Links with our partners...

Yesterday was a tough day. I was emotionally exhausted from the previous day. Mother Adut cooked fried fish for our dinner – Joseph’s favourite – but soon my stomach was churning and by morning I vomited. The day was hot and humid and dusty and I was feeling physically and emotionally very weak. Joseph asked if I would eat lunch and I tell him I think I can eat some rice. I really would like an orange, and within minutes Adut brings me an orange. I tell her she can read my thoughts. Her English is only a little better than my Dinka, but the way she takes my hand, and the care in her eyes communicate her deep care and concern.

In the afternoon we walked to the markets where I spotted Angier and called out “My Sister!”. People stared at this strange greeting: A young Dinka woman with long straight hair, Canadian accent and stylish western clothes hugging a tall, bald Kawaja. I tell her we have heard the police have been arresting women wearing pants and that I told Joseph if they tried to arrest her I would like to be there to see it. She laughs in agreement. “Oh yeah, let them come. I will read to them the constitution!” She tells me about taking a very sick man to the hospital and telling the officials “I don’t care what title you have, this man needs to be treated”. She will make a difference in this town.

With Angier is Yournew Wol. Yournew is now the Commissioner of Awiel South County but previously has been instrumental in establishing and coordinating the development of Churches of Christ in Northern Bahr El Ghazel and the Kakuma refugee camp in Kenya. While working in Khartoum in about 1980 Yournew met Paul Douglas, an American who was working in the hospital and together they worked to establish Churches of Christ in Sudan. Through the work of Yournew and others they established a church in Kakuma, a Bible College in Aweil South and have planted churches and established clinics in various parts of the Aweil region. The work continues to be supported financially by the American churches through the coordination of Paul Douglas. I want to talk more but Yournew and Angier need to leave so we say “Awk bi-eawk”.

This morning we visit Philip Akot, the COC Pastor I met briefly in Juba, and I learn more about the ministry of our churches here. We discuss the way we might work together and he is enthusiastic about building relationship with churches in Australia. We hope to be able to visit soon and see “with our own eyes”. But already I sense a partnership developing.