We had a problem with a fund-transfer this week. When we finally tracked the money, the bank manager and other staff explained in detail the reasons why they couldn't release the funds. Their explanations made sense and it seemed nothing could be done except to cancel the transaction and ask for the money to be sent again - costing us a lot of time and money and causing stress to the leaders of our program.
Just then I recognized Cecilia, Joseph's niece who works at the bank. We chatted about different members of the family and she made a phone call to let them know I was in Juba.
When the manager walked back in Cecilia told him excitedly "This is my uncle."
Now, I don’t exactly look like Cecilia’s uncle, but he shook my hand and said "Well, if he is your uncle we had better do something." He offered a solution on the spot and in less than a minute resolved our problem in a way I had just been told was impossible.
And that’s the way things work in South Sudan.
