We have just had 3 weeks of having people visiting here in Juba. These were all mission folks doing work but also visiting with us. It was fun to have visitors here but sure made me wish for a nice big kitchen so I could cook for them. Poor Jim had to eat baked oatmeal for breakfast every morning and  then eat out the other meals, well, except for pancakes for supper one night and smoothies another night. I can't believe I really do miss cooking - at least a little:) Makes me wonder, when we are back in the States next year if I will cook? Hmm, maybe I will let Dana cook for me!

It really was nice to have things going on and to learn more about places around Juba. We had our share of all day meetings and long talks about missions and South Sudan. Wonder what we will do with all the "wisdom" ?

Lynn is hoping to go to the village of Pochalla next week. He will probably be gone for a week. He will fly in on a UN flight and if he has to use the Un flight to come back out he will be gone for a week as they only fly in there on Wednesdays. I will not go with him since I do not have a travel budget and I am ok with that. It will be strange to be here by myself but then that means I can party with my co-workers!! HA! This place that he is going to is on the border to Ethiopia and right on a river. Lynn was there in January and says it is a nice quiet village and that he wants to live there. That would be ok with me except there is no phone or internet service:( Not sure I could handle not being able to keep up with the family.

To those of you who have asked about our days and what we do, here are some examples. Today, Lynn has spent a couple of hours trying to make flight bookings for our trip to Kenya and he has not succeeded yet! He has also spent hours doing computer work for PCUSA and this is the guy who does not like desk work.  With the fuel shortage buses are hard to get so the other day we waited 45 minutes for a bus then I went back home and Lynn took a motorcycle taxi which I refuse to ride. Today I spent most of the morning making a meal and cleaning up after myself in our tiny kitchen, oh, and washing some clothes by hand. Last Wednesday I went to the office for a short meeting with the treasurer and spent 3 1/2 hours there and did not have my meeting. Mind you, I did have a great time with the two ladies in the women's department and had tea and bread with them:) Relationship building at its finest. It is crazy how we can spend so much time not getting things done and yet feel like we have accomplished so much. It is a good thing that we both like the slow pace and drinking tea!

We are still looking at being in the States next spring but don't have dates set yet. We are thinking that we will be there by May and even with that i am worried about how cold it will seem to us. Guess we will have to have someone bring winter coats to the airport for us. :)

I know many of you are worried about the situation here and want to know if we are safe. We are safe for the most part. There is a lot more petty crime but there are also more shootings. We are ok here in the city during the day and we just don't go out at night unless we are using a taxi. There are supposed to be some changes taking place in the next month and we will see how all that works out. I don't like seeing all the soldiers and their guns riding around in open vehicles but that is part of life here. I still walk back from the office to the apartment and feel ok doing so.

In a groove - NOT!

Just when I thought things were settling down and maybe, just maybe, we were on an upswing, life throws us another curve ball.

We found out last week that the banks are either not giving out any US dollars or are only giving out a few hundred dollars to the first number of people in line. This is a real blow for the church. Many things we could pay for in dollars and get a better price but now we cannot do that so things will cost 3-4 times more money. This will not stop the work but may change how we some things. We will be fine, personally and the church will keep on keeping on but the people on the street, the average person.....oh,my. Most people are paid in local currency but the majority of food stuffs are imported (even rice and beans) and with the dollar crisis the prices are going up but not wages. I cannot even begin to imagine how people will make ends meet.

Then there is the fuel shortage. Last week we figured a gallon of fuel cost about $21 - road trip anyone????? On the plus side with this is that there are not as many cars on the road so it is easier to cross the street:) Taxi prices have doubled, food is still going up but the good news is that we can still afford the a taxi and can still find food:)

Now, I realize that as I am writing this that it all sounds like negative things and while it is not all rosy it is really not all that bad here. Hot? yes, rain? yes, stress and tension? yes. There are also smiles, laughter, hope and relationships that are building. I am learning (still!) that I have to just put my trust in God even when things may not look to bright. God has brought me here and I need to fulfill His purpose for me here.

As we were talking to the church people about the money situation here I was taken back, at first, by their laughter and "oh well" attitude but then I realized, they have been through this so many times that they have learned to just go with the flow, a lesson I need to learn:)

Lynn is hoping to go to a town called Pibor on the 6th but there has been so much rain that we are not sure the plane will be able to go because it will not be able to land on the dirt airstrip. This will just be a 3 day trip to go along with a co-worker to check out some water well possibilities. He gets to stay in a tent! hehehe:) No, I am not going!

So, I have to say that even with all that is happening here, I feel more at peace and at home here than I did a month ago and it is a really good feeling. So, maybe we are on an upswing. I am ever so thankful that God knows where all the pieces of the puzzle go and I just have to be willing to be placed by His hand.