Ok, I admit to being a little depressed and bored. We have not had the language help we needed for the last month so it has been boring on that front. I have tried to go to the church offices to start getting acquainted with the system they use BUT the men have been gone for the last 3 weeks so here I sit. We still try to find things to do several days a week and we have one language helper on Saturdays but for the most part it is sit around and try to find something to do.
We have had some things going on. Michael Weller, who lives in Ethiopia, has been here several times in the last month and that has been nice to have someone different to talk to plus he has given us some things to do. Michael is our Regional Liaison and is handing over some of his work to Lynn and he has been introducing us to people. Michael also happens to be married to my ( Sharon ) good friend from growing up in Ethiopia so we have lots to talk about:) Michael and Rachel just went to the States and my oldest brother sent a birthday gift along with them when they came back - a pan to make hot dog buns in!! I did not even know there was such a thing! So, now we can have hotdogs for supper once in a while:)
Things continue to not look good for peace. There has been renewed fighting in the Malakal area and people are frustrated with the government. We do wonder if there will be another big blow up and pray that that does not happen. Don't worry about us - if it does happen we can get out quickly.
We now have all the missionaries here in country that are supposed to be here with the last one arriving April 2. This means that in our building we have 7 PCUSA people spread out on all 3 floors.
This is when having such a small place is really a pain cause I can't have everyone over for a meal or really even for cake or sodas. I bake and then make the rounds just giving the stuff away rather than having people in to help eat it. Well, the only one who comes in to see what I have to eat is one of the workers here, he is the maintenance guy and likes to practice his English with us.
We continue to believe that we are where God wants us to be. It is hard when we have so little to do right now. It is easy to get discouraged and wonder why we came here but God has His ways of reminding us that we just need to do as He asks and that when the time is right He will show us His plans for us. Waiting has never been my strong point:) ( I can hear our kids saying AMEN that).
I am sorry that it took me so long to post the Easter blog -I wanted Lynn to read it and we both kept forgetting. So, now you are getting two of them back to back.
We are enjoying the rainy season. Things are a little cooler these days (88) and it is actually nice and cool when I go for my walk in the morning. We get rain for a day or two and then none for several days. When it does rain it rains long and hard and the roads are a muddy mess but then the next day things are drying up quickly. People are planting where ever they can and it is nice to see things so green.
What do you want to hear about? Leave a comment or email me.
Thursday, April 23, 2015
Easter
Our first Easter in Juba. I had great expectations for this Easter. I told Lynn I wanted to go to an English speaking service so I could actually understand what was being said. We normally go to an Arabic service to try and hear more Arabic and learn some new words. Of course, this Sunday, the buses took forever to fill up ( they are about a 14 seater van) and they will not go until they are full! So, we were late for church but when the service goes 2 hours that is not all bad :). We got in on some of the singing, all of the announcements, more singing and then it was 10:24 and the service is supposed to end at 10:45 (there is another service at 11) and we still needed to have the sermon and communion! The preacher preached fast and we quickly had communion and as the last person received the wine we were dismissed. It was not how I envisioned our Easter being but it was ok. It reminded me that Easter and any other service at any time of year, is what you make of it. I can decide to worship no matter what the situation and make it a meaningful time for me. I can always go home and listen to the music I want to hear, read the scripture I want to and meditate on the Glory of God. It is what we make it. So, while it was not what I had in mind for Easter Sunday, it was still a time with other believers and a time to reflect on what Easter means to me.
We are enjoying cooler temperatures these days - only 88 - 95 with rain about 4 times a week. It is overcast most every day which really helps when out walking around. I have been getting up early and going for a walk while it is still cool. I have been amazed at how many people are out running in the morning and they are not all expats! It is kind of fun to see the city coming awake at 6:30 in the morning. Mind you, I think the guards here at the apartment think I am crazy but, oh well.:)
We are still having trouble with getting a language helper. We do have one that we meet with once a week and she is really helping us, but the others have wanted WAY to much money so we are not sure what to do now. I will be starting work next week at the church offices just because I need to be doing something and since language is not happening I may as well get to work. I will be helping the Treasurer with learning how to do reporting of funds received and spent. We will both be learning a new program so this could get interesting! I will also be working with the General Secretary of the Church helping with anything he needs help with. These men both speak English so that will not be a problem but working in a small room with no air conditioning or even fans will be ....interesting.
Things here in Juba have been quiet but in other areas there has been fighting again. In the Malakal area ( where I lived until I was 4 ) there has been fighting again this week(and just about every week).
There is still uncertainty about what may happen between the two leaders here and so people are edge. All anyone wants is peace!
Lynn continues to be doing well. He is back to his normal, ornery self. It is interesting that while we were in Nairobi for Lynn's kidney stones, the General Secretary of the Church went to Khartoum with the same problem and then Lynn's mother had a kidney stone! Who knew that Lynn could be such a trend setter:)
Ok, enough rambling for this time! We miss all of you and love hearing from you.
We are enjoying cooler temperatures these days - only 88 - 95 with rain about 4 times a week. It is overcast most every day which really helps when out walking around. I have been getting up early and going for a walk while it is still cool. I have been amazed at how many people are out running in the morning and they are not all expats! It is kind of fun to see the city coming awake at 6:30 in the morning. Mind you, I think the guards here at the apartment think I am crazy but, oh well.:)
We are still having trouble with getting a language helper. We do have one that we meet with once a week and she is really helping us, but the others have wanted WAY to much money so we are not sure what to do now. I will be starting work next week at the church offices just because I need to be doing something and since language is not happening I may as well get to work. I will be helping the Treasurer with learning how to do reporting of funds received and spent. We will both be learning a new program so this could get interesting! I will also be working with the General Secretary of the Church helping with anything he needs help with. These men both speak English so that will not be a problem but working in a small room with no air conditioning or even fans will be ....interesting.
Things here in Juba have been quiet but in other areas there has been fighting again. In the Malakal area ( where I lived until I was 4 ) there has been fighting again this week(and just about every week).
There is still uncertainty about what may happen between the two leaders here and so people are edge. All anyone wants is peace!
Lynn continues to be doing well. He is back to his normal, ornery self. It is interesting that while we were in Nairobi for Lynn's kidney stones, the General Secretary of the Church went to Khartoum with the same problem and then Lynn's mother had a kidney stone! Who knew that Lynn could be such a trend setter:)
Ok, enough rambling for this time! We miss all of you and love hearing from you.
Friday, March 27, 2015
Back to Juba
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| mosquito net over the hospital bed :) |
Lynn did get an MRI and a CT scan done. The scan showed one large stone and several smaller stones right behind it so no wonder he was in a lot of pain. All the tests they did that first day came back kind of scary, they said his kidneys were working at less than 50% and other numbers were off also. Not what you want to hear when you are far from home. On day 13 of pain he finally passed the stone but by then he was so worn down it was hard for him to eat and drink like he needed to and he ended up in the hospital with dehydration and a fever but was discharged after only 2 nights in the hospital.
I feel like the last 2 weeks would need about 6 blogs just to get caught up!
Some things we learned:
1. Every time you go to the Dr or get any kind of test done at the hospital you need a letter from your insurance promising to pay the bill. It does not matter if you were there the day before for the same test, you better have a letter.
2. God provides support where ever you are.
3. I (Sharon) do not have any patience for dealing with people in the States who are supposed to know how to handle things, insurance wise, in another country and don't believe me when I say I cannot get a certain phone number for them.
4. It is easy to pick up with friends you have not seen for 20+ years
5. The food in the hospital was served stove hot.
6. God is good!
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| I love that whenever we go to Nairobi we see beautiful flowers! |
7. Even good guesthouse food gets old after 2 weeks.
8. Even with all the uncertainty at first with Lynn's health, we felt the prayers of you all and we knew that God was in control - even when it was hard for us to pray.
9. In Kenya, Lynn is a girls name only, so at the hospital everyone was getting a good laugh out of his name. Yes, Lynn fed into the jokes all the time.
Lynn did get a real ego boost our first day in Kenya. When we went down to get an appt. for the MRI the lady there wanted to know where the person was who was getting the MRI. When I pointed at Lynn, who was standing right there and talking to her she said there was no way Lynn is 60 years old! She was looking behind us to find an old man :) She thought Lynn was 45!!
We did enjoy getting away from the heat of Juba and even though I would not call it a relaxing time away we were still ready to get back to Juba and try to get into a normal routine again. We are hoping to find another language teacher and continue with learning Arabic.
There is really no way I can express how much your emails meant to us during that time. I know some of you felt like you did not want to "bother" us but reading those is no bother and I answer as I can.
Please continue to pray for Lynn to gain strength. Pray also for South Sudan.
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| Headed back to Juba! |
Friday, March 6, 2015
Traveling Fun
Well, our adventure continues! We are taking a little break in Nairobi, Kenya and the process of getting here was....interesting.
We were to be at the Juba airport at 2pm for check in and when they say 2 they mean 2 and not one minute before! We arrived 20 minutes early and while the people were at the desk they said not before 2, so okay, we wait. At 2 the people behind the desk get up and leave! So, wait a minute, you said wait until 2 and then you leave???? They came back in about 10 minutes with 2 briefcases which at first we thought were computers and since the power had just gone off we thought, oh boy, but the cases were full of boarding passes, luggage tags etc. Ok, so now we get checked in, someone takes our suitcase to weigh and we try to keep track of it through the crowd. Oh, and it is over 100 degrees, no air-conditioning and no breeze, just sweat running down the body in rivers. Ok, get our suitcase back and tagged, now what? Oh, on to immigration, ok. At immigration they have one of those things that scans your face but they can't have air-conditioning in the building? I love Juba:) Done with immigration and off to go through security and into another HOT room where there are no empty seats so we stand until a plane boards and then there is a rush for the empty seats. Guess what? there is air-conditioning in the room - you just have to sit right beside the air-conditioner to feel it! I was just glad to have a seat! Our plane was to leave at 4 with boarding at 3:30. Mind you, someone just walks through the area announcing boarding so you have to pay attention. At about 5 til 4 they announce our plane and we go to the door where someone leads across the tarmac, under the wings of other airplanes, around airplanes, through other people getting off airplanes and finally to our airplane which I think was the furthest from the building. At the plane you go over to a cart, identify your suitcases and then they put them on the plane - it was nice to know our suitcase was going to be on the plane with us.
We arrive in Nairobi and, wow, was I impressed with the airport! Mind you, it has been 20 years since I was last here so things should have changed. We landed and went through immigration, got our suitcase, went through customs and were outside in less than 30 minutes!!!! We we got off the airplane we went down the steps and walked over to a bus that would take us to the building. Well, when we got off the airplane it was breezy and cool - maybe 70 degrees and it felt great! I know, I know, we have been bragging about our hot weather but I will admit that Juba is just plain HOT so this felt really good. Now, don't get me wrong, I will take Juba weather any day over what Ohio has been getting this winter!
So, here we are at Amani Gardens Inn ( formerly the Mennonite Guesthouse ) in Nairobi, for a week. We have stayed here many times years ago, but things have changed - new buildings, different meal set up but the feel is still the same. This is a little piece of heaven. Beautiful gardens, big play area for kids, tennis court, friendly people. A chance to recharge the body.
We are also going to get some medical things taken care of while here and do some shopping for things we can't get in Juba.
I could not get this posted yesterday so I can give a bit of an update today.
We spent most of the day yesterday at the hospital getting tests done on Lynn. We still have some more to do but would really appreciate your prayers. Lynn is having trouble with pain in the kidney area and the Dr. here in Nairobi wants to do an MRI on Monday.
One thing about Nairobi that has changed that we really do not like is the traffic. I think we could have walked back from the hospital faster than the taxi drove! It is nothing for a 20 min ride to take an hour! I am really glad I do not have to drive in this city. What is normally a 1 hour drive to the airport can now take close to 3 hours depending on the time of day. There is a very narrow window that you can do it in the 1 hour.
We are blessed to have all of you praying for us.
We were to be at the Juba airport at 2pm for check in and when they say 2 they mean 2 and not one minute before! We arrived 20 minutes early and while the people were at the desk they said not before 2, so okay, we wait. At 2 the people behind the desk get up and leave! So, wait a minute, you said wait until 2 and then you leave???? They came back in about 10 minutes with 2 briefcases which at first we thought were computers and since the power had just gone off we thought, oh boy, but the cases were full of boarding passes, luggage tags etc. Ok, so now we get checked in, someone takes our suitcase to weigh and we try to keep track of it through the crowd. Oh, and it is over 100 degrees, no air-conditioning and no breeze, just sweat running down the body in rivers. Ok, get our suitcase back and tagged, now what? Oh, on to immigration, ok. At immigration they have one of those things that scans your face but they can't have air-conditioning in the building? I love Juba:) Done with immigration and off to go through security and into another HOT room where there are no empty seats so we stand until a plane boards and then there is a rush for the empty seats. Guess what? there is air-conditioning in the room - you just have to sit right beside the air-conditioner to feel it! I was just glad to have a seat! Our plane was to leave at 4 with boarding at 3:30. Mind you, someone just walks through the area announcing boarding so you have to pay attention. At about 5 til 4 they announce our plane and we go to the door where someone leads across the tarmac, under the wings of other airplanes, around airplanes, through other people getting off airplanes and finally to our airplane which I think was the furthest from the building. At the plane you go over to a cart, identify your suitcases and then they put them on the plane - it was nice to know our suitcase was going to be on the plane with us.
We arrive in Nairobi and, wow, was I impressed with the airport! Mind you, it has been 20 years since I was last here so things should have changed. We landed and went through immigration, got our suitcase, went through customs and were outside in less than 30 minutes!!!! We we got off the airplane we went down the steps and walked over to a bus that would take us to the building. Well, when we got off the airplane it was breezy and cool - maybe 70 degrees and it felt great! I know, I know, we have been bragging about our hot weather but I will admit that Juba is just plain HOT so this felt really good. Now, don't get me wrong, I will take Juba weather any day over what Ohio has been getting this winter!
So, here we are at Amani Gardens Inn ( formerly the Mennonite Guesthouse ) in Nairobi, for a week. We have stayed here many times years ago, but things have changed - new buildings, different meal set up but the feel is still the same. This is a little piece of heaven. Beautiful gardens, big play area for kids, tennis court, friendly people. A chance to recharge the body.
We are also going to get some medical things taken care of while here and do some shopping for things we can't get in Juba.
I could not get this posted yesterday so I can give a bit of an update today.
We spent most of the day yesterday at the hospital getting tests done on Lynn. We still have some more to do but would really appreciate your prayers. Lynn is having trouble with pain in the kidney area and the Dr. here in Nairobi wants to do an MRI on Monday.
One thing about Nairobi that has changed that we really do not like is the traffic. I think we could have walked back from the hospital faster than the taxi drove! It is nothing for a 20 min ride to take an hour! I am really glad I do not have to drive in this city. What is normally a 1 hour drive to the airport can now take close to 3 hours depending on the time of day. There is a very narrow window that you can do it in the 1 hour.
We are blessed to have all of you praying for us.
Wednesday, February 18, 2015
I keep seeing how cold it is in Ohio and all the snow that they have and I keep thinking " THANK YOU, God for allowing me to be here, in Juba, where it is 104 today. Now, I am not really trying to rub it in ( ok, maybe a little ) I am just very thankful I am not in that cold and snow!
We are almost two months into learning Juba Arabic and we can now say....... well I am not sure WHAT we can say:) We both thought we were doing about as good as could be expected and then we tried to talk to the taxi driver and he looked at us like we were speaking gibberish. What we have realized is that there are about 3 different levels of Juba Arabic and while we thought we could aim for the middle one we have found out that we need the top two. This means that for a lot of the words we have to learn 2 different ones or at least understand one and use the other. Now, for our tired brains, this is proving difficult. There has been progress in that the one shop keeper seems to like that we are trying to learn a little more classical Arabic and is willing for us to try our luck with him. Actually, I think we could ask basic directions (very basic) and maybe even understand the directions given. We have started going to and Arabic church service just to get used to hearing the language and picking out words that we know. We are pretty proud of ourselves when we get the chapter and verse of scripture, now if we could just figure out which book they are in!
We were cautioned that it may not be a good idea for Lynn and I to be in class together but we have found that it has been good for both of us. Interestingly, I hear the language(right now) better than Lynn but he remembers words and speaks it better than I do. So, I listen and he talks!:) I know, I know, I can hear the comments now - be nice!
We continue to explore the city. Lynn has had great luck in finding little grocery stores that carry wonderful items like almonds ( about the same price as in the States), cocoa from Saudi Arabia and Ferrerro Roche chocolates! It is kind of like a treasure hunt when we go to new areas. We also keep trying new restaurants and little cafes that serve ice-cream (mango flavored!) so we are not suffering.
Lynn had a meeting with a man from one of the villages that wants a school built and so while we are not officially on the job, we are trying to do some things around language school. It is nice to have something to think about besides Arabic and my lack of grammar skills. :) Most of the people we work with, like this man, know English so we can get by but when you see how pleased people are that we are trying to learn Arabic it gives us the push to keep going.
We really do like to hear from all of you! It is nice to know our ramblings are being read and that people are praying for us. I think it is those prayers that have been getting us through language school and spending all of our time together. As most of you know, Lynn used to drive truck and would be gone from Sunday evening to Friday evening so this has been a huge change for us.
Please continue to pray for peace here in South Sudan, for the people as they put their lives back together and for the love of God to be felt here. Know that we are praying for all of you.
We are almost two months into learning Juba Arabic and we can now say....... well I am not sure WHAT we can say:) We both thought we were doing about as good as could be expected and then we tried to talk to the taxi driver and he looked at us like we were speaking gibberish. What we have realized is that there are about 3 different levels of Juba Arabic and while we thought we could aim for the middle one we have found out that we need the top two. This means that for a lot of the words we have to learn 2 different ones or at least understand one and use the other. Now, for our tired brains, this is proving difficult. There has been progress in that the one shop keeper seems to like that we are trying to learn a little more classical Arabic and is willing for us to try our luck with him. Actually, I think we could ask basic directions (very basic) and maybe even understand the directions given. We have started going to and Arabic church service just to get used to hearing the language and picking out words that we know. We are pretty proud of ourselves when we get the chapter and verse of scripture, now if we could just figure out which book they are in!
We were cautioned that it may not be a good idea for Lynn and I to be in class together but we have found that it has been good for both of us. Interestingly, I hear the language(right now) better than Lynn but he remembers words and speaks it better than I do. So, I listen and he talks!:) I know, I know, I can hear the comments now - be nice!
We continue to explore the city. Lynn has had great luck in finding little grocery stores that carry wonderful items like almonds ( about the same price as in the States), cocoa from Saudi Arabia and Ferrerro Roche chocolates! It is kind of like a treasure hunt when we go to new areas. We also keep trying new restaurants and little cafes that serve ice-cream (mango flavored!) so we are not suffering.
Lynn had a meeting with a man from one of the villages that wants a school built and so while we are not officially on the job, we are trying to do some things around language school. It is nice to have something to think about besides Arabic and my lack of grammar skills. :) Most of the people we work with, like this man, know English so we can get by but when you see how pleased people are that we are trying to learn Arabic it gives us the push to keep going.
We really do like to hear from all of you! It is nice to know our ramblings are being read and that people are praying for us. I think it is those prayers that have been getting us through language school and spending all of our time together. As most of you know, Lynn used to drive truck and would be gone from Sunday evening to Friday evening so this has been a huge change for us.
Please continue to pray for peace here in South Sudan, for the people as they put their lives back together and for the love of God to be felt here. Know that we are praying for all of you.
Monday, February 2, 2015
Pochalla Trip
December 23, 2014
For those of you who were doubters I "Lynn" a soon to be 60 year old am actually making a blog entry (I can't believe it either)An MAF plane arrives in Pochalla, South Sudan with a bunch of westerners hoping to some day make a small difference in a small village. A choir is singing and probably 200 people show up to welcome the long awaited arrival of these people. Maybe Pochalla will some day have a school ! Pochalla is so remote that change is almost unimaginable. Sandwiched between two rivers access is very difficult. Plane, funny as it may seem is one of the few ways to get to Pochalla. By foot is the other sure way. Trucks, pretty much impossible unless you have a 6 wheel drive army truck and it's the dry season so the river will only be 4' feet deep.
The river in the photo below is the Akobo River . The land on the opposite side is actually Ethiopia. Pochalla is a beautiful town and I wouldn't mind living there but the area also presents many challenges. Peaceful and quiet yes. Also no schools, medical care, internet service, phones, etc.
It will likely be the end of this year before much of anything will be happening in Pochalla, but we hope to make a difference there with time.
Prayer concerns for the Kandels:
Language learning
Continued good health
Smooth transition to our new roles once we finish language learning.
Tuesday, January 13, 2015
Learning Arabic
This will probably be a short one.
Our big news is that we finally have a language teacher and have had 4 classes so far! Lynn and I are learning from the same person at the same time even tho we had first wanted our own teachers. This seems to be working pretty good for us - I can hear what is being said and I tell Lynn and then he knows how to answer! :) We are recording the classes so that we can listen to them later to pick up what we missed the first time around. The classes are for 1 - 1 1/2 hours and my the time we are done so is my brain.
Now that we are learning some Arabic we hope that we will be able to move around the city with more ease. Many people know at least some English but when asking directions it will be helpful to know Arabic.
Saturday we spent 3 hours trying to find a hotel on the outskirts of town and never did find it. We will go back and try again now that we have a better idea of where to look. Lucky for us it was not as hot on Saturday - only about 93 - so walking around all that time was not to bad. This place we are looking for is supposed to have pretty good "American" food and we thought it would be fun to try.
How could I forget my other big news??? I found baking cocoa!!!! That makes for a very happy Sharon :) We have been eating mangos ( hoping to make my brothers jealous) and papaya and even some passion fruit.
Okay, that is all I have for now. We are looking forward to some visitors next week from our head offices in Louisville so maybe next time I will have some travel things to write about.
Our big news is that we finally have a language teacher and have had 4 classes so far! Lynn and I are learning from the same person at the same time even tho we had first wanted our own teachers. This seems to be working pretty good for us - I can hear what is being said and I tell Lynn and then he knows how to answer! :) We are recording the classes so that we can listen to them later to pick up what we missed the first time around. The classes are for 1 - 1 1/2 hours and my the time we are done so is my brain.
Now that we are learning some Arabic we hope that we will be able to move around the city with more ease. Many people know at least some English but when asking directions it will be helpful to know Arabic.
Saturday we spent 3 hours trying to find a hotel on the outskirts of town and never did find it. We will go back and try again now that we have a better idea of where to look. Lucky for us it was not as hot on Saturday - only about 93 - so walking around all that time was not to bad. This place we are looking for is supposed to have pretty good "American" food and we thought it would be fun to try.
How could I forget my other big news??? I found baking cocoa!!!! That makes for a very happy Sharon :) We have been eating mangos ( hoping to make my brothers jealous) and papaya and even some passion fruit.
Okay, that is all I have for now. We are looking forward to some visitors next week from our head offices in Louisville so maybe next time I will have some travel things to write about.
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