THIS BLOG WAS WRITTEN AT JUBA AIRPORT ON THE DAY I LEFT SOUTH SUDAN (MARCH 25), BUT DUE TO THE LOGISTICS AT THE TIME IN FINDING A WORKABLE WIFI TO UPLOAD, I AM ADDING IT TO MY TRAVEL LOG TODAY. MARCH 30:
Dr. Luke Benson, my protector in Juba.
I am back in Juba from where I started two weeks ago. William’s nephew who drove me back from the Nimule area on Thursday, took me to Dr. Luke Benson’s office. Luke is a well known, successful medical doctor who has his office in Juba and a thriving business of import of medical equipment and supplies.
Juba is not safe for a white-skinned woman like me wandering the streets alone, so William wanted to ensure that Dr. Luke would keep an eye on me and help me find my way around. He told me he would be delighted to do so, “This is very special to me, since your husband and you are my benefactors,” he said. “We are…?” I was puzzled, but when he began explaining, the dots connected. Twenty years ago, he was a little refugee boy in the large UN camp in Northern Uganda where Steve and I, among other things, helped sponsored a grade- and high school. The oldest of his sister’s eight children, William had promised to care for Luke’s education. Little Luke was smart and came out shining. “You my be happy to know that there are more than thirty people in leadership roles in different NGOs and other places of influence in Juba today who were graduates from that school… your generosity helped change our circumstances from utter poverty to being productive people in rebuilding our nation.” I was deeply moved… this is a visible fruit of my husband Steve’s labor of love from the donation he initially poured into the refugee camp in Northern Uganda through William to help improve the suffering of the South Sudanese languishing there … I was reminded of the Scripture that one plants, another waters, but it is God who gives the growth!!
The first item on Luke’s agenda was to find me a place to stay. I wanted to be fully immersed among the local people, so he found me a room in an Ethiopian guest house; it was cheaper than the western style hotels, and relatively safe. The only drawback was that, when the sun set, the generator was turned off, so I was in pitch dark till the next morning without air-conditioning, The bed sheets were drenched every morning. I had forgotten to bring a flashlight, so at night I kept learning what it means to be blind as I was trying to find my way in a pitch dark room!
Simon and Matthew at the sirport the day I left.
The next morning when I opened the gate to the street… guess what was staring me in the eye: The Norwegian flag!!! “Incidentally” … the Norwegian Embassy was located right across the street… what is that for God’ guidance!! When I first arrived, I had wanted to sign in with them to make my presence known, but the logistics were too overwhelming to get there in a sprawling city of 3-4 million people living side by side without street names or high-rises of any kind. So, I dressed up a bit and knocked on their gate, and had a great conversation with the Embassy’s Director of Development.
The rest of the weekend was spent with Matthew and Simon hanging out together while sharing life and food, and talking about faith, church and pertinent issues they are facing. We walked and talked, and they gave me so much information on their history and culture. I did not see a white face the entire weekend… for a couple of days I was included into the fabric of life of South Sudan, and began getting a glimpse of life seen through their eyes and heart… yes… AFRICA HAS CERTAINLY GRIPPED ME; I AM BURYING A SLICE OF MY HEART INTO THE RICH, FERTILE SOIL HERE!!
Simon with his mom who is suffering from serious diabetes.
Simon took me to see his mom; she had just arrived home from the hospital where she has had a few toes chopped off due to gangrene from advanced diabetes. Her home consists of a few bamboo mats draped over a few poles with a bed and a broken chair inside the “room”… yes, abject poverty, indeed – like thousand of others. I gave her my first aid kit and some money as a love gift. She motioned to heaven and smiled, “God is good” and showed me her Bible she had just been reading. Paul was right when he reminds us that those who are poor in this world, are rich in faith!
The Jesus film moved the audience to cheers and tears!
Saturday night, Matthew had an outreach in street no 107, where he conducts his church service – there I went to the movies for real!! A sheet stretched between two poles, a generator for electricity and the running of the sound system and the video projector, a bunch of rented plastic chairs… the entertainment was on! The newest production of the Jesus Film blasted the whole neighborhood, and this time there were much more men gathered, even those drunk from the nearby bar came to watch. It was so compelling to sit in the dark under the starlit sky and watch the total emotional engagement of the 3-400 people gathered as they watched the progression of Jesus’ life! You should hear the gasp of the crowd when Jesus raised the little girl from the dead, the crying when He died, and the cheering and clapping when He rose… this is definitely the most unique and meaningful Easter I have celebrated in a long time! Sunday night the celebration continued with the worship, preaching, and dancing in the street under the open sky!
The children were adorable!
On a cute note.. in every place I visited, little kids would come up to me, feel my hair, and then begin rubbing my skin to get the white off so the real black could show… the Dinka children in particular are used to their parents at times covering themselves in white ashes. Sorry… I do not have that beautifully, ebony, jet black skin!!
Sunday morning I took some time to rest for the first time during my travel. I have eaten something that has given me diarrhea… very unpleasant, to say the least. In the last couple of days I have been under the weather a bit… adrenalin exhaustion, I think. Besides, I decided at the onset not to slobber on the sunscreen and use anti mosquito spray… did not want to expose my body to so much chemicals or smell like a chemical factory. Although there are few mosquitoes right now at the end of the dry season, I must admit I have been bitten a few times… however, I was not going to self-protect at the expense of missing the precious moments of the sunset and the onset of dark when everybody gathers around the fire or the little solar lantern, and stories, songs and dance come forth from the rich fabric of the people’s rich cultural heritage… which they are rediscovering after years in the desert.
Dr. Luke concluded I did not have malaria.
Dr. Luke wanted to be sure I had not gotten Malaria, so yesterday he took me to the clinic lab and tested my blood… I am fine, just a bit tired. He also gave me a full Malaria treatment to take with me if the sickness shows up a few weeks after I return home.
Today, Monday, is my last day in South Sudan. Dr. Luke and Simon joined me in visiting Norwegian Church Aid. They are the most loved and respected NGO among the people here. They stayed and worked diligently during the entire war and have effectuated much improvement in many areas of people’s lives. The Director, a spirited Viking-looking Irish woman who has given her life for 25 years in the service of relief aid in some of the most dangerous war-ridden regions in Africa, was busy, but gave me a full hour of her time with so much insightful information. We connected well and will stay in touch… she is a great resource to those from abroad who work here.
Well, this chapter is coming to and end. I am Juba Airport, have just said a warm farewell to Dr. Lukas, Matthew and Simon, and waiting for Egypt Air flying me to Cairo where I will stay overnight before I fly on to Istanbul and London tomorrow. See you there!
The children – the hope for a better future in the New Sudan!