Ok, I know that I am getting older - the grey hair, aching joints and forgetfulness won't let me forget it! Yesterday I was reminded again that I am not 25, 35 or even 45.
We went to church with a couple from MCC that are here for 2 weeks and they brought us back to our apartment in their Landrover. Some of you know what those are like to get in and out of. These are the older ones that have the bench seats in the back and no step to help you get in the back. Well, I got in(kind of crawled) ok but getting out proved to be entertaining for everyone on the street! The guard was helping me out by offering me his hand to balance with as I jumped out. As my left foot hit the ground my knee did not like that and the leg collapsed under me causing me to swing around in a circle still holding onto the guards hand and almost puling him down with me as I ended up sitting on the street! The poor guard felt so bad but everyone else on the street got a good laugh out of it and Lynn said I did not stick my landing so points were deducted from my score. Maybe I need to start carrying a step stool with me:)
On top of that our elevator is not working in the building so we are having to walk up the steps to the 4th floor and man did my knee not like that!! Even with all of that we still really like our new place:)
Monday, December 5, 2016
Sunday, November 20, 2016
We moved!
I know it has been a long time since I last wrote:( I was waiting until we made the move so I would have plenty to talk about and pictures to share.
When we returned our old apartment building was on limited power which means limited electricity and internet. The hours kept changing and there did not seem much hope in it getting better so Lynn and I started looking around for a new place. It is not like you can call a realtor or look places up on the internet - you walk around and just stop at places and ask. We saw anything from a a place that all the materials were brought in from Lebanon and was really nice and the same price as our old place BUT it was a place I would have been embarrassed to have my South Sudanese friends come to.Then there was the place that was much cheaper but was even smaller than where we were and had no kitchen to speak of. Lynn was in old Juba town at a hardware store that he shopped at in 1980 and he asked the guy working there about apartments and he told us about this place! When we first looked at it we figured there is no way we can afford it but the guys quickly came down in price so we showed it to our co-worker (she moved with us) and asked the church folks about the location and ended up moving here! Our old place was 400 sq. ft and our new place is 500 sq. ft. ! Over all we gained 100 sq. ft., a dining table and a desk so we are very happy.
The new location is in more of a commercial area and also right across from the police station( not necessarily a good thing) and in a more Muslim area. Shopping for food will not be as convenient as at the other place but we will get used to the new way of living.
This place was furnished with stuff from Khartoum so while not our style, it is still comfortable:) I love the fact that every place has king size beds:)
So, other than that, how are we doing? Pretty good really. Things are ok during the day but at night everyone is in by dark - even our church friends say that they like to be home by 8pm. We are getting to know a few other ex-pats and South Sudanese which is really nice.
Lynn is getting better in Arabic since doing our apartment hunting. Our new landlord speaks ok English but sometimes Lynn tries to clarify with Arabic. Our guards here speak very little English so even I will be pushed to learn more Arabic.
You know, on one hand it seems normal here and I want people to visit us and then I hear gunshots at night and am reminded that things are not so good. There are still a lot of security issues in the towns and cities surrounding Juba.
Oh, and nutella is still available but very expensive so I found another brand that is almost as good and about 1/4 the cost:) I know that is not a big deal to most of you but it is a HUGE deal for a chocaholic like me!
Ok now for some pictures.
Unpacking and......finished!
That is a 21 1/2 inch step up into the shower!
When we returned our old apartment building was on limited power which means limited electricity and internet. The hours kept changing and there did not seem much hope in it getting better so Lynn and I started looking around for a new place. It is not like you can call a realtor or look places up on the internet - you walk around and just stop at places and ask. We saw anything from a a place that all the materials were brought in from Lebanon and was really nice and the same price as our old place BUT it was a place I would have been embarrassed to have my South Sudanese friends come to.Then there was the place that was much cheaper but was even smaller than where we were and had no kitchen to speak of. Lynn was in old Juba town at a hardware store that he shopped at in 1980 and he asked the guy working there about apartments and he told us about this place! When we first looked at it we figured there is no way we can afford it but the guys quickly came down in price so we showed it to our co-worker (she moved with us) and asked the church folks about the location and ended up moving here! Our old place was 400 sq. ft and our new place is 500 sq. ft. ! Over all we gained 100 sq. ft., a dining table and a desk so we are very happy.
The new location is in more of a commercial area and also right across from the police station( not necessarily a good thing) and in a more Muslim area. Shopping for food will not be as convenient as at the other place but we will get used to the new way of living.
This place was furnished with stuff from Khartoum so while not our style, it is still comfortable:) I love the fact that every place has king size beds:)
So, other than that, how are we doing? Pretty good really. Things are ok during the day but at night everyone is in by dark - even our church friends say that they like to be home by 8pm. We are getting to know a few other ex-pats and South Sudanese which is really nice.
Lynn is getting better in Arabic since doing our apartment hunting. Our new landlord speaks ok English but sometimes Lynn tries to clarify with Arabic. Our guards here speak very little English so even I will be pushed to learn more Arabic.
You know, on one hand it seems normal here and I want people to visit us and then I hear gunshots at night and am reminded that things are not so good. There are still a lot of security issues in the towns and cities surrounding Juba.
Oh, and nutella is still available but very expensive so I found another brand that is almost as good and about 1/4 the cost:) I know that is not a big deal to most of you but it is a HUGE deal for a chocaholic like me!
Ok now for some pictures.
Unpacking and......finished!
finally a desk to work at!!
Saturday, October 8, 2016
We are back!!
Today makes one week that we have been back in Juba. So,
where to begin with what has happened the last few weeks?
Our Regional Liaison came to Juba in September to talk to
the local church about many things including when we could return. We were given the go ahead to return about
the middle of September, so, along with packing we began to say good-bye.
Our flight connections were going to be really good except
in Ethiopia where we only had a 45 minute layover but we were assured it was
plenty of time. Our flight actually got in about 30 minutes early so we were
feeling good about things. We got our flight and went on to Nairobi Kenya but
our luggage did not! We were assured it would come on the next flight – nope! We actually ended up being at the Nairobi
airport for 3 ½ hours after our flight arrived because our taxi driver who
normally is dependable was having a problem with a policeman who wanted a
bribe. It took about an hour after we had first seen our taxi driver until he
came back with his car and told us what was going on. He then left to continue
his bargaining efforts with the policeman. We thought maybe this poor taxi
driver was being delayed by God so we could get our luggage which we thought
might be on the next plane from Ethiopia. The 2nd plane did arrive
from Ethiopia before we left the airport but still no luggage ! We finally had to give up and go to our
guesthouse in Nairobi which is something like 20 miles from the airport. The
following day and 3 flights later still no luggage. We were flying out Friday for
Juba and wondering if we were going to have our clothes etc. . Friday morning
we called the airport and they had at least located our luggage at the Addis
Ababa airport. They didn’t know if it would arrive that morning before our
departure for Juba, but possibly. I (Lynn) told Sharon that maybe God simply
didn’t want us to needlessly take our luggage to the guesthouse and we could
take it from the arrivals gate directly over to our departure check-in. I (Lynn)
was dropped off at the arrival gate and Sharon with our carry-ons was dropped
off at the departure area. After getting the proper clearance documents I went to the arrivals gate and sure enough our
luggage was there. I put the 3 bags on a cart and proceeded to make my way back
to the office where I had gotten the clearance permit to go into the arrivals
area. I then made my way the ¼ mile or so to the departure gate pushing our
luggage on the cart. It makes me tired just typing about it ! We were so relieved to see our luggage that it
made up for Sharon having to buy a skirt to wear and washing clothes out by
hand for a day!! J
We had a good flight to Juba and noticed that one of our
church leaders from Juba was on the same plane! He offered us a ride to our
apartment, which was really nice. A good welcome back. We can’t say our return trip was uneventful.
We did feel God’s hand guiding us with our lost luggage and then someone being
on the plane to provide us a ride to our apartment. It also made us realize how
unimportant our “things” are that we travel with, and that we certainly could
survive without them.
So, how are things in Juba? Well, in some ways it feels just
as we left it 5 months ago and in other ways you can feel the change. Food is expensive and I really do not know
how people afford to buy basics. Because we are paid in dollars it does not
affect us as much, but still, when butter is $5.50 for a half pound you can
believe we think twice about buying it. We feel safe enough walking around some
during the day but I don’t think we will be walking around as freely as we used
to. Also, anytime near dark we take a taxi and the taxi’s don’t like to be out
after 9pm so we are pretty much home by 7 or 8 with a taxi. We know you all are worried about us but, we
are where we are supposed to be and for now things are ok here.
Many of our church people are out of the country right now
for meetings but we expect to see some of them next week. Many people have left
the country so it does make doing anything a little hard but we will do what we
can.
People are just so very tired of the fighting and
uncertainty! Please pray the leaders will put the well being of the people
first before their own needs.
Wednesday, September 21, 2016
Return
I have not written in over a month again! Sorry about that all but as you know, there really wasn't much to say except, " no, we don't have a date of return yet". Now we have a date and for some reason it has been hard to want to sit down and write anything on here. We leave the US on Sept. 27 arrive in Kenya on the 28th, shop on the 29 and head to Juba on the 30th. Now it feels real.
People have been asking if we are excited about returning and for me the answer is yes but it is still hard to leave family. Lynn does not get excited so he is just glad to have a date of return :) It does feel really good to know that we are headed back even though we know that the situation there is not the best and that our living situation will not be quite as nice as before. Are we scared? No more than before and then we were not really scared, it is more the apprehension of not knowing.
It has been such a great summer ( and extra 2 months!) of seeing so many people again and meeting others for the first time. You know, when you go to a different church every Sunday and have to meet new people all the time it is tiring but we found it also to be very good! We like meeting people so that helps but just to have the chance to talk about South Sudan with people who are interested and want to know how to pray or help has been really special to us. Every where we went people were so warm and welcoming (and there was ALWAYS way to much to eat) and friendly that it made it easy for us. Seeing the different church buildings is always so interesting and then some of the beautiful places!
Now, as the weather is turning cooler, we really feel it is time to head to warmer places. Most people just head to Florida but that is so boring! Instead we have to go half way around the world :)
You know how everyone says they are changed from a trip to Africa or Mongolia or some such place? I have been changed there but I have also experienced change in these 5 months in the States. How? I go back with a renewed hope in the Church as a whole - each congregation was so interested in what is happening around the world and wanting to be involved in helping both nationally and internationally! What a great support system for us! I also go back feeling a new sense of calling to South Sudan and I think a more open heart and mind to ways of being a part of life there.
We have the fun of meeting up with my (Sharon) cousin in Kenya and with a new friend of ours from South Sudan who is still waiting for the ok to return. It is so much fun to see how small the world really is and to make connections like this. It is like having family all around the world!
Please keep the emails coming - I really do enjoy writing back!
People have been asking if we are excited about returning and for me the answer is yes but it is still hard to leave family. Lynn does not get excited so he is just glad to have a date of return :) It does feel really good to know that we are headed back even though we know that the situation there is not the best and that our living situation will not be quite as nice as before. Are we scared? No more than before and then we were not really scared, it is more the apprehension of not knowing.
It has been such a great summer ( and extra 2 months!) of seeing so many people again and meeting others for the first time. You know, when you go to a different church every Sunday and have to meet new people all the time it is tiring but we found it also to be very good! We like meeting people so that helps but just to have the chance to talk about South Sudan with people who are interested and want to know how to pray or help has been really special to us. Every where we went people were so warm and welcoming (and there was ALWAYS way to much to eat) and friendly that it made it easy for us. Seeing the different church buildings is always so interesting and then some of the beautiful places!
Now, as the weather is turning cooler, we really feel it is time to head to warmer places. Most people just head to Florida but that is so boring! Instead we have to go half way around the world :)
You know how everyone says they are changed from a trip to Africa or Mongolia or some such place? I have been changed there but I have also experienced change in these 5 months in the States. How? I go back with a renewed hope in the Church as a whole - each congregation was so interested in what is happening around the world and wanting to be involved in helping both nationally and internationally! What a great support system for us! I also go back feeling a new sense of calling to South Sudan and I think a more open heart and mind to ways of being a part of life there.
We have the fun of meeting up with my (Sharon) cousin in Kenya and with a new friend of ours from South Sudan who is still waiting for the ok to return. It is so much fun to see how small the world really is and to make connections like this. It is like having family all around the world!
Please keep the emails coming - I really do enjoy writing back!
Wednesday, August 17, 2016
Waiting and Praying
Well, we are still here in the USA. As I said in the last post we are here until the end of August when we hope to be able to return. We are keeping in touch with our friends in South Sudan and with the students that we had to evacuate out of Yei. The students are in Juba right now but we hope to get them to Pochalla as it looks like the school will not open until October or later.
So, what are we doing?? I bet you think we are sitting around drinking coffee and tea and just being lazy, right? WRONG! We are in Springfield Mo taking a CHE (Community Health Evangelism) training course. We told our grandson that we were going back to school and he thought that was funny! It feels a little bit like school only we get a break and snacks every hour :). This training is in the hopes that we can start a CHE program in South Sudan at some point - maybe even right away in Juba but we will have to see what things are like when we get back. While here doing the CHE program we are getting emails from the students in South Sudan so we are constantly being pulled in different directions and needing to focus on our training. Not complaining just trying to give you an idea of how we are doing. I love the fact that we CAN have contact with people in South Sudan and know right away how they are doing.
We have enjoyed the extra time to see people we had not seen yet or just to visit a little longer with family and friends. It is hard being in limbo but I feel guilty even for saying that when our South Sudanese friends have been living in a kind of limbo for years. I am trying to learn from them about taking one day at time and focusing on what I can get done in that one day. It is also a time to be humbled by having to ask for the use of our daughters or cousins cars and to be thankful for such generous people to help us during this time.
It feels so odd to still feel a call to a country that we cannot even get into right now but we know that God is in this time of waiting and that it is a time for us to prepare for what He wants us to do.
So, what are we doing?? I bet you think we are sitting around drinking coffee and tea and just being lazy, right? WRONG! We are in Springfield Mo taking a CHE (Community Health Evangelism) training course. We told our grandson that we were going back to school and he thought that was funny! It feels a little bit like school only we get a break and snacks every hour :). This training is in the hopes that we can start a CHE program in South Sudan at some point - maybe even right away in Juba but we will have to see what things are like when we get back. While here doing the CHE program we are getting emails from the students in South Sudan so we are constantly being pulled in different directions and needing to focus on our training. Not complaining just trying to give you an idea of how we are doing. I love the fact that we CAN have contact with people in South Sudan and know right away how they are doing.
We have enjoyed the extra time to see people we had not seen yet or just to visit a little longer with family and friends. It is hard being in limbo but I feel guilty even for saying that when our South Sudanese friends have been living in a kind of limbo for years. I am trying to learn from them about taking one day at time and focusing on what I can get done in that one day. It is also a time to be humbled by having to ask for the use of our daughters or cousins cars and to be thankful for such generous people to help us during this time.
It feels so odd to still feel a call to a country that we cannot even get into right now but we know that God is in this time of waiting and that it is a time for us to prepare for what He wants us to do.
Wednesday, July 27, 2016
more bumps
We are at New Wilmington Mission Conference in Western Pa. SOOOO many people to talk to, catch up with and get to know! People that know my oldest brother from Shutz in Egypt to people who saw me at 2 weeks old. Stories upon stories. I had forgotten what this place could feel like when you know lots of people.:)
Bumps in the road again. We are delaying our return to South Sudan until September or later, depending on the situation in South Sudan. With the recent events in Juba and so many people being evacuated and still so much uncertainty it is better to wait for things to settle down. This is disappointing to us as we feel ready to return and yet it is nice to know we will have a little more time with our families.
So many thoughts are going through my mind these days. Wondering about our friends in South Sudan, wondering what we will be doing for the next month or so and then wondering what God's plan is in all of this. This delay is nice because we get to see our grandkids start the new school year, we get to touch base with some folks we have not seen yet and of course now there is more time for shopping. Unfortunately there is also more time to eat ice cream and gain weight!:)
I can't believe how fast the summer has gone! When we first arrived it felt like May was taking a long time(and I was happy about that!) and then all of a sudden we were celebrating the 4th of July and only had about 4 weeks left!
I know the last two posts have been on the short side but I am afraid that I find it hard to put into words all that I am feeling these days. There is joy at being with family, so much sorrow and worry for friends in South Sudan, confusion as to how there can be that much hate in one country, happiness at hearing from friends in south Sudan that they are safe, hope for the future of South Sudan but also despair for the future there.
Bumps in the road again. We are delaying our return to South Sudan until September or later, depending on the situation in South Sudan. With the recent events in Juba and so many people being evacuated and still so much uncertainty it is better to wait for things to settle down. This is disappointing to us as we feel ready to return and yet it is nice to know we will have a little more time with our families.
So many thoughts are going through my mind these days. Wondering about our friends in South Sudan, wondering what we will be doing for the next month or so and then wondering what God's plan is in all of this. This delay is nice because we get to see our grandkids start the new school year, we get to touch base with some folks we have not seen yet and of course now there is more time for shopping. Unfortunately there is also more time to eat ice cream and gain weight!:)
I can't believe how fast the summer has gone! When we first arrived it felt like May was taking a long time(and I was happy about that!) and then all of a sudden we were celebrating the 4th of July and only had about 4 weeks left!
I know the last two posts have been on the short side but I am afraid that I find it hard to put into words all that I am feeling these days. There is joy at being with family, so much sorrow and worry for friends in South Sudan, confusion as to how there can be that much hate in one country, happiness at hearing from friends in south Sudan that they are safe, hope for the future of South Sudan but also despair for the future there.
Monday, July 11, 2016
Please, Lord....
I have not written about the current situation in South Sudan as I really have no words to describe my feelings but I need to let you all know what we know.
First of all, Leisa, our mission co-worker, is still in Juba during all of this fighting. We have had contact with her several times a day and while scared, she is doing okay. There are not many at the apartment building and those that are there are keeping each other company, sharing Bible verses and news and helping each other cope with all the uncertainty. They have not been able to leave the building since Friday (or maybe Saturday) of last week.
We have also heard from some of our South Sudanese co - workers and have been so glad to know that they are still able to communicate with us. We don't know how long communication will last with anyone but as of today, Monday the 11th we have heard from the Moderator. I cannot begin to imagine the trauma these good people are going through yet again.
Leisa has expressed that the not knowing what is, or going to, happen is what is so hard so please pray for all those there that they will have communications with each other and be able to know how their families are doing.
We have read that both the President and Vice President have ordered a ceasefire. I don't have a lot of hope for that order and yet am praying that it will be listened to. As all this fighting shows, there is a long way to go for peace in South Sudan but the people are tired of all the fighting and wish those that are doing it would just STOP!
First of all, Leisa, our mission co-worker, is still in Juba during all of this fighting. We have had contact with her several times a day and while scared, she is doing okay. There are not many at the apartment building and those that are there are keeping each other company, sharing Bible verses and news and helping each other cope with all the uncertainty. They have not been able to leave the building since Friday (or maybe Saturday) of last week.
We have also heard from some of our South Sudanese co - workers and have been so glad to know that they are still able to communicate with us. We don't know how long communication will last with anyone but as of today, Monday the 11th we have heard from the Moderator. I cannot begin to imagine the trauma these good people are going through yet again.
Leisa has expressed that the not knowing what is, or going to, happen is what is so hard so please pray for all those there that they will have communications with each other and be able to know how their families are doing.
We have read that both the President and Vice President have ordered a ceasefire. I don't have a lot of hope for that order and yet am praying that it will be listened to. As all this fighting shows, there is a long way to go for peace in South Sudan but the people are tired of all the fighting and wish those that are doing it would just STOP!
Tuesday, July 5, 2016
Time
Well, it has again been a month since I wrote anything.
It is amazing how at first the time seemed to be going slowly but now I find that time is flying by and we only have a month left in the States.
We have been having really good visits with so many different churches and Presbyteries! It is interesting to me how it is a little hard to walk in the door of a new church but then it is hard to leave because we have made new friends. I love how people know where South Sudan is and know what is happening there and still want to know more and are willing to commit to prayer for the people there.
We have been hearing from our friends in South Sudan and know that things are getting worse, economically but we also hear that the Project continues to move along with Rev. Stephen and Leisa keeping up with things.
The one thing I hope we have been able to explain to people is just how slow things move in South Sudan and how we rejoice over every small accomplishment. It takes days, and sometimes weeks, to do something there that we could do in hours here in the States. While on one hand this is frustrating to us it is also teaching us to slow down and look at the relationships we are building and know that in the long run we need those relationships if we hope for things to change and move forward. Lucky for us, we love building those relationships and find that is one of the perks of living in South Sudan.
We will be at New Wilmington Missionary Conference in Western Pa the end of August and hope to see many of you there. If we have not already met you, please come up an introduce yourself to us.
It is amazing how at first the time seemed to be going slowly but now I find that time is flying by and we only have a month left in the States.
We have been having really good visits with so many different churches and Presbyteries! It is interesting to me how it is a little hard to walk in the door of a new church but then it is hard to leave because we have made new friends. I love how people know where South Sudan is and know what is happening there and still want to know more and are willing to commit to prayer for the people there.
We have been hearing from our friends in South Sudan and know that things are getting worse, economically but we also hear that the Project continues to move along with Rev. Stephen and Leisa keeping up with things.
The one thing I hope we have been able to explain to people is just how slow things move in South Sudan and how we rejoice over every small accomplishment. It takes days, and sometimes weeks, to do something there that we could do in hours here in the States. While on one hand this is frustrating to us it is also teaching us to slow down and look at the relationships we are building and know that in the long run we need those relationships if we hope for things to change and move forward. Lucky for us, we love building those relationships and find that is one of the perks of living in South Sudan.
We will be at New Wilmington Missionary Conference in Western Pa the end of August and hope to see many of you there. If we have not already met you, please come up an introduce yourself to us.
Monday, June 6, 2016
more about roads
It is funny how when in Juba I don't think so much about how little green there is around but now that we are in the States at such a green time of year I realize how much I miss the green grass and beautiful spring flowers.
One of the perks of having to do all this driving around the US is that we get to see a lot of beautiful countryside and quaint little towns. We have been to Cauldwell, Sharon and Lancaster Ohio and have had such wonderfully warm receptions at each place! The more we visit these churches in small town America and realize how important they are to the world wide church and how in even a small way they make a big impact on the world, the more hope I have for our world. It was heart warming at the one church to hear a new high school graduate thank her church for all they had done for her through her high school years. There just is something really special about the church family and I think sometimes we forget the impact we can have on our young people at church.
The news we are getting from South Sudan is both encouraging and discouraging but I guess that is not anything new. The economic situation has gotten worse which means more people going hungry. There is still a sense of hope that the government will be able to do what it should to help bring this country up out of the mess that it is in.
It is funny how when I am here in the State it is so easy to forget how long it takes to get things done in South Sudan, that is until I get a letter from our co worker and I am quickly reminded of how slow things happen. In South Sudan you measure your successes in inches or moments. I like the slow pace of life but get frustrated when I feel the need to produce results that we can then show people.
One of the perks of having to do all this driving around the US is that we get to see a lot of beautiful countryside and quaint little towns. We have been to Cauldwell, Sharon and Lancaster Ohio and have had such wonderfully warm receptions at each place! The more we visit these churches in small town America and realize how important they are to the world wide church and how in even a small way they make a big impact on the world, the more hope I have for our world. It was heart warming at the one church to hear a new high school graduate thank her church for all they had done for her through her high school years. There just is something really special about the church family and I think sometimes we forget the impact we can have on our young people at church.
The news we are getting from South Sudan is both encouraging and discouraging but I guess that is not anything new. The economic situation has gotten worse which means more people going hungry. There is still a sense of hope that the government will be able to do what it should to help bring this country up out of the mess that it is in.
It is funny how when I am here in the State it is so easy to forget how long it takes to get things done in South Sudan, that is until I get a letter from our co worker and I am quickly reminded of how slow things happen. In South Sudan you measure your successes in inches or moments. I like the slow pace of life but get frustrated when I feel the need to produce results that we can then show people.
Monday, May 23, 2016
better roads
Ok, I said I would let you know what our bump in the road did for us and I will try to do that over the next couple of posts.
For now I would say that we have learned to be thankful for our health and disappearing bruises. Lynn's neck seems to be back to normal and while the rib still doesn't like it when he sneezes or coughs, it is getting better. Me? I am fine.
We had one day in Louisville where people were wonderfully kind and understanding about our being kind of slow in movement and a little distracted. It was good to see a few people again but we were sorry to miss so many that were out doing other things.
On to Missouri to visit with my brother and family and to speak at the very friendly First Presb. in Warrensburg! Thank you for laughing at our lame jokes and for the interest in what we are doing. It was also fun to meet a couple who had lived in Kenya - what a great connection!
Then on to Florida where we have been able to catch a breather with another brother and then also go to Inverness and visit with the folks there at First Presbyterian. A big thank you to our host and hostess and, yes to the dogs and calf who did not wake us up! If you want a quiet get away in the boonies of Fla., call me and I will tell you about a wonderful place to visit! :) I think we met a dozen transplants from Ohio at this church and it was fun to make that kind of connection!
We will be heading back to Ohio later this week and are looking forward to meeting more folks and seeing more of Ohio as we travel all around the State.
Our time in the States is definitely not a vacation but it is a chance to meet so many people who support us in many different ways. It can be tiring but everyone is so nice and we get fed so well everywhere that we cannot complain. Besides, we can talk for hours about South Sudan - just ask our children!
We keep hearing discouraging things from South Sudan in the news but when I hear from our partners there they have hope. There is so much hope for the future and for peace. I ask for prayers as the people of South Sudan find their way forward. There is much work to be done and things are still unsettled and yet I find myself thinking that maybe this time there will really be peace.
Even here in Florida Lynn and I have found that we are not warm all the way through:) When given the choice of eating outside we take it just so that we can warm up! My poor brother has had to suffer through meals outside when he probably would rather have been in the cool air conditioning!
One other thing about time in the States - it makes you realize how connected you feel to the country you are serving in and I think sometimes we need to be reminded of that.
Look out Ohio, here we come!
For now I would say that we have learned to be thankful for our health and disappearing bruises. Lynn's neck seems to be back to normal and while the rib still doesn't like it when he sneezes or coughs, it is getting better. Me? I am fine.
We had one day in Louisville where people were wonderfully kind and understanding about our being kind of slow in movement and a little distracted. It was good to see a few people again but we were sorry to miss so many that were out doing other things.
On to Missouri to visit with my brother and family and to speak at the very friendly First Presb. in Warrensburg! Thank you for laughing at our lame jokes and for the interest in what we are doing. It was also fun to meet a couple who had lived in Kenya - what a great connection!
Then on to Florida where we have been able to catch a breather with another brother and then also go to Inverness and visit with the folks there at First Presbyterian. A big thank you to our host and hostess and, yes to the dogs and calf who did not wake us up! If you want a quiet get away in the boonies of Fla., call me and I will tell you about a wonderful place to visit! :) I think we met a dozen transplants from Ohio at this church and it was fun to make that kind of connection!
We will be heading back to Ohio later this week and are looking forward to meeting more folks and seeing more of Ohio as we travel all around the State.
Our time in the States is definitely not a vacation but it is a chance to meet so many people who support us in many different ways. It can be tiring but everyone is so nice and we get fed so well everywhere that we cannot complain. Besides, we can talk for hours about South Sudan - just ask our children!
We keep hearing discouraging things from South Sudan in the news but when I hear from our partners there they have hope. There is so much hope for the future and for peace. I ask for prayers as the people of South Sudan find their way forward. There is much work to be done and things are still unsettled and yet I find myself thinking that maybe this time there will really be peace.
Even here in Florida Lynn and I have found that we are not warm all the way through:) When given the choice of eating outside we take it just so that we can warm up! My poor brother has had to suffer through meals outside when he probably would rather have been in the cool air conditioning!
One other thing about time in the States - it makes you realize how connected you feel to the country you are serving in and I think sometimes we need to be reminded of that.
Look out Ohio, here we come!
Wednesday, May 11, 2016
"Bumps" in the road
Well, things never go as planned.
We arrived in the USA with no problems other than a 1 1/2 hour delay so I would say things went really well!!
It has been great to have time with family and to get some Dr. appointments out of the way. We have had 2 wonderful Sundays with our home church and reconnected with many friends.
We rented a car on Monday(May 9) to head to Louisville for 3 days of time with the head office folks. An hour out of Millersburg our car was rear ended and totaled! We are very sore from whip lash, and seat belts catching us but we are ok and for that I am extremely thankful. We were at a complete stop and the man who hit us never touched the brakes and was going 50 -55 mph.
Now we are dealing with how to get another rental (Enterprise will not rent to us again until OUR insurance pays the deductible) which means someone taking us to Canton/Akron to see if we can rent from someone else.
Bumps in the road. It has thrown us for a loop as we had finances all figured out for a rental and not flying so now we are trying to figure out the best way forward from here. We are alive, more or less unhurt, and have a warm place to stay so we are very blessed.
As we were sitting at the Fire Station waiting for Brandon to pick us up Lynn looked at me and said " lets go back to Juba where it is safe" LOL my how a persons perspective can change!!
Some bumps in the road send you in another direction and some just make you slow down and see what is around you while others just make you stop for a spell. I will let you know what this bump in the road does for us.
We arrived in the USA with no problems other than a 1 1/2 hour delay so I would say things went really well!!
It has been great to have time with family and to get some Dr. appointments out of the way. We have had 2 wonderful Sundays with our home church and reconnected with many friends.
We rented a car on Monday(May 9) to head to Louisville for 3 days of time with the head office folks. An hour out of Millersburg our car was rear ended and totaled! We are very sore from whip lash, and seat belts catching us but we are ok and for that I am extremely thankful. We were at a complete stop and the man who hit us never touched the brakes and was going 50 -55 mph.
Now we are dealing with how to get another rental (Enterprise will not rent to us again until OUR insurance pays the deductible) which means someone taking us to Canton/Akron to see if we can rent from someone else.
Bumps in the road. It has thrown us for a loop as we had finances all figured out for a rental and not flying so now we are trying to figure out the best way forward from here. We are alive, more or less unhurt, and have a warm place to stay so we are very blessed.
As we were sitting at the Fire Station waiting for Brandon to pick us up Lynn looked at me and said " lets go back to Juba where it is safe" LOL my how a persons perspective can change!!
Some bumps in the road send you in another direction and some just make you slow down and see what is around you while others just make you stop for a spell. I will let you know what this bump in the road does for us.
Thursday, April 14, 2016
Anticipation
We have been and still are anticipating many things in the next 2 weeks.
We had been anticipating the return of the Deputy Chairman of the IO forces on Monday. No one was sure what the reception would be like for him and as it turned out it was both good and bad.
We are anticipating the return of the Vice President on the 18th - or at least that is what the media is telling us. No one is sure if he will come back to Juba or not and if he does come what that might mean for the country. Overall people are hopeful that his return will be a good thing and that this country may finally be able to take a real step forward. We shall see.
We are anticipating returning to the States for 3 months. a time to reconnect with grandchildren and meet new grandchildren in person rather than just on Skype. A time to eat foods we have been craving, having long talks with people we have missed and of course a chance to shop for things to bring back.
We are anticipating meeting many new friends that we have gotten to know through email. A chance to put faces to names and tell about South Sudan in a more in depth way.
An update on Pochalla. We have not sent the builder back to Pochalla and now that the rains have started we may opt to try and find someone in Pochalla that can finish the work. We have been told that some materials were stolen (and the thieves caught so maybe the stuff will be returned) and that people are trying to rebuild their burned homes. The people of Pochalla want to move forward but need much prayer to overcome the anger that burns just under the surface.
This last Sunday we visited the Pochalla people who were brought to Juba for medical care. One was a little boy of about 6 who had been shot just over the hip bone on the side and the bullet was in his bladder. To see this young child with bandages all over his abdomen just broke my heart. His mother was killed in the same fighting. So much senseless killing and hurting. I also found it interesting that this little boy was being entertained by playing games on a phone:)
There is also the anticipation of having 7 new students going to Yei Teacher Training College in May! This is really wonderful as we were late getting the applications out and then Yei had to agree to a late start for these students. I admit to being grateful that these students are all from the Juba area so I won't have to try and arrange flights for them!:)
There is one thing I am anticipating that is not so much fun - jet lag. I already have trouble sleeping so who knows what that will do to me. I will be using jet lag as an excuse for anything silly I MIGHT do and I will use it the whole 3 months!! Stop rolling your eyes, family!
We had been anticipating the return of the Deputy Chairman of the IO forces on Monday. No one was sure what the reception would be like for him and as it turned out it was both good and bad.
We are anticipating the return of the Vice President on the 18th - or at least that is what the media is telling us. No one is sure if he will come back to Juba or not and if he does come what that might mean for the country. Overall people are hopeful that his return will be a good thing and that this country may finally be able to take a real step forward. We shall see.
We are anticipating returning to the States for 3 months. a time to reconnect with grandchildren and meet new grandchildren in person rather than just on Skype. A time to eat foods we have been craving, having long talks with people we have missed and of course a chance to shop for things to bring back.
We are anticipating meeting many new friends that we have gotten to know through email. A chance to put faces to names and tell about South Sudan in a more in depth way.
An update on Pochalla. We have not sent the builder back to Pochalla and now that the rains have started we may opt to try and find someone in Pochalla that can finish the work. We have been told that some materials were stolen (and the thieves caught so maybe the stuff will be returned) and that people are trying to rebuild their burned homes. The people of Pochalla want to move forward but need much prayer to overcome the anger that burns just under the surface.
This last Sunday we visited the Pochalla people who were brought to Juba for medical care. One was a little boy of about 6 who had been shot just over the hip bone on the side and the bullet was in his bladder. To see this young child with bandages all over his abdomen just broke my heart. His mother was killed in the same fighting. So much senseless killing and hurting. I also found it interesting that this little boy was being entertained by playing games on a phone:)
There is also the anticipation of having 7 new students going to Yei Teacher Training College in May! This is really wonderful as we were late getting the applications out and then Yei had to agree to a late start for these students. I admit to being grateful that these students are all from the Juba area so I won't have to try and arrange flights for them!:)
There is one thing I am anticipating that is not so much fun - jet lag. I already have trouble sleeping so who knows what that will do to me. I will be using jet lag as an excuse for anything silly I MIGHT do and I will use it the whole 3 months!! Stop rolling your eyes, family!
Friday, April 1, 2016
2 steps forward.........
Pochalla. What can I say? Lynn arrived back from Pochalla on the Tuesday the 15 and on Monday the 21st fighting broke out in Pochalla. The contractor and mason were there as well as many other people that we know. We had communication for about 2 days and then the one place that has internet the folks were evacuated. We have been told that in the first 2 days 7 people were killed and since then we have heard that more have been killed. Some people have fled to Ethiopia and others to the bush. Homes have been burned and the rains have started which means people are sleeping out in the open in the rain.
Today we received a letter saying that things are now calm and the people are pleading for aide groups to come back in to help them. We are not sure if the situation is actually safe for our people to go back in. It hurts to know that so many people are hurting and there is not much we can do.
We have been getting caught up on all kinds of paper work this past week. Lynn has things he needs to get done before leaving here so he has been at home on the computer - not the most exciting thing to talk about but it is a big part of his job.
For me, the Treasurer is gone again for about 2 weeks so I don't have a lot to do. I am taking this time to redo my program for keeping the project accounts and playing with the excel program and realizing that I have only scratched the surface on what it can do. Maybe I can find some time in the States to take a class on excel, or find some high school person who would be willing to work with me:) Or maybe I will just go with what I know!
This is a short post but I wanted to let you all know about Pochalla.
Today we received a letter saying that things are now calm and the people are pleading for aide groups to come back in to help them. We are not sure if the situation is actually safe for our people to go back in. It hurts to know that so many people are hurting and there is not much we can do.
We have been getting caught up on all kinds of paper work this past week. Lynn has things he needs to get done before leaving here so he has been at home on the computer - not the most exciting thing to talk about but it is a big part of his job.
For me, the Treasurer is gone again for about 2 weeks so I don't have a lot to do. I am taking this time to redo my program for keeping the project accounts and playing with the excel program and realizing that I have only scratched the surface on what it can do. Maybe I can find some time in the States to take a class on excel, or find some high school person who would be willing to work with me:) Or maybe I will just go with what I know!
This is a short post but I wanted to let you all know about Pochalla.
Thursday, March 17, 2016
Lynn is back guests are gone
Lynn left for Pochalla on March first and the plan was for him to come back on the 15th. I admit, I did not have much hope of this happening since our experiences with flying on the UN flights have not gone well. Lynn's plane was to get into Juba at 12:30 and I had laid down for a nap to get rid of a horrible headache at 12. At 12:02 my phone rings and I see that it is the Sat. phone so I know that it is Lynn and he is not on the plane! I really do not like seeing that Lynn is calling on the Sat phone cause it always means bad news. He was wondering if the flight had been cancelled and could I check it out and he would call back. Well, I tried making phone calls but of course the network was not working and I could not get through to anyone!! I went to a co- worker who I know uses 2 different networks and asked her to call for me which she did and then we had to wait for that person to call another person to call another person to get the answer. We wait and wait and I get no call back from Lynn so I am pretty sure the plane showed up and he is on the flight as I am waiting for a call. I finally get a text from Lynn saying they were circling the Juba airport! So, he is back as well as the other two guys who flew out the next day for the States and Kenya! We are back to normal ( yes we are normal!) but still busy.
I told you that the lorry was leaving the same day as Lynn and it did. It got there on the 10th! After flat tires, being robbed, bad directions and more repairs they pulled in very tired and dirty. Nothing was taken from the supplies but our two men, that were traveling with the lorry, got their cell phones and money taken.
While Lynn was gone I seemed to keep pretty busy for about 10 days of that time. Banking is an all day affair here and I was at the bank at least 3 days. Then there is paying bills - you go to the office of the place and of course there is no one there so you ask around and are told he will be there in 5 minutes. Well, I know what 5 minutes means - anywhere from 5 minutes to hours! I wait though cause if I leave and come back another day it could be the same thing. He did come in about 15 minutes so I was happy. Remember, our temperatures have been running 108 -115 and I am sitting in a cement block building with no air conditioning ( trying to get some sympathy here:) ) so is it any wonder that I get BAD headaches?
Ok, so now you know we are still alive and kicking.
Lynn did have a productive time in Pochalla and the foundation has been dug so things are moving along there. The hope is that the building will be done before we leave for the States. I learned about more places in Juba and had good conversations with the taxi drivers. I also learned that many of the shopkeepers like it when Lynn comes in because he talks to them and so when I show up the first thing I am asked is " where is the man?" Guess who gets to do all the shopping when he comes back!:) I do like it that they know we are together and they want to know where he is if I am alone.
Getting excited to see all of you!
I told you that the lorry was leaving the same day as Lynn and it did. It got there on the 10th! After flat tires, being robbed, bad directions and more repairs they pulled in very tired and dirty. Nothing was taken from the supplies but our two men, that were traveling with the lorry, got their cell phones and money taken.
While Lynn was gone I seemed to keep pretty busy for about 10 days of that time. Banking is an all day affair here and I was at the bank at least 3 days. Then there is paying bills - you go to the office of the place and of course there is no one there so you ask around and are told he will be there in 5 minutes. Well, I know what 5 minutes means - anywhere from 5 minutes to hours! I wait though cause if I leave and come back another day it could be the same thing. He did come in about 15 minutes so I was happy. Remember, our temperatures have been running 108 -115 and I am sitting in a cement block building with no air conditioning ( trying to get some sympathy here:) ) so is it any wonder that I get BAD headaches?
Ok, so now you know we are still alive and kicking.
Lynn did have a productive time in Pochalla and the foundation has been dug so things are moving along there. The hope is that the building will be done before we leave for the States. I learned about more places in Juba and had good conversations with the taxi drivers. I also learned that many of the shopkeepers like it when Lynn comes in because he talks to them and so when I show up the first thing I am asked is " where is the man?" Guess who gets to do all the shopping when he comes back!:) I do like it that they know we are together and they want to know where he is if I am alone.
Getting excited to see all of you!
Tuesday, March 1, 2016
Hot, Tired and Busy
Well, we really are not bored anymore!
Hot - well, I count 110 and higher as HOT! The nights don't cool down much, maybe to 80, so I am really happy that we have air-conditioning in our apartment. It is really dry and windy now too so keeping hydrated is a real problem and headaches are a daily thing. Can you tell I am tired?:) I am thankful for the wind as it helps to cool me off when I am out around the city but it also stirs up the dust and aggravates the allergies. It also requires a shower overnight or you leave dusty body prints on the sheets!
Tired - Well, yes we are tired. The heat tires you out more than you realize. Plus, we have had 4 people coming through Juba that we have been doing logistics for and while we do like having visitors it is tiring. It is a good tired though, a sense of having done something and maybe actually successed at doing things in a timely fashion. I have been to the police registration place so many times they recognize me now:) They are very friendly and helpful to me so the process, while long(up to 2 hours) does go smoothly and I leave with a smile on my face.
Lynn is tired for another reason though. He has been getting supplies bought for the school building in Pochalla and arranging for the trucking of these supplies. The lorry(truck) was supposed to go las week but we are praying it is going today. Lynn left today for Pochalla by air. The plan had been for the lorry to go last weekend and arrive about the same time as Lynn but now Lynn will have 3-4 days to wait for the lorry. Not all bad because he can arrange things for when the lorry gets there. He will be gone for about 2 weeks. He will also have some company in Pochalla this time as there is a co-worker from the States and one from Tanzania that will be going to Pochalla on Friday to work on a water project.
So, I think the busy part has been explained too:) Between taking care of visitors I have had numerous trips to the bank trying to arrange accounts to benefit the church here and the visitors that come needing money from the account for their projects.
Things are on edge here in South Sudan. The devaluation of the currency has become a real life threatening issue for many people. Prices have quadrupled in the last few months and it looks like that trend will continue. Many people are starving and crime is on the rise. There has been renewed fighting in several areas of South Sudan which means even more displaced people.
It all makes me feel a little guilty for being able to leave for 3 months and go to the States to see my family and so many of those supporting us.
Hot - well, I count 110 and higher as HOT! The nights don't cool down much, maybe to 80, so I am really happy that we have air-conditioning in our apartment. It is really dry and windy now too so keeping hydrated is a real problem and headaches are a daily thing. Can you tell I am tired?:) I am thankful for the wind as it helps to cool me off when I am out around the city but it also stirs up the dust and aggravates the allergies. It also requires a shower overnight or you leave dusty body prints on the sheets!
Tired - Well, yes we are tired. The heat tires you out more than you realize. Plus, we have had 4 people coming through Juba that we have been doing logistics for and while we do like having visitors it is tiring. It is a good tired though, a sense of having done something and maybe actually successed at doing things in a timely fashion. I have been to the police registration place so many times they recognize me now:) They are very friendly and helpful to me so the process, while long(up to 2 hours) does go smoothly and I leave with a smile on my face.
Lynn is tired for another reason though. He has been getting supplies bought for the school building in Pochalla and arranging for the trucking of these supplies. The lorry(truck) was supposed to go las week but we are praying it is going today. Lynn left today for Pochalla by air. The plan had been for the lorry to go last weekend and arrive about the same time as Lynn but now Lynn will have 3-4 days to wait for the lorry. Not all bad because he can arrange things for when the lorry gets there. He will be gone for about 2 weeks. He will also have some company in Pochalla this time as there is a co-worker from the States and one from Tanzania that will be going to Pochalla on Friday to work on a water project.
So, I think the busy part has been explained too:) Between taking care of visitors I have had numerous trips to the bank trying to arrange accounts to benefit the church here and the visitors that come needing money from the account for their projects.
Things are on edge here in South Sudan. The devaluation of the currency has become a real life threatening issue for many people. Prices have quadrupled in the last few months and it looks like that trend will continue. Many people are starving and crime is on the rise. There has been renewed fighting in several areas of South Sudan which means even more displaced people.
It all makes me feel a little guilty for being able to leave for 3 months and go to the States to see my family and so many of those supporting us.
Tuesday, February 2, 2016
Making plans
We are making plans to be in the States! Looks like we will be there May through July - a great time for cook outs, picnics, chasing grandchildren around the yard and having time with friends and family.
Of course it is not all vacation time. Actually, very little vacation time but lots of time with new and old friends. We will be traveling around the eastern USA speaking at churches and making new friends and saying thank you to so many who have been supporting us without even meeting us. Ok, quick before some smarty pants says it - maybe they are supporting us because they haven't met us!!:)
We already have speaking engagements in Ohio and are looking forward to making more in other States.
So, until we get Stateside, what are we doing? A cousin of mine always wants to know what our daily lives are like and it is so NOT exciting. We have been spending a lot of time on the computers arranging things for people who are going to be visiting here during the month of February. This morning a spent the morning walking to 2 offices to arrange meeting for one man then met with another man about our visa application. Doesn't seem like much but I felt like I accomplished a lot for a morning!
Lynn is also trying to arrange some transport for building materials to Pochalla so that that project can be underway soon. Yes, this is the same place where Lynn was stuck for almost a week and where he will be going back to very soon.
A couple of weeks ago we were up until 11 or 12 for several nights doing email work. Sometimes I think people forget we are 8 hours ahead of them:) Now we are busy during the day and not quite so much at night which is WAY better. We spend an amazing amount of time figuring out money. The financial situation here in South Sudan is not good. While on paper we have money in the bank, we are not always able to get it out of the bank. This means the Treasurer of the church and I have to sit down and figure out how much is needed in the coming month, let the bank know and then pray they will be able to get us that amount through out the month. Makes for interesting planning.
It is now the season of getting our students back to school and that is a stressful time for me. These students live in, guess where, Pochalla! This means we have to fly them in on a UN plane and getting 4 students on the same flight can be a challenge and then the planes only go once a week. Of course we need them back by a certain time for school so it gets, interesting:)
So, you can see we are not bored or sitting around doing nothing. We both like being busy and that will make the time go fast until we can leave for the States. Hope the grandchildren are ready to be hugged A LOT!
Of course it is not all vacation time. Actually, very little vacation time but lots of time with new and old friends. We will be traveling around the eastern USA speaking at churches and making new friends and saying thank you to so many who have been supporting us without even meeting us. Ok, quick before some smarty pants says it - maybe they are supporting us because they haven't met us!!:)
We already have speaking engagements in Ohio and are looking forward to making more in other States.
So, until we get Stateside, what are we doing? A cousin of mine always wants to know what our daily lives are like and it is so NOT exciting. We have been spending a lot of time on the computers arranging things for people who are going to be visiting here during the month of February. This morning a spent the morning walking to 2 offices to arrange meeting for one man then met with another man about our visa application. Doesn't seem like much but I felt like I accomplished a lot for a morning!
Lynn is also trying to arrange some transport for building materials to Pochalla so that that project can be underway soon. Yes, this is the same place where Lynn was stuck for almost a week and where he will be going back to very soon.
A couple of weeks ago we were up until 11 or 12 for several nights doing email work. Sometimes I think people forget we are 8 hours ahead of them:) Now we are busy during the day and not quite so much at night which is WAY better. We spend an amazing amount of time figuring out money. The financial situation here in South Sudan is not good. While on paper we have money in the bank, we are not always able to get it out of the bank. This means the Treasurer of the church and I have to sit down and figure out how much is needed in the coming month, let the bank know and then pray they will be able to get us that amount through out the month. Makes for interesting planning.
It is now the season of getting our students back to school and that is a stressful time for me. These students live in, guess where, Pochalla! This means we have to fly them in on a UN plane and getting 4 students on the same flight can be a challenge and then the planes only go once a week. Of course we need them back by a certain time for school so it gets, interesting:)
So, you can see we are not bored or sitting around doing nothing. We both like being busy and that will make the time go fast until we can leave for the States. Hope the grandchildren are ready to be hugged A LOT!
Monday, January 11, 2016
Nothing is as we plan
I better get another blog post written before people start wondering where we are:)
I think it is time to catch you all up on how things finally worked out for Lynn leaving Pochalla and the 4 students getting home to Pochalla. Lynn did get out of Pochalla on Monday the 14th - the day we were supposed to leave for Kenya. He sat at the airport pretty much all day waiting to see if any plane would come in that maybe he could get a ride on. A plane did come in and thanks to the help of Othow, our friend who lives in Pochalla, Lynn got a spot on the plane. You see, when planes come in like that it is pretty much every man for himself getting a spot on the plane so there is lots of pushing and shoving going on. I had not heard from Lynn and it was getting towards 5:30 pm and I was feeling like I did not want to look at my phone or turn the computer on and see a message from him. About that time Lynn walks in the door! I had been able to change our flights to Thursday the 17th with only a minor cost so we were set to go.
The students from Pochalla arrived in Pochalla on Christmas Eve! I have never been so thankful to hear about people getting on flights.
The week we left Juba the President had changed the bank rate to a free market rate which means that the bank rate was now able to try and keep up with the black market rate. The bank rate had been around 3 and the black market around 19 so you can see that this was a problem. Now the problem is that goods and fuel have tripled in price and some things are no longer available. It has been a challenge to get money ( US dollars) out of the bank even from our Dollar account so this has really put a road block up for getting things done.
We had planned to leave for Kenya on the 14th and those plans changed to the 17th.
We had planned for the students to be home on the 9th and that changed to the 23rd.
We had planned to start getting things ready to send to Pochalla for building but with the cost of things those plans are changing.
We had planned to get money from the bank but those plans have changed.
God does not change!
I was asked recently what we do on a regular day. I am not sure we have a regular day but the day I was asked that had been an interesting day. We met with the Moderator to get a check to see if we could get some dollars from the bank. We were at the bank for 1 1/2 hours spending most of the time talking with a manager of some sort. We talked about the war, his being in a displaced persons camp, people who come to help versus those who come to see what they can get and about Lynn and I meeting in Juba. It was a nice time of visiting and hearing someone else's ideas and then on top of that we were able to get some money!
So, here we are again, waiting for the office people to come back from the month long Christmas break. We need to be getting supplies bought for Pochalla and are looking forward to a visit from Michael Weller in February.
Oh, and Lynn's frozen shoulder is starting to thaw:)
I think it is time to catch you all up on how things finally worked out for Lynn leaving Pochalla and the 4 students getting home to Pochalla. Lynn did get out of Pochalla on Monday the 14th - the day we were supposed to leave for Kenya. He sat at the airport pretty much all day waiting to see if any plane would come in that maybe he could get a ride on. A plane did come in and thanks to the help of Othow, our friend who lives in Pochalla, Lynn got a spot on the plane. You see, when planes come in like that it is pretty much every man for himself getting a spot on the plane so there is lots of pushing and shoving going on. I had not heard from Lynn and it was getting towards 5:30 pm and I was feeling like I did not want to look at my phone or turn the computer on and see a message from him. About that time Lynn walks in the door! I had been able to change our flights to Thursday the 17th with only a minor cost so we were set to go.
The students from Pochalla arrived in Pochalla on Christmas Eve! I have never been so thankful to hear about people getting on flights.
The week we left Juba the President had changed the bank rate to a free market rate which means that the bank rate was now able to try and keep up with the black market rate. The bank rate had been around 3 and the black market around 19 so you can see that this was a problem. Now the problem is that goods and fuel have tripled in price and some things are no longer available. It has been a challenge to get money ( US dollars) out of the bank even from our Dollar account so this has really put a road block up for getting things done.
We had planned to leave for Kenya on the 14th and those plans changed to the 17th.
We had planned for the students to be home on the 9th and that changed to the 23rd.
We had planned to start getting things ready to send to Pochalla for building but with the cost of things those plans are changing.
We had planned to get money from the bank but those plans have changed.
God does not change!
I was asked recently what we do on a regular day. I am not sure we have a regular day but the day I was asked that had been an interesting day. We met with the Moderator to get a check to see if we could get some dollars from the bank. We were at the bank for 1 1/2 hours spending most of the time talking with a manager of some sort. We talked about the war, his being in a displaced persons camp, people who come to help versus those who come to see what they can get and about Lynn and I meeting in Juba. It was a nice time of visiting and hearing someone else's ideas and then on top of that we were able to get some money!
So, here we are again, waiting for the office people to come back from the month long Christmas break. We need to be getting supplies bought for Pochalla and are looking forward to a visit from Michael Weller in February.
Oh, and Lynn's frozen shoulder is starting to thaw:)
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