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!

 finally a desk to work at!!

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 2^nd 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.

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!

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.

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.

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!

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.