Aprol 5th to April 15th GREETINGS FROM ATIABA

APRIL 5TH to the 15th - GREETINGS FROM ATIABA

So much to share and so little Internet time......

I am writing this on Saturday morning. It is very hot. Cleous, the Ugandan teacher, is doing laundry, Jim is trying to handle an insect problem (he has all the fun), and I have just reviewed some paperwork on potential students to the school.

I am moved by the paperwork of a 22 year old named Daniel. He has returned to Southern Sudan and received his primary schooling in Kenya at Kakuma Refugee Camp. I wonder about what kinds of experiences Daniel has had as a refugee, and think that he may have more to teach me than I have to teach him. Most days we are visited by potential students who are eager to begin. We have three girls interested in attending, and we will encourage them with our whole hearts, since girls at secondary level are rare.

So when are we actually beginning classes? The condensed version is as soon as the Ministry of Education marks the 8th grade exit exams and provides a list of so that we have an objective measure to admit 60 students. I can gauge our missionary-minded progress in the last seven weeks in Africa by saying that this delay would have absolutely frustrated us beyond measure early in the trip, and although I wish the efficiency of the marking of exams was much better, we have learned that being critical and frustrated is not helpful. We managed to negotiate and have the promise from the officials that the exams in our area will be given priority for marking, and that we may have the results as soon as April 11th. If that happens we would officially register students on April 14 and 15 and have orientation on the 17th or 18th.

We are as anxious as the young people who visit us that school begins. We are ready with everything in place, both the living quarters and the classrooms. The biggest readiness for school to open came in the form of a big celebration on March 31st. A team led by Darryl and Jennifer Ernst of Hope for Humanity, Bishop Lee of the Virginia Diocese, and Rev. David Copely from Mission Personnel Office, to name a few made up the team of nine. Their presence for the event made it a celebration and affirmation of the partnership shared by those in the U.S. with the people of Southern Sudan. Many distinguished guests came from the Sudanese government, church and community. Two bulls were given and prepared by the community and a legion of women cooked good food. The speeches and presentations went on for about four hours because there is no such thing as a short speech in Southern Sudan. The excitement and pride of the community is tangible. All and all it was an extraordinary day.

Jim and I are settling down and learning how to manage. Jim is my all purpose hero by building and repairing whatever we need around here. Most important is that we are finding our place in the community. The word community in the U.S. often designates a physical locale, but here it means a complex structure of relationships and collective decision making. We are learning how things are done and taking a role in participating. The paramount chief visited today and invited us to go to church nearby tomorrow which is under a tree in the village. We could go seven miles further and worship in an Episcopal Church in another village, but the chief made it clear that he hoped we would be a part of the Atiaba tree church. After he left, I wondered if the invitation was more than just for church, but is an invitation about belonging in a larger sense. So it seems that the biggest challenges have also been our dearest gains, and that has been to increasingly relax and enjoy the people in this community. We are making our way through situations without the cultural clues that we take for granted when we are at home in the U.S., and it seems to be working well for us.

Sunday, April 6 - I preached the sermon under the tree on Sunday morning. It was based on James 4:8 - Draw near to God and he will draw near to you. For me the verse sums up why Jim and I find ourselves in Southern Sudan and I thought that my audience might be interested in how we came to be here. After each sentence or so, someone translates my English into Dinka, and the benefit of this is that it gives you a lot of time to think of what you want to say next. I was overwhelmed with handshakes and greetings at the end of the service, so I think that the sermon passed.

April 10th - I got the flu on Tuesday, and I felt so very vulnerable. It was my plan to not get sick in Africa, but I guess it was not under my control. Today is Thursday and I am better. My first food was a meal made by a chief’s wife which included homemade bread–good medicine. This week has been difficult because we are so ready to go forward, but have been a waiting mode and time has gone slowly. We can’t help but count on the exam results being ready tomorrow......

April 12th - We learned yesterday that the exam results which we are waiting for had not even begun to be marked or processed. It is a good example of a round American peg who is used to things being accomplished in a timely way, trying to fit in the square hole of a government agency in a foreign country who has not had very much experience in bringing things to completion. Last night Jim, Cleous, and I processed our disappointment and what would be the next positive thing that we could do. Since we have said for the last week to all who asked that we would begin registration on Monday and Tuesday, the 14th and 15th, we decided to call it pre-registration instead. We will interview and fill out applications and go over any paperwork that the students bring us. We will make it very clear that this step does not mean that you are admitted, but instead shows that you are interested in coming to Hope and Resurrection Secondary School.. Through this process we can at least begin to collect our own data on possible numbers. Every time we begin making plans we hit the wall of not having any idea if we will have a low or big number of students, and lacking that information many ideas don’t go anywhere. It also serves the purpose of lessening the disappointment of those who so eagerly and faithfully keep stopping by and expressing their desire to be students. It helps all parties including us feel that perhaps there is some forward movement instead of marching in place.

April 14th - Pre-registered 22 potential students today!

Next time I will not attempt to start my own version of a great American novel and write more often than write so much. I am sure that you can read the ups and downs of life here. We have these ups and downs at home, too, but we don’t notice them so much because we have more buffers. I would love a salad and pedicure, but other than that we are OK. Do keep praying though...............

Jim and Mary