So, don't go into shock that I am writing again so soon.

For those of you have been asking about how we handle living here with so many hungry people all around us, here is a sort of answer.

Yesterday I was sitting in my living room working at emails when I realized that there seemed to be a lot of commotion on the street in front of our building. I went out in the hall to look out the window and see what was going on. I saw 4 boys, ages maybe 10-12, across the street at the bus stop. ( yes we do have a few actual bus stops with benches!) These boys were talking to an older boy who has only one leg and judging by his age I am guessing he lost his leg as a soldier - this young man was maybe 20. I am not sure what was said but the older boy took his crutch and hit one of the younger boys who fell to the ground. One of the other young boys then proceeded to pummel the one one on the ground. No one intervened. The really unusual part of this is that no one intervened. Usually anyone walking by or at the bus stop will stop this sort of thing but not that day. Part of the reason, I think, for the fight was that the all of the boys were sniffing glue and the older boy wanted some of it. This is something we see everyday here, boys sniffing glue, smoking and drinking. They are hungry and these things help curb the appetite. Now they are getting addicted to these things and there just is not enough help to go around for everyone. On top of that, even if there was help, these boys have gotten used to living on their own and do not take very well to living where there are rules and expectations.

So, how do we deal with it???? We do not give them money since we are not sure what it will be spent on but we do give food at times and we do a lot of asking about where or how these boys could get some help. The really hard part is that some of these boys have homes and the parents have found there is more money to be made by having their children beg than working themselves so why send their children to school?

The encouraging thing is that we do not see near as many boys across the street as we used to. A couple of months ago an effort was made to round up these kids and get them into some kind of home or with family somewhere. I asked if they were actually being taken care of or were they just moved someplace else and I was told they were being taken to orphanages until family could be found and then they were being returned to family - this may mean distant aunts and uncles but at least it is some kind of family.

I pray a lot and then when I am feeling overwhelmed I try not to see. Am I proud of that? No, but it is my reality.

I wrote this just to try and give you all a glimpse into our lives, not to seek sympathy but rather to encourage prayers for South Sudan and its wonderful people.