been a real blessing to us by also teaching us Arabic once a week. She attends a very, well lets just say, lively church:) Lots of dancing and very loud preaching! We arrived ten minutes late because of not understanding the directions given us ( our fault, she gave good directions) and 3 hours later we left with the service still going on. It had to be well over 100 degrees in the building and there were some fans but we did not get the benefit of them. I am so glad we went but am not sure if we will go again.

Lynn's dresser/desk/ironing board/storage area is       

                                                                          being put to good use these days! He is glad to have a congregation to be working with and they are really anxious to get a school built. It takes him about 40 minutes to get from our bus stop to the one near the church and then about a 10 minute walk to the church. He has taken the Boda Boda (motorcycle taxi) to the church but these drivers are kind of crazy and it is not the safest way to travel so I think(hope) he will use the bus from now on. He even went and bought himself a "briefcase" to carry his papers, measuring tape, bottle of water and calculator in so he looks kind of official now:)

You know, we work really hard long days (?!) so we have to stop and have tea when ever we can:) This place has now become on of my favorite places for tea because I can get toast here! I can't make toast at home and we don't eat out for breakfast so this was my first toast in South Sudan and this was just this month(Aug.)! This place is right across from the church office so when Lynn goes with me we stop over here before trying to get a bus back home. 

It is really hard to believe that we have been here for 9 months now! The time has gone really fast and now that we are a little busier I think the time will go even faster. I feel like we are getting settled and starting to feel like there is a reason for our being here:) We have really had to wait on the Lord to show us what He wanted of us and since I am such a patient person that was really easy for me! That should get some comments:) I keep reflecting on how we do not know God's plan for us but that if we step out in faith He will lead. I look at the conditions of people here and am amazed at how they sing and dance to the Lord - I have much to learn from the people of South Sudan.

Juba is a really interesting mix of people. There are a lot of people here from Ethiopia, Eritrea, Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania. These people have all come here to work because they can make a pretty good living for a few years and then go home. The Ethiopians and Eritreans stay longer and are the ones building hotels. You can go to the market and here almost as much Swahili and English as Arabic. The taxi drivers tend to be Kenyan so we speak Swahili to them but in the market it is a mix of Arabic and English. 

Lynn and I have been walking every morning (for exercise not to be romantic - Kaye!). This used to be a quiet time for me, a time to pray and think and now I still pray and think but I also have a new way to connect with my husband:) I would never have thought we would be walking together like this!! You know, after having him on the road driving truck for something like 18 years, we have had to learn how to be together 24/7 and we are learning that old (dogs) folks can learn new ways of living. 

Hopefully the next blog will have some pictures of the school construction!

Rain and more rain

I think I better get another entry done or I will be in trouble again for going so long:)

We have been having rain almost every day and while that does bring the temps down to the mid 80's, the humidity is almost 100% and it is worse than Ohio in August! When we (yes, we! Lynn has started walking with me) go walking in the morning the air may be cool but after a few minutes we are sweating like crazy and breathing is hard in the humidity. The mosquitos are REALLY bad right now but since they like Lynn and not me I am not bothered:) I know, not very nice of me is it. We are trying all kinds of sprays and natural traps and not much is working so we may have to give in and buy a mosquito net:( We have liked not having one but with Lynn being bothered every night and even in the evenings we may have to to avoid him getting malaria. The hospitals and clinics are full right now with people with malaria and typhoid. This is normal for this time of year.

I was so proud of myself - I started my own sourdough starter and baked with it but Lynn and I decided that for out here it is just easier to make regular bread. The process is just to long to do here when we have no idea what we will be doing from day to day.

Lynn has been working on plans for schools of different sizes and getting prices for things. I went along with him on one of the price shopping trips and it was fun. We were talking in 3 different languages, Arabic, Swahili and English, and everyone was getting a laugh out of our attempts in Arabic. Lynn is doing pretty good anymore and I, well, I am not doing as well. I do understand but am afraid to try and say anything. Anyway, the lumber places always have guys who are willing to talk with you and help you understand and there is lots of laughing. If Lynn does not understand something that was said I tell them that he is old and cannot hear and I say it in Arabic which really makes them laugh.

I have been going to the office about twice a week and it has been good. The Moderator and the Treasurer are really nice men and we have lots of laughter and good conversations. We do get some work done too!! I usually ride the bus to the office and then walk home (30-40 min). It would work better to walk down and ride back but it is really hard to get a bus back and I don't want to walk both ways - I am NOT that ambitious:)

The General Secretary for the Presbyterian Church of South Sudan is in Khartoum waiting to have back surgery so if you could keep him in your prayers we would appreciate it. He has to wait until he has the funds to have the surgery so we are not sure when it will happen. This makes things interesting in the office since he did a lot of the letter writing and signing of papers but so far the men in the office are making it work.

We are hoping to go to a school site this week and talk with the people there about what they want and let them know what we can do so maybe next entry will have some pictures of that place. It feels so good to actually have something to do!

I can't believe we have been here for 8 months already and that we are looking at the calendar to start planning our trip home next year.