Letters and Uniforms...

One of the tasks for my most recent visit to South Sudan was to deliver letters from sponsors and supporters to the children at Emmanuel Children's Centre, Marialbai. There is no postal service to South Sudan, so the only way to deliver these letters was in our luggage. Along with about 50kg of medical equipment and birthing kits we carried 5kg of letters - one for each of the 240 children. It might not be the most strategically useful package ever delivered to South Sudan, but for most of these children it was the first letter they had received and was a tangible expression of the love of supporters from Australia.

I had hoped to personally give each child their letter and take photos to show their sponsors and the other letter writers. In the end we didnt have time to do this so I gave the letters to Paulino Malou and asked that he give them to the children and explain how in Australia we do this to express our love to friends and family.


While our team was still there we agreed to supply uniforms to the students. After the school was registered earlier this year the Ministry of Education notified the Principal of the requirement to have a school uniform. Paulino discussed his preference of colours with myself and Ros Stafford-Green, in the end deciding on navy blue shorts and skirts with white shirts. I received the first photos of the children in uniform a few days ago and was very surprised to see the colour - lime green! I laughed. I am pretty sure I have never seen lime green school uniforms before. However I know how proud the children will be, and in a very real sense it gives them dignity in their community. Not only that... when the community see the children walking to and from school they will be reminded of supporters in Australia who are caring for the children of those who lost their lives in the long battle for freedom.

Income for the Emmanuel Children's Centre comes from child sponsorship. For more information please send me an email or download a brochure.


Photos
Delivering 240 letters to Paulino Malou
The children praying in their new uniforms

Bees - and other challenges...

A few weeks ago I visited a village in Aweil North County with my friend Pastor Angelo Atak to see the school he has started in his home village, and to learn about the church he has planted. After turning off the main road we drove through the bush for about half an hour on tracks made by cattle and bicycles. We passed herds of cattle and goats, crops of peanut, maize and sesame, and the occasional hut made of mud and grass.

As we approached the village I could see the children running to form lines and sing songs of welcome - about 150 children singing their hearts out! This is a school without classrooms. The classes meet under trees and the teachers provide education every day without a salary. I can see a few remnants of mud buildings which testify to previous attempts to provide shelter from the rain and heat. In the end the shady trees provide the most practical solution. I met with the teachers and community leaders in the school "office" which probably wont survive another rainy season. At the end of the speeches I was given a goat as a sign of appreciation for my visit. I thanked them but asked that it be given to the teachers instead. These are dedicated leaders working without pay and under difficult conditions because they believe the future generation deserves an education. Despite their best efforts the drop out rate is high - especially amongst the girls.

After the meeting I asked Angelo to show me where the church meets. We walked across the clearing and he pointed to a large shady tree. He said "We used to meet under that tree, but a swarm of bees came and drove us away, so now we meet under that tree over there."

We laughed about it, but I am inspired by my brother who has faced many obstacles, and still persists in meeting the needs of his community.

Photos (from top)

Children singing songs of welcome (office in the background)

Students in class under the tree

Pastor Angelo Atak pointing to the original church that is now home to a swarm of bees.

The new church tree

Progress at Marialbai Mission...

Pastor Paulino Malou reports that there has been a noticeable improvement in the health and happiness of the 240 orphans since the Marialbai Mission commenced in September. He writes “The cooks are often giving their testimonies on how God blessed Ayat Community and Aweil West County in particular so that orphans life has been changed and improved as ever expected therefore, PRAISE THE LORD AND GLORY UNTO HIM.”

Approval has been received from the Ministry of Education to commence Junior Primary classes and applications have been submitted for the curriculum. But even before formal classes have commenced the children are demonstrating their hunger to learn English and memorize Bible verses.

Income from GMP’s Child Sponsorship provides a daily nutrition program for the children, and as sponsorship increases this will also cover the salaries of the teachers in the new school. Plans are being developed for the construction of classrooms, and until then the feeding centre building is being used.

Donations have also been committed for the construction of a chapel and Pastor Butros is already providing spiritual leadership and care for this new community.

A team from GMP will return to Marialbai in a few months to see the progress of the mission, and to facilitate the next stages of development.

Photos: 

Pastor Paulino Malou, Coordinator of the Marialbai COC Mission, addressing children in the feeding centre which is also being used as a school and chapel.

Pastor Butros and children on the opening day of the mission, September 2010

A Girl’s School…

My friend Majok was quite determined. I had already told him I didn’t think there was time in my busy schedule to visit his village in Aweil East… but he persisted and in the end I gave in. I rescheduled some arrangements and was assured we would be home in time for an important appointment at 4 PM.

We left later than planned (which is normal), had some extra errands on the way (which is also normal), and then found the road was flooded which required a lengthy detour and then when our car couldn’t take us any further we got out to walk for the last hour. About this time I was realizing I had little chance of making my afternoon meeting.

The community leaders and what looked like half the village were waiting for us under the tree that served as the village council rooms. As the speeches rolled on I gave up any hope of being home on time. Finally two young women spoke. They told me how their school had collapsed and been closed. The boys are able to attend school in a nearby village, but the girls and younger children are required to stay at home and so currently have no access to education. Majok had already told me how they had made bricks that could be used for a school, but lack of funding had put an end to the project. I was assured they had everything they needed for a functional school – if we could provide assistance with iron and cement.

After the speeches concluded we walked to see the bricks that had been made. I was impressed. There were thousands of bricks, made by hand, dried and then baked before being carefully arranged in five huge stacks, ready to be put to use. Afterwards we passed what was left of the old school – just a few remaining bricks scattered on the ground. Majok pointed out where the four classrooms once stood and what was left of the school office.

We were offered chicken and rice, but I explained we didn’t have time to stop and eat. I hoped our driver was still waiting for us. I told Majok I had time to quickly visit his home and meet his wife and children before the journey home. Then it rained. Heavily! Majok suggested we stay the night and find our way home the next day, but I was adamant. I had more meetings arranged in the morning I couldn’t afford to miss. People laughed at us as we slipped along the greasy tracks in the pouring rain and when we borrowed a couple of bikes they were surprised that a white man could ride. Finally it got too dark to see and we completed the journey on foot once again, and to my relief (and surprise) found our driver was there waiting for us. After a long drive home on flooded tracks and rough roads we arrived home in Aweil a bit before mid-night.

(Since leaving Sudan I have received a budget for the project and have had conversations with potential sponsors).