So I got back from Kampala on a Friday and on Monday was already on my way back with David. I was expecting to go back on Tuesday to facilitate the purchasing and transport of the PVC casing but ended up catching a ride with David a day earlier in his landruiser wagon instead of riding in the slow and hot lorry. Just to give you an idea of how bad the roads are, two people in the truck threw up just during the stretch from Sudan to Gulu (only halfway).
We arrived in Kampala safely and I got started on my work. Again I was delayed a couple of days because the URA (Uganda Revenue Authority) is slow and disorganized and took awhile to get my export documents processed.
During the week I was there, I made friends with some travelers and got to go out to dinner with them a few times. I thought it was pretty cool that our table consisted of two Australians, an Italian, a Swiss, and me an American. Quite an international table. The Italian guy helped me brush up on some Italian for my upcoming trip.
I got back to Sudan on Sunday with the casing. We now have everything we need to drill and will start in January. I was hoping to drill one well before I left but I'm leaving on either Thursday or Sunday for Kampala again and didn't want to rush in case something went wrong. I'm also excited about meeting a friend in Kampala that I met during mission training in Colorado. From Kampala, I'm leaving for Italy for Christmas with my brother Justin. We're going to fly into Rome, stay there for Christmas, and then drive up North for a few days. I'm pretty ready to get a break away from Africa but even more ready to spend some time with my brother.
Prayer Requests:
1. That I can get everything ready for while I'm gone.
2. Safe travel for my brother and myself.
Thank you all for your prayers and support. I'm looking forward to telling you about my trip when I get back!
Monday, December 15, 2008
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
There and Back Again
When I last wrote I was in Kampala. Since then, I've actually gone back to Sudan and then came back to Kampala Yesterday. Way too much traveling! The last trip to Kampala went well except that I was delayed and had to stay a little longer than expected and I got malaria again. Actually, the delay and the malaria worked together perfectly (one could say divinely) so that I was sick during a time when there wasn't much I could do anyways. After recovering from malaria, I left back for Sudan last Thursday along with our new big lorry a.k.a Big Momma and stayed the night in Ajumani which is just across the Nile from Sudan.
Just a day after getting back a big lorry came carrying our hand pumps. All we need to start drilling is the PVC casing and we're set!
And that brings us to the present. I'm back in Kampala to facilitate the purchase and export of 450 pieces of 5" PVC casing and screen. I've determined that we are able to use the big e3 lorry to export the casing instead of paying $2500 for somebody to do it for us. The only problem is that since the lorry is an open truck and typically exporting is limited to closed (seal-able trucks), the decision on whether or not they will allow us to export is up to the individual URA officer's (Uganda Revenue Authority) mood. This is why today I plan on calling a big URA officer I met last time I was here and taking him out to lunch and "befriending" him. Hopefully this will smooth out the process.
On other good news, the e3 container is finally coming sometime this week along with a bunch of tools and personal items. Yay!
If everything goes right, by the end of this week I should have everything I need to start drilling.
Pray that everything goes smoothly so I can get back to Sudan and put a couple of holes in the ground before Christmas.
I also uploaded some more pictures. I uploaded a few to the old album but also had to start another album because the old one was full. The links are below.
Old Album:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2012
860&l=64998&id=159100018
New Album:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2013
625&l=6f4d7&id=159100018
Just a day after getting back a big lorry came carrying our hand pumps. All we need to start drilling is the PVC casing and we're set!
And that brings us to the present. I'm back in Kampala to facilitate the purchase and export of 450 pieces of 5" PVC casing and screen. I've determined that we are able to use the big e3 lorry to export the casing instead of paying $2500 for somebody to do it for us. The only problem is that since the lorry is an open truck and typically exporting is limited to closed (seal-able trucks), the decision on whether or not they will allow us to export is up to the individual URA officer's (Uganda Revenue Authority) mood. This is why today I plan on calling a big URA officer I met last time I was here and taking him out to lunch and "befriending" him. Hopefully this will smooth out the process.
On other good news, the e3 container is finally coming sometime this week along with a bunch of tools and personal items. Yay!
If everything goes right, by the end of this week I should have everything I need to start drilling.
Pray that everything goes smoothly so I can get back to Sudan and put a couple of holes in the ground before Christmas.
I also uploaded some more pictures. I uploaded a few to the old album but also had to start another album because the old one was full. The links are below.
Old Album:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2012
860&l=64998&id=159100018
New Album:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2013
625&l=6f4d7&id=159100018
Monday, November 24, 2008
Down to Kampala
Well, I'm back in Kampala again and hopefully this time only for a short time. I drove down from Sudan today and the drive was rough! The drive was almost 300 miles and half of that was dirt roads and the other half poorly paved roads. The long drive combined with the stiff suspension of the Landcuiser, crazy bus drivers, and untrained bicyclists makes for a long, bumpy, and stressful journey. One thing that made the drive more enjoyable was stopping in Gulu and picking up a friend (Dana) who I met in Kampala last time. Dana needed a ride to Kampala, and I needed the company so I was happy to accommodate. Yet again God provided safe transport for us on the dangerous African roads. I was reminded just how much I needed that protection when I saw a man on the side of the road that had, within the last hour, been killed by a truck while riding his bike. The police weren't too concerned about covering the body so the body was just displayed there, blood, wounds and all. Dana said that while coming from Kampala to Gulu she witnessed a man get run over and killed by a truck. Thank God for His protection during today's trip because I know just how easily that could have been my truck to hit someone.
This time around I was smart and came prepared with my laptop so hopefully I'll be able to stay in touch better than last time. I'm back in Kampala because our other large truck is in. Without any delays, I should be back in Sudan by the end of the week, but I've also learned that there are always delays in Africa. Dana invited me to an American Style Thanksgiving (I guess there is no other style) on Thursday so I plan on going to that. I can't stick around too long though because construction of the compound needs me there. I've only been here a few hours and I'm already getting calls about needing this or that.
Well that's all I got for you now. Pray that everything goes smoothly here and that I can get back safely. Thank you all for your prayers!
This time around I was smart and came prepared with my laptop so hopefully I'll be able to stay in touch better than last time. I'm back in Kampala because our other large truck is in. Without any delays, I should be back in Sudan by the end of the week, but I've also learned that there are always delays in Africa. Dana invited me to an American Style Thanksgiving (I guess there is no other style) on Thursday so I plan on going to that. I can't stick around too long though because construction of the compound needs me there. I've only been here a few hours and I'm already getting calls about needing this or that.
Well that's all I got for you now. Pray that everything goes smoothly here and that I can get back safely. Thank you all for your prayers!
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
Prayer Request and Pictures
I just wanted to let you all about some bad news. Michael, the woman that recently arrived here fell down and fractured her hip. She's going to have to go back to the US after getting some treatment in Kenya. Please keep her in your prayers. She's pretty bummed since she was really excited about the work she was going to do here.
I've also uploaded more pictures from last week. Check them out!
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2012
860&l=64998&id=159100018
I've also uploaded more pictures from last week. Check them out!
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2012
860&l=64998&id=159100018
Sunday, November 16, 2008
Blessed Week
What a great and energizing week! My supervisor Graham came with a friend to check in on me and the progress made with Water Harvest International. As you have read in my last post, I was struggling with fatigue. Graham and Emily helped to bring new ideas, enthusiasm, and encouragement to me during my struggles. I now feel ready and excited to face the challenges and work ahead. I know many of you have been praying for me which I'm sure was the main reason behind my new strength. Graham's friend Emily with her fun-loving attitude and awesome sense of humor was a delightful addition as well.
During the entire trip, God's protection surrounded us. If it wasn't for this Divine protection, the week would have been disastrous from the start. As I was driving Graham and Emily back from the airport a couple of kids ran from the tall grass lining the dirt road directly in front of my truck. It was a smooth road so I was traveling at about 30mph. I slammed on my brakes as soon as I saw them and would have run them both over if the kids had not have dove to either side of my truck. I skidded past them and came within a foot of running over their legs. If the kids had not have dove, I would have, without a doubt, killed them. Besides that, God also protected us as we drove deep in the bush where at times I couldn't even anything in front of me because of the tall grass and had to rely on people guiding me from the back of the pickup.
Besides that first scary episode, the rest of the week went very well. Graham, Emily and I along with my two employees George and Asiki conducted site surveys around different villages in the area. Most of the places we went to are in desperate need of water and most were located in very remote locations where we had to drive through shallow and rocky stream beds, along footpaths, and even through high grass where there were not any roads or paths at all. By the end of the week, I believe we came away with a better idea of the problems we will deal with and a greater sense of where and how we plan to drill.
Also during the week, David came back from Kapoeta and brought a woman named Michael with him. Michael is from Texas and will be in Kajo Keji until January helping out the woman's ministry at the church. It will be nice having another American around for awhile.
The house am compound are coming along well. The roof is going on the house this week which will just about complete the house leaving only some finishing work to be done. I need to build the separate bathroom and kitchen before I can move in though. The second container with the pumps should be in early next week and the casing should come in about the same time. HOPEFULLY, by the end of the month we will be bringing water to the people. I also bought a bunch of mahogany lumber this last week since they were cutting the boards from a mahogany tree they chopped down right down the road from David's house. I also had them cut me two giant 9x9x10 posts. I'm going to use those for my gate posts. The best part was they only cost me $25 each! I also got plenty of other sizes to make furniture, doors, and shelves. Later on I came back and asked the guy what he was going to do with all the scrap pieces and he told me he was going to sell them as firewood, so I bought them for the price of firewood and will use them to make benches.
All-in-all this was a great week. I'm staying in Moyo tonight to get some good food, rest, and so that I go to the bank as well as get supplies tomorrow. As I am writing this, I can hear beautiful hymns coming from a nearby abbey. I think I'm falling in love with Africa all over again.
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2012860&l=64
998&id=159100018
During the entire trip, God's protection surrounded us. If it wasn't for this Divine protection, the week would have been disastrous from the start. As I was driving Graham and Emily back from the airport a couple of kids ran from the tall grass lining the dirt road directly in front of my truck. It was a smooth road so I was traveling at about 30mph. I slammed on my brakes as soon as I saw them and would have run them both over if the kids had not have dove to either side of my truck. I skidded past them and came within a foot of running over their legs. If the kids had not have dove, I would have, without a doubt, killed them. Besides that, God also protected us as we drove deep in the bush where at times I couldn't even anything in front of me because of the tall grass and had to rely on people guiding me from the back of the pickup.
Besides that first scary episode, the rest of the week went very well. Graham, Emily and I along with my two employees George and Asiki conducted site surveys around different villages in the area. Most of the places we went to are in desperate need of water and most were located in very remote locations where we had to drive through shallow and rocky stream beds, along footpaths, and even through high grass where there were not any roads or paths at all. By the end of the week, I believe we came away with a better idea of the problems we will deal with and a greater sense of where and how we plan to drill.
Also during the week, David came back from Kapoeta and brought a woman named Michael with him. Michael is from Texas and will be in Kajo Keji until January helping out the woman's ministry at the church. It will be nice having another American around for awhile.
The house am compound are coming along well. The roof is going on the house this week which will just about complete the house leaving only some finishing work to be done. I need to build the separate bathroom and kitchen before I can move in though. The second container with the pumps should be in early next week and the casing should come in about the same time. HOPEFULLY, by the end of the month we will be bringing water to the people. I also bought a bunch of mahogany lumber this last week since they were cutting the boards from a mahogany tree they chopped down right down the road from David's house. I also had them cut me two giant 9x9x10 posts. I'm going to use those for my gate posts. The best part was they only cost me $25 each! I also got plenty of other sizes to make furniture, doors, and shelves. Later on I came back and asked the guy what he was going to do with all the scrap pieces and he told me he was going to sell them as firewood, so I bought them for the price of firewood and will use them to make benches.
All-in-all this was a great week. I'm staying in Moyo tonight to get some good food, rest, and so that I go to the bank as well as get supplies tomorrow. As I am writing this, I can hear beautiful hymns coming from a nearby abbey. I think I'm falling in love with Africa all over again.
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2012860&l=64
998&id=159100018
Saturday, November 8, 2008
Doing Business in Africa
Hey Everyone! I can't believe it has almost been a month since my last post! I was in Kampala for so long and have been so busy since I've been back that the time has blown by.
I was trying to think of a title for this post and I have gone through so much since my last post that finding a major theme proved difficult. A few titles that came to mind were "Kampala", "Frustrations", "Burnout", and "The Incredible Struggle for the Mighty Landcruiser". All these titles apply to what has been happened to me lately, but the title I finally settled on just about encompasses everything. How to do business in Africa and what to expect while working here has been a difficult thing for me to learn. I guess when you are doing on-the-job-training, there is really no easy way to learn how to do something difficult.
In my last post, I told you my Landcruiser was in Kampala and that I was headed down there to pick it up... At least I was told my Landcruiser was in Kampala. When we arrived in Kampala we went to the dealership to pick the truck up when we were told the truck wasn't even in the country yet! Apparently, the salesman didn't think we would come so quickly so he just said the truck was there to make himself look better. Well, instead of being in Kampala for the four days we intended, we were there almost three weeks!
We also went there to buy a larger flatbed truck (lorry) for hauling around our huge air compressor and other drilling materials. After looking at multiple used trucks, we finally settled on one that would work well for our needs. The deal was going so well until David brought the money to pay for the truck in Ugandan Shillings instead of U.S Dollars. Between the time the money was wired to David's account and the time we pulled it out to buy the lorry, the exchange rate had changed so much that now we were short about $2000. Here we were minutes away from buying a truck, when the deal completely fell through. On a side note, if you want to know what real fear is, try walking around Kampala with 56,000,000 Ugandan Shillings (about $30K)in a backpack.
All in all, the trip was expensive but in the end successful. I came back with a brand new landcruiser pickup (Nicknamed "Babe"), a new motorcycle that I bought, and we also ordered a brand new Tata lorry that should be in Kampala in a couple of weeks.
During the second and third week I was in Kampala I stayed at a hostel called Red Chili and met a ton of awesome people. I met one young German who has ridden his bicycle from Munich to Kampala! I also met an Australian couple that has ridden their motorcycles across Australia, through Asia and the Middle East (including Iran), and then down through Africa to Kampala. I also met many people that have been traveling for years without stopping. Only in Africa can you meet people that extreme and/or crazy.
I also had one weekend of R&R. For that weekend I went to the town of Jinga (pronounced Gin-ja") which is supposedly the source of the Nile. While in Jinga I bungee jumped three times and rafted the Nile. The rafting there is said to be one of the best places in the world. That weekend was awesome and was a nice break from the stresses awaiting me back in Kampala.
So anyways, I'm back in Kajo Keji now and have a lot to catch up on. Unfortunately, all the construction of my house and compound stopped shortly after I left. I'm behind in just about everything work related, but I've been pushing through the backlog of paperwork and have restarted work on at the construction site. I'm hoping to be living in my house by the end of the month but I've learned the hard way not to expect anything or anyone on time in Africa.
Lastly, one of the other things I've found hard to get used to is discrimination. People are constantly trying to rip me off. They see the color of my skin and instantly think I'm rich. After a short while, this becomes tiresome and frustrating. What's even more frustrating is to know that even if I lived in Africa for 20 years, I would still face the same problem day in and day out. I guess it is just something I'll have to get used to over time. The main problem I'm seeing with this is having an attitude of distrust toward all Africans. How can I trust anyone when I'm constantly on guard?
Please keep me in your prayers. After "The Great Kampala Struggle" (another potential title), I'm exhausted physically, emotionally, and even somewhat spiritually. I'm tired and my closest break is still a month and a half away during Christmas. Thank you to all of you that have been praying for me.
I was trying to think of a title for this post and I have gone through so much since my last post that finding a major theme proved difficult. A few titles that came to mind were "Kampala", "Frustrations", "Burnout", and "The Incredible Struggle for the Mighty Landcruiser". All these titles apply to what has been happened to me lately, but the title I finally settled on just about encompasses everything. How to do business in Africa and what to expect while working here has been a difficult thing for me to learn. I guess when you are doing on-the-job-training, there is really no easy way to learn how to do something difficult.
In my last post, I told you my Landcruiser was in Kampala and that I was headed down there to pick it up... At least I was told my Landcruiser was in Kampala. When we arrived in Kampala we went to the dealership to pick the truck up when we were told the truck wasn't even in the country yet! Apparently, the salesman didn't think we would come so quickly so he just said the truck was there to make himself look better. Well, instead of being in Kampala for the four days we intended, we were there almost three weeks!
We also went there to buy a larger flatbed truck (lorry) for hauling around our huge air compressor and other drilling materials. After looking at multiple used trucks, we finally settled on one that would work well for our needs. The deal was going so well until David brought the money to pay for the truck in Ugandan Shillings instead of U.S Dollars. Between the time the money was wired to David's account and the time we pulled it out to buy the lorry, the exchange rate had changed so much that now we were short about $2000. Here we were minutes away from buying a truck, when the deal completely fell through. On a side note, if you want to know what real fear is, try walking around Kampala with 56,000,000 Ugandan Shillings (about $30K)in a backpack.
All in all, the trip was expensive but in the end successful. I came back with a brand new landcruiser pickup (Nicknamed "Babe"), a new motorcycle that I bought, and we also ordered a brand new Tata lorry that should be in Kampala in a couple of weeks.
During the second and third week I was in Kampala I stayed at a hostel called Red Chili and met a ton of awesome people. I met one young German who has ridden his bicycle from Munich to Kampala! I also met an Australian couple that has ridden their motorcycles across Australia, through Asia and the Middle East (including Iran), and then down through Africa to Kampala. I also met many people that have been traveling for years without stopping. Only in Africa can you meet people that extreme and/or crazy.
I also had one weekend of R&R. For that weekend I went to the town of Jinga (pronounced Gin-ja") which is supposedly the source of the Nile. While in Jinga I bungee jumped three times and rafted the Nile. The rafting there is said to be one of the best places in the world. That weekend was awesome and was a nice break from the stresses awaiting me back in Kampala.
So anyways, I'm back in Kajo Keji now and have a lot to catch up on. Unfortunately, all the construction of my house and compound stopped shortly after I left. I'm behind in just about everything work related, but I've been pushing through the backlog of paperwork and have restarted work on at the construction site. I'm hoping to be living in my house by the end of the month but I've learned the hard way not to expect anything or anyone on time in Africa.
Lastly, one of the other things I've found hard to get used to is discrimination. People are constantly trying to rip me off. They see the color of my skin and instantly think I'm rich. After a short while, this becomes tiresome and frustrating. What's even more frustrating is to know that even if I lived in Africa for 20 years, I would still face the same problem day in and day out. I guess it is just something I'll have to get used to over time. The main problem I'm seeing with this is having an attitude of distrust toward all Africans. How can I trust anyone when I'm constantly on guard?
Please keep me in your prayers. After "The Great Kampala Struggle" (another potential title), I'm exhausted physically, emotionally, and even somewhat spiritually. I'm tired and my closest break is still a month and a half away during Christmas. Thank you to all of you that have been praying for me.
Saturday, October 11, 2008
More Pictures
I just wanted to give you all the link again for pictures. I also have another link as I had to make a new album because Facebook limits the size of each to 60 pictures.
Today we drove into the bush using the e3 Partner's lorry to get bamboo for my fence that will encircle the compound. A fence like this would cost a fortune in the U.S. but is very cheap here. It will be good to get the fence up as we are getting even more expensive equipment delivered within the month.
Also on the good news front, David met with a bishop yesterday that wants to contract Water Harvest International to drill some water wells. I'm praying that the rest of the required equipment arrives as fast as possible so we will be able to get these contracts!
Well, I'm headed to Kampala early tomorrow morning so I better go get packed. I'll update my blog after I get back.
Thanks for all the encouraging comments comments on my blog and I hope you enjoy the pictures!
Album #2
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2012860&l
=64998&id=159100018
Album #1
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2012054&l
=11b95&id=159100018
Today we drove into the bush using the e3 Partner's lorry to get bamboo for my fence that will encircle the compound. A fence like this would cost a fortune in the U.S. but is very cheap here. It will be good to get the fence up as we are getting even more expensive equipment delivered within the month.
Also on the good news front, David met with a bishop yesterday that wants to contract Water Harvest International to drill some water wells. I'm praying that the rest of the required equipment arrives as fast as possible so we will be able to get these contracts!
Well, I'm headed to Kampala early tomorrow morning so I better go get packed. I'll update my blog after I get back.
Thanks for all the encouraging comments comments on my blog and I hope you enjoy the pictures!
Album #2
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2012860&l
=64998&id=159100018
Album #1
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2012054&l
=11b95&id=159100018
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
Malaria: The Sequel
So I was driving David's mom to the clinic on Saturday for a checkup when I started to feel sick. I got checked at the clinic and tested positive for malaria again. The good news is I caught it early and got on treatment right away. The bad news is... well...that I have malaria again. By Sunday afternoon I was pretty much over the malaria which was really quick! Unfortunately, the malaria shot my immune system and I got a parasite also. Since Monday I've been having stomach pain and I've had to stay near the latrine. I'm now on Cipro and Metro and have started to feel better today.
I felt good enough today at least to get out of the house and go check on the progress of my compound. A lot has been done in the last few days! My latrine is almost dug to it's target depth of 5 meters and the walls of my house should be done within the week.
Also on the good news front, my truck has finally arrived in Kampala. David and I are planning on flying down there this next weekend and staying for about a week and driving back with the truck. I'm thinking I may take a few days for some much needed R&R.
I would like to end this post with a passage from 2 Corinthians 12:9-10:
9But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. 10That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
Thank you all for your prayers!
I felt good enough today at least to get out of the house and go check on the progress of my compound. A lot has been done in the last few days! My latrine is almost dug to it's target depth of 5 meters and the walls of my house should be done within the week.
Also on the good news front, my truck has finally arrived in Kampala. David and I are planning on flying down there this next weekend and staying for about a week and driving back with the truck. I'm thinking I may take a few days for some much needed R&R.
I would like to end this post with a passage from 2 Corinthians 12:9-10:
9But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. 10That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
Thank you all for your prayers!
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Rig Arrived!
Hey everyone! What a busy last couple of weeks! Last week I worked hard building a ramp to be able to unload the truck when it and a foundation to put the shipping container on. I only had 3 days total to complete both these projects so I worked with the construction crew from morning to late in the evening using the lights of David's Landcruiser to work. Thankfully we finished on time. The rig arrived Thursday afternoon and with the help of some of the Bible school students, we unloaded the container and pulled it off the back of the truck onto the cement foundation. While this was a good day, it was also one of the most frustrating days I've had in Sudan. Unfortunately, the loaded the container onto a truck in such a way that it was impossible to pull it off the back. We had to take the truck to a place where they cut off a corner of the truck! There were many other problems that I won't get into, all I have to say is that I lost my voice for two days after that from yelling at the truck driver. Besides these frustrations, I'm very relieved and excited to have my equipment on Sudanese ground.
Besides being excited about the rig, I'm also excited about the progress of my compound. The house has a foundation and the walls have been raised to about waist level. We also had 200 wood poles and 80 bundles of bamboo poles delivered today which will be used to build a bamboo fence around the compound. I'm fairly confident that by the end of October I'll be living in my own house!
while building the house we hired some local women to carry jerrycans of water up from the stream to use for mixing cement. One thing I found amazing is that it only costs 150 Ugandan shillings per jerrycan of water. That's $0.09 per jerrycan! Talk about Cheap!
Well everyone, the generator is about to go off so I need to get going. Thank you all for your continued prayers and support. I'll update you all soon!
Besides being excited about the rig, I'm also excited about the progress of my compound. The house has a foundation and the walls have been raised to about waist level. We also had 200 wood poles and 80 bundles of bamboo poles delivered today which will be used to build a bamboo fence around the compound. I'm fairly confident that by the end of October I'll be living in my own house!
while building the house we hired some local women to carry jerrycans of water up from the stream to use for mixing cement. One thing I found amazing is that it only costs 150 Ugandan shillings per jerrycan of water. That's $0.09 per jerrycan! Talk about Cheap!
Well everyone, the generator is about to go off so I need to get going. Thank you all for your continued prayers and support. I'll update you all soon!
Friday, September 19, 2008
What a week!
I have to start by saying this week was action packed. First off, the e3 team arrived from Dallas on Friday. I've adjusted so much to this way of life that I have to admit that when the team first arrived, I was more comfortable around the Africans than the Americans. It was my first glimpse of why it is going to be difficult to re-adjust to the U.S. when I come back for a couple of months next year. After a few days and some good old southern hospitality, I began to feel really comfortable around them. One thing that amused me while the team was here was seeing the team from a different perspective than I did when I was apart of a similar team when I came to Sudan in February with e3. I thought it was funny how scared some of the people were about everything in Africa. They were worried about every bug, every scratch, and everything they ate. One guy even brought his own MRE's (meals ready to eat)! The most amazing thing about it was that I realized that I was the same way when I cam in February. The other thing that amused me was how everyone talked about what they wanted to eat when they got home after spending a whole week in Sudan. :)
Well, I'm having fun ragging on the team but the truth is they were a blessing to me. I went out with them four of the days they were here and we together shared Christ with the people. I grew to admire each person for their gifts and saw how God maximized their gifts.
Three of those days I went back to the village of Kiri with David and Mark. Kiri was the village I spent most of my time in when I was here in February. One day, David, Mark, and I were talking to people in the market with or translators Mulai and Moi Moses when a woman came up to use and said she wanted to accept Christ because she wanted to rid herself of the demon that was possessing her. She told us the demon was first in her sister but her sister became a Christian so the demon went into her. We all gathered around and laid hands on this woman as Mulai let her in the sinners prayer. After she accepted, David was praying out loud for her when she started convulsing like a person that is on the verge of death. David kept praying for her asking Jesus to cast the demon out when she fell out of her chair onto the ground. David continued to pray as she lay on the ground convulsing. Eventually, she stopped convulsing and grew very peaceful. After a few minutes she opened her eyes and I could just tell she was different. She seems every calm and at peace and I'm not really sure she knew what had just happened. That is definitely an experience I'll never forget.
I also got to go the orphanage in town here this week. The experience was so powerful that I actually went there three times this week. The children there are amazing and my heart breaks every time I go. The children are so starved for attention and affection that they literally come running just for a chance to hold my hand. The little kids will hold up there arms for a chance to be held and when I pick them up, they will bury their heads in my should and go to sleep. I've already made a decision that I'm going to visit the orphanage at least once a week. The orphange is run by a 24 year old Christian man named Jose. Jose is from Miami and has been here for almost a year. He is doing an excellent job with the kids and the orphanage and I'm looking forward to getting to know him better in the coming months.
Other than those things, construction began on my house. My drilling rig is on a truck from Mombassa and should be here within the next few days. My truck is still not here yet but should be in soon.
I also started reading a book today called The Heavenly Man by Brother Yun with Paul Hattaway (ISBN 0-8254-6207-X). I HIGHLY recommend it! The book is about one of China's house church leaders and his story. I have read about more miracles this man has experienced in the first 70 pages than even the Apostle Paul experienced his whole life! It definitely exposes how much we limit God in our comfortable western culture.
Thank you all again for your prayers! I'm looking forward to sharing more with you soon.
I've also uploaded tons of new pictures. Check out the link below.
http://www.new.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2012054&l=11b95&id=159100018
Well, I'm having fun ragging on the team but the truth is they were a blessing to me. I went out with them four of the days they were here and we together shared Christ with the people. I grew to admire each person for their gifts and saw how God maximized their gifts.
Three of those days I went back to the village of Kiri with David and Mark. Kiri was the village I spent most of my time in when I was here in February. One day, David, Mark, and I were talking to people in the market with or translators Mulai and Moi Moses when a woman came up to use and said she wanted to accept Christ because she wanted to rid herself of the demon that was possessing her. She told us the demon was first in her sister but her sister became a Christian so the demon went into her. We all gathered around and laid hands on this woman as Mulai let her in the sinners prayer. After she accepted, David was praying out loud for her when she started convulsing like a person that is on the verge of death. David kept praying for her asking Jesus to cast the demon out when she fell out of her chair onto the ground. David continued to pray as she lay on the ground convulsing. Eventually, she stopped convulsing and grew very peaceful. After a few minutes she opened her eyes and I could just tell she was different. She seems every calm and at peace and I'm not really sure she knew what had just happened. That is definitely an experience I'll never forget.
I also got to go the orphanage in town here this week. The experience was so powerful that I actually went there three times this week. The children there are amazing and my heart breaks every time I go. The children are so starved for attention and affection that they literally come running just for a chance to hold my hand. The little kids will hold up there arms for a chance to be held and when I pick them up, they will bury their heads in my should and go to sleep. I've already made a decision that I'm going to visit the orphanage at least once a week. The orphange is run by a 24 year old Christian man named Jose. Jose is from Miami and has been here for almost a year. He is doing an excellent job with the kids and the orphanage and I'm looking forward to getting to know him better in the coming months.
Other than those things, construction began on my house. My drilling rig is on a truck from Mombassa and should be here within the next few days. My truck is still not here yet but should be in soon.
I also started reading a book today called The Heavenly Man by Brother Yun with Paul Hattaway (ISBN 0-8254-6207-X). I HIGHLY recommend it! The book is about one of China's house church leaders and his story. I have read about more miracles this man has experienced in the first 70 pages than even the Apostle Paul experienced his whole life! It definitely exposes how much we limit God in our comfortable western culture.
Thank you all again for your prayers! I'm looking forward to sharing more with you soon.
I've also uploaded tons of new pictures. Check out the link below.
http://www.new.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2012054&l=11b95&id=159100018
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
A Testimony
Hey everyone! First off, since I last wrote I have gotten and recovered(almost) from Giardia... Running for the latrine every 30 minutes all night long is not as fun as it sounds. I'm taking a few drugs, including Cipro, so I'm feeling much better. I should be as right as rain by the end of the week.
The second story I have for you was something I was debating whether or not to tell you about, but I decided to go ahead and tell you all since I'm sure it was in part to all your prayers... As you could probably tell from my last post, I was struggling with what I saw in Pader with the woman that was brutally beaten in front of me. I was mainly struggling with how I responded to the situation. No offense to the people who've I talked to about this, but for the most part people really didn't understand. Mostly, the people I've talked to about it here simply brushed it aside as just something that happens in Africa and not really a big deal. It may be one of those things that people can't really understand until they personally experience it. Well, I've been praying a lot about it and seeking God's guidence on the matter when I had a dream that gave me peace. The night I wrote the last blog post, I had a dream of a man's face (I don't recall what he looked like) who said to me, "Stephen, you have been known and loved by God since the beginning of time." Immediately after he said this I woke up wide awake. What I took away from this was that God was reassuring me that he had everything in control, and even though I make mistakes, there is nothing I can do that will ever separate me from the love of Jesus. Jesus is always waiting with open arms to comfort us in times of need if we are willing to accept his embrace.
I debated to tell you all this not only because of how personal this is, but also because I didn't want to sound too "fanatical" or that I was making too much from a simple dream. I didn't want people to think, "He needs to get out of that African sun!" :) Those of you that know me know that I'm anything but fanatical.
Looking forward to updating you all again soon. Keep praying!
P.S: I have uploaded a lot of pictures on Facebook. I really don't have the time to upload to this blog. Hopefully the link works correctly this time:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2012054&l=11b95&id=159100018
The second story I have for you was something I was debating whether or not to tell you about, but I decided to go ahead and tell you all since I'm sure it was in part to all your prayers... As you could probably tell from my last post, I was struggling with what I saw in Pader with the woman that was brutally beaten in front of me. I was mainly struggling with how I responded to the situation. No offense to the people who've I talked to about this, but for the most part people really didn't understand. Mostly, the people I've talked to about it here simply brushed it aside as just something that happens in Africa and not really a big deal. It may be one of those things that people can't really understand until they personally experience it. Well, I've been praying a lot about it and seeking God's guidence on the matter when I had a dream that gave me peace. The night I wrote the last blog post, I had a dream of a man's face (I don't recall what he looked like) who said to me, "Stephen, you have been known and loved by God since the beginning of time." Immediately after he said this I woke up wide awake. What I took away from this was that God was reassuring me that he had everything in control, and even though I make mistakes, there is nothing I can do that will ever separate me from the love of Jesus. Jesus is always waiting with open arms to comfort us in times of need if we are willing to accept his embrace.
I debated to tell you all this not only because of how personal this is, but also because I didn't want to sound too "fanatical" or that I was making too much from a simple dream. I didn't want people to think, "He needs to get out of that African sun!" :) Those of you that know me know that I'm anything but fanatical.
Looking forward to updating you all again soon. Keep praying!
P.S: I have uploaded a lot of pictures on Facebook. I really don't have the time to upload to this blog. Hopefully the link works correctly this time:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2012054&l=11b95&id=159100018
Sunday, September 7, 2008
Training Update (Overdue)
Hello everyone! Sorry for the long delay in updates, I've been traveling and training out in the bush and haven't had internet or even electricity for the past few weeks. The few weeks of training have been packed with experiences... Some experiences have been both beautiful and disturbing. I've seen the excitement from suffering villages as the watched water gush from a freshly drilled borehole, the beauty and simplicity of family unity, a beautiful sunset over the Nile river, the disgusting brutality of a mob, and God's protection.
Before I start, I just want to warn all of you that some things I describe in the post are graphic, so if you're reading this to your children (as I heard some of you are), I suggest you read it first before reading it to them and skip over those parts if you think it necessary.
My first two employees (George and Asiki) and I first traveled to the city of Yei in South West Sudan (8 hours of traveling by a minivan with 23 people in it) and stayed there a few days. The director of the organization we are training with asked us to come there for training and then said the schedule had changed and we were headed back to the county of Pader in North East Uganda. That meant another three days of traveling.
The county of Pader is known in Uganda for one of the areas most affected by the LRA (Lord's Resistance Army). The LRA is a evil group of people who's leader is literally Satan incarnate. He convinced many people that he was a spiritual leader when he performed miracles and healings. Remember that even Satan has power... Right down the road from where we were drilling is a memorial to 23 villagers that were massacred by the LRA a few years ago. According to the people I spoke to in the area, those 23 people were killed and boiled, and the other villagers in the area were forced at gun point to eat the bodies. I apologize if this is not something you didn't want me to tell you but it is simplify part of life in the area.
The night after we started drilling the second well, I saw a family (parents, children, grandparents, aunts, uncles) sitting around a fire just having a wonderful time together. They were talking, laughing, and singing together. It was picturesque and a beautiful display of family unity and fellowship.
Coming back from Pader proved to be quite an adventure in itself. While sitting in the "taxi" waiting for it to leave, I made small talk with a twenty-something year old woman sitting next to me. After we finished talking, she went into a store about 20 feet from the taxi. Well after about 10 minutes, I heard a bunch of screaming and saw the woman on the ground getting caned and kicked by the shop owner. Apparently the woman had been caught stealing something. If that wasn't bad enough, a bunch of men gathered around and started kicking, punching, and pouring hot tea on the woman too. These men seemed to actually be enjoying themselves and were just happy to have an excuse to beat up a woman and not get in trouble for it. I tried to get close enough to the woman but the mob was too thick... To be completely honest, I didn't try as hard as I could have. I'll admit that I was really scared and because of my fear, I failed to help someone weaker than myself. I definitely regret my weakness when my courage was tested. And if you are thinking that is was good I did not interfere, ask yourself if you would think the same thing if this same thing happened somewhere in America?
Thankfully, a police officer came and got the woman out of there before the mob could kill her, a definite possibility. She'll definitely think twice before she steals again. David tells me that if you get caught stealing in Kampala, you can count on being killed.
The next day, I traveled from Gulu to Moyo. This 5 hour trip turned into a 11.5 hour day by bus because of the poor roads. When I first got on the bus in Gulu, a man on the bus directed to an open seat near him. It turned out that this man was a very good friend of David Kaya and he was coming back to visit Kajo Keji after five years of school/work in Australia. This man turned out to be a Godsend since I relied on him heavily to help through the terrible day as there were many difficulties. At one point, we had to transfer buses because the road was blocked and if it weren't for this man (Alex), I wouldn't have known to do that. We walked with all our bags about 2.5 miles until we got to the bus. After we got on the next bus, we got to the Nile and crossed it by ferry at sunset. Seeing the sunset over the Nile was absolutely beautiful.
Well, I finally made it back to Kajo Keji today after spending the night in Moyo. My boss Mr. Radler is in town for a visit and wants to go over some business with me. I'll be here for about a week and then make the trip back to Pader for more training... I'm not looking forward to that trip.
I'll upload some pictures soon!
Before I start, I just want to warn all of you that some things I describe in the post are graphic, so if you're reading this to your children (as I heard some of you are), I suggest you read it first before reading it to them and skip over those parts if you think it necessary.
My first two employees (George and Asiki) and I first traveled to the city of Yei in South West Sudan (8 hours of traveling by a minivan with 23 people in it) and stayed there a few days. The director of the organization we are training with asked us to come there for training and then said the schedule had changed and we were headed back to the county of Pader in North East Uganda. That meant another three days of traveling.
The county of Pader is known in Uganda for one of the areas most affected by the LRA (Lord's Resistance Army). The LRA is a evil group of people who's leader is literally Satan incarnate. He convinced many people that he was a spiritual leader when he performed miracles and healings. Remember that even Satan has power... Right down the road from where we were drilling is a memorial to 23 villagers that were massacred by the LRA a few years ago. According to the people I spoke to in the area, those 23 people were killed and boiled, and the other villagers in the area were forced at gun point to eat the bodies. I apologize if this is not something you didn't want me to tell you but it is simplify part of life in the area.
The night after we started drilling the second well, I saw a family (parents, children, grandparents, aunts, uncles) sitting around a fire just having a wonderful time together. They were talking, laughing, and singing together. It was picturesque and a beautiful display of family unity and fellowship.
Coming back from Pader proved to be quite an adventure in itself. While sitting in the "taxi" waiting for it to leave, I made small talk with a twenty-something year old woman sitting next to me. After we finished talking, she went into a store about 20 feet from the taxi. Well after about 10 minutes, I heard a bunch of screaming and saw the woman on the ground getting caned and kicked by the shop owner. Apparently the woman had been caught stealing something. If that wasn't bad enough, a bunch of men gathered around and started kicking, punching, and pouring hot tea on the woman too. These men seemed to actually be enjoying themselves and were just happy to have an excuse to beat up a woman and not get in trouble for it. I tried to get close enough to the woman but the mob was too thick... To be completely honest, I didn't try as hard as I could have. I'll admit that I was really scared and because of my fear, I failed to help someone weaker than myself. I definitely regret my weakness when my courage was tested. And if you are thinking that is was good I did not interfere, ask yourself if you would think the same thing if this same thing happened somewhere in America?
Thankfully, a police officer came and got the woman out of there before the mob could kill her, a definite possibility. She'll definitely think twice before she steals again. David tells me that if you get caught stealing in Kampala, you can count on being killed.
The next day, I traveled from Gulu to Moyo. This 5 hour trip turned into a 11.5 hour day by bus because of the poor roads. When I first got on the bus in Gulu, a man on the bus directed to an open seat near him. It turned out that this man was a very good friend of David Kaya and he was coming back to visit Kajo Keji after five years of school/work in Australia. This man turned out to be a Godsend since I relied on him heavily to help through the terrible day as there were many difficulties. At one point, we had to transfer buses because the road was blocked and if it weren't for this man (Alex), I wouldn't have known to do that. We walked with all our bags about 2.5 miles until we got to the bus. After we got on the next bus, we got to the Nile and crossed it by ferry at sunset. Seeing the sunset over the Nile was absolutely beautiful.
Well, I finally made it back to Kajo Keji today after spending the night in Moyo. My boss Mr. Radler is in town for a visit and wants to go over some business with me. I'll be here for about a week and then make the trip back to Pader for more training... I'm not looking forward to that trip.
I'll upload some pictures soon!
Sunday, August 17, 2008
Pictures!
Hello everyone, Here are the pictures finally! Sorry about all the trouble with Facebook. Unfortunately, because of my limited internet use the quantity of pictures will be very limited. I hope you enjoy.
At the Nairobi Game Park.
Writing a report for work. This was when one of the kids asked, "How do you get the paper in there?"
This Bible school student was confused when I had him flex his muscles for the picture. I had to explain to him what the shirt meant.
All the kids wanted to hold my hand.
At the Nairobi Game Park.
Writing a report for work. This was when one of the kids asked, "How do you get the paper in there?"
This Bible school student was confused when I had him flex his muscles for the picture. I had to explain to him what the shirt meant.
All the kids wanted to hold my hand.
Saturday, August 16, 2008
Update
I uploaded some pictures to facebook, but I was informed that you can only view the first one so I'm going to upload them somewhere else and I'll let you all know.
Everything is going well here. I completely over my first case of malaria and I think I made it through the weekend without getting sick again. Yay!
Yesterday (Saturday) I went to my first Sudanese wedding for Asiki and Patricia. It was pretty amazing how many people turned out... even people that weren't invited. Despite the random drunk and crazy people that showed up to get free food and soda, the wedding went off flawlessly. One of the best parts was that it was a beautiful sunny day which was a blessing since we're in the middle of the rainy season. I was named the official cameraman/wedding photographer so I was busy the whole time shooting video and taking pictures.
Well today (Sunday) is a day off. Everybody is tired from the wedding and wants to rest. Two American girls are arriving today. Emily is doing her college internship with e3 and will be living here for three months. Heather is Emily's friend and will be staying here with her for a month. The girls will be teaching local women about health and sanitation. It will be nice to be able to speak normal speed English with someone :)
Well, time for me to get going. I hope you all enjoy the new pictures.
Everything is going well here. I completely over my first case of malaria and I think I made it through the weekend without getting sick again. Yay!
Yesterday (Saturday) I went to my first Sudanese wedding for Asiki and Patricia. It was pretty amazing how many people turned out... even people that weren't invited. Despite the random drunk and crazy people that showed up to get free food and soda, the wedding went off flawlessly. One of the best parts was that it was a beautiful sunny day which was a blessing since we're in the middle of the rainy season. I was named the official cameraman/wedding photographer so I was busy the whole time shooting video and taking pictures.
Well today (Sunday) is a day off. Everybody is tired from the wedding and wants to rest. Two American girls are arriving today. Emily is doing her college internship with e3 and will be living here for three months. Heather is Emily's friend and will be staying here with her for a month. The girls will be teaching local women about health and sanitation. It will be nice to be able to speak normal speed English with someone :)
Well, time for me to get going. I hope you all enjoy the new pictures.
Monday, August 11, 2008
Update
Hello Everyone,
It has been awhile since my last update so I have some stuff to catch you all up on.
First off, I want to thank everyone that has supported me financially. I want to thank you all personally except I have not yet received my list of donors. As soon as I get that list I'll write all of you a thank you note.
Well, I got sick again on Saturday with a mild case of malaria. I was out of commission Saturday, Sunday, and part of today but I'm feeling much better this evening. I think by tomorrow I'll be almost all better. David put me on anti-malaria meds right away which helped ease the symptoms. David Kaya and his family have taken very good care of me, and I have always felt safe in his care.
As for a status update there is not much to tell you about. Things are still moving slow but I count that as a blessing since I wouldn't have been able to do much anyways since I've been sick so much. I met with the guy that runs the organization I'll be training with today, and I'm going to meet with him tomorrow to discuss more specifics about time and place of training.
Ok now for the stories,
The first story I have is about David and Goliath. Kaya and one of the students from the bible school came back to the compound one day last week to find a bunch of cows had invaded his property. The chased out all the cows except for one stubborn cow that just kept running away from the front gate. The student, threw a small stone at the cow to try to scare it towards the gate. Well, the rock hit the cow on the head and it fell down dead! Unfortuntely, David had to pay for the cow, but I did enjoy the beef we had for dinner the next night. I also had a great time giving the bible student a hard time and renaming him David and the cow Goliath.
Last week I was walking around the church site checking out the proposed space for my compound and house. While I was doing this, there were a ton of kids following me wherever I went at but keeping a safe distance. Generally, the children are very friendly, but a little scared of me. Well, as I was walking back, this one brave little girl (maybe 3 years old) walked confidently up to me and held my hand and walked beside me. Well once all the other kids say saw the big white guy didn't eat the girl or anything, they all came running and wanted to hold my hand. Soon, I had up to eight kids on hanging on each arm.
On another day, I was at the church again outside working on writing a report for my bosses of the research I have done. While I was writing the report, acouple of middle school kids came up and started watching me type. They seemed amazed by this and I truly believe that this was the first time they had seen someone type on the computer. After awhile, one of the boys asked me, "how do you get the paper in there?" The kid thought I was typing on actual paper underneath the computer screen! Awesome.
Well those are the stories I have for you right now. Thank y
It has been awhile since my last update so I have some stuff to catch you all up on.
First off, I want to thank everyone that has supported me financially. I want to thank you all personally except I have not yet received my list of donors. As soon as I get that list I'll write all of you a thank you note.
Well, I got sick again on Saturday with a mild case of malaria. I was out of commission Saturday, Sunday, and part of today but I'm feeling much better this evening. I think by tomorrow I'll be almost all better. David put me on anti-malaria meds right away which helped ease the symptoms. David Kaya and his family have taken very good care of me, and I have always felt safe in his care.
As for a status update there is not much to tell you about. Things are still moving slow but I count that as a blessing since I wouldn't have been able to do much anyways since I've been sick so much. I met with the guy that runs the organization I'll be training with today, and I'm going to meet with him tomorrow to discuss more specifics about time and place of training.
Ok now for the stories,
The first story I have is about David and Goliath. Kaya and one of the students from the bible school came back to the compound one day last week to find a bunch of cows had invaded his property. The chased out all the cows except for one stubborn cow that just kept running away from the front gate. The student, threw a small stone at the cow to try to scare it towards the gate. Well, the rock hit the cow on the head and it fell down dead! Unfortuntely, David had to pay for the cow, but I did enjoy the beef we had for dinner the next night. I also had a great time giving the bible student a hard time and renaming him David and the cow Goliath.
Last week I was walking around the church site checking out the proposed space for my compound and house. While I was doing this, there were a ton of kids following me wherever I went at but keeping a safe distance. Generally, the children are very friendly, but a little scared of me. Well, as I was walking back, this one brave little girl (maybe 3 years old) walked confidently up to me and held my hand and walked beside me. Well once all the other kids say saw the big white guy didn't eat the girl or anything, they all came running and wanted to hold my hand. Soon, I had up to eight kids on hanging on each arm.
On another day, I was at the church again outside working on writing a report for my bosses of the research I have done. While I was writing the report, acouple of middle school kids came up and started watching me type. They seemed amazed by this and I truly believe that this was the first time they had seen someone type on the computer. After awhile, one of the boys asked me, "how do you get the paper in there?" The kid thought I was typing on actual paper underneath the computer screen! Awesome.
Well those are the stories I have for you right now. Thank y
Wednesday, August 6, 2008
All Better
Hello all,
I just wanted to let you I'm all better. I think my sickness was caused by some bacteria. I'm sure that's just the first of many times that will happen.
I still have some updates/stories to tell you about. I have written them all down and will type them up and post them soon.
I just wanted to let you I'm all better. I think my sickness was caused by some bacteria. I'm sure that's just the first of many times that will happen.
I still have some updates/stories to tell you about. I have written them all down and will type them up and post them soon.
Sunday, August 3, 2008
Bummer
Hello Everyone,
I have a few updates prepared to post but they are on my computer and I'm using David's computer right now. This is the first real chance I've had to use the internet in about three days.
I just wanted to ask for your prayers today. Today, I became sick with flu like symptoms and have thrown up a few times. I tested for malaria and it was negative. If I still feel sick tomorrow David will take me to the doctor. Better safe than sorry.
Other than that, I do have some more updates prepared, but I'll have to post those later. I hope you are all doing well.
God Bless,
Stephen
I have a few updates prepared to post but they are on my computer and I'm using David's computer right now. This is the first real chance I've had to use the internet in about three days.
I just wanted to ask for your prayers today. Today, I became sick with flu like symptoms and have thrown up a few times. I tested for malaria and it was negative. If I still feel sick tomorrow David will take me to the doctor. Better safe than sorry.
Other than that, I do have some more updates prepared, but I'll have to post those later. I hope you are all doing well.
God Bless,
Stephen
Sunday, July 27, 2008
Arrival
Hello friends and family!
This is my first post from Sudan! After eight days and over $400 in overweight baggage fees later, I have arrived safely and have begun to adjust. The trip here was long but full of blessings. I spent two days in London where I spend time with a very pretty South African girl named Simone. We had a good time doing tourist stuff like the London Eye, Camden Town and just walking around London and talking.
After London, I flew to Nairobi, Kenya where my college friend Steve Myles met me at the airport. Steve works for Samaritan's purse in Sudan and just happened to be on R&R when I was coming through Nairobi. We had a lot of fun hanging out together, go-cart racing, going to the Nairobi Game Park, and going out to eat at fun Nairobi restaurants. My go-cart was extra slow so when Steve tried to lap me, I rammed him and put him on top of the tire wall :) We also had a great time eating at this restaurant where the serve you ten types of meat, including camel and crocodile. the camel was super tough but the crocodile was really good. The game park was also a highlight, and for a small tip to one of the park employees, I got to go into the cage with the Cheetah and pet it. Awesome!
After Nairobi, Steve and I both ended up being on the same flight to Entebbe, Uganda. I had one night in Entebbe so Steve and I went to the Botanical Gardens and ate dinner at the Imperial Garden Hotel. Steve and I both stayed at this hole-in-the-wall bed & Breakfast in Entebbe. The place was OK except when I tried to take a shower and when I touched the nob to turn on the shower, I got shocked! I called Steve over to check it out and when he touched it nothing happened. He thought I was just messing with him until I grabbed his arm and then grabbed the handle. The shock was so bad the lights dimmed... Steve believed me then :)
Steve and I parted ways in Entebbe and I made the short hop to Sudan. Steve went on to go rafting some class five rapids in the Nile and bungee jumping (I may have to do that during my R&R).
Things were a bit hectic when I first arrived in Sudan. Kajo Keji First Babpist Church, the mother church and base for e3 in Sudan, was finishing up a missions conference in which over 700 people attended. The conference ended today and things have calmed down a lot.
Since arriving in Sudan, I have eaten all but two means with my hands, taken one basin shower, and been given a Kuku name: Wani (Pronounced wann-nee).
I am starting to adjust. Thank you for all your prayers. I can confirm that they are being answered and God's hand in my life has been very apparent as I have gone through this transition.
I look forward to sharing with you more stories and news very soon.
Love,
Stephen
This is my first post from Sudan! After eight days and over $400 in overweight baggage fees later, I have arrived safely and have begun to adjust. The trip here was long but full of blessings. I spent two days in London where I spend time with a very pretty South African girl named Simone. We had a good time doing tourist stuff like the London Eye, Camden Town and just walking around London and talking.
After London, I flew to Nairobi, Kenya where my college friend Steve Myles met me at the airport. Steve works for Samaritan's purse in Sudan and just happened to be on R&R when I was coming through Nairobi. We had a lot of fun hanging out together, go-cart racing, going to the Nairobi Game Park, and going out to eat at fun Nairobi restaurants. My go-cart was extra slow so when Steve tried to lap me, I rammed him and put him on top of the tire wall :) We also had a great time eating at this restaurant where the serve you ten types of meat, including camel and crocodile. the camel was super tough but the crocodile was really good. The game park was also a highlight, and for a small tip to one of the park employees, I got to go into the cage with the Cheetah and pet it. Awesome!
After Nairobi, Steve and I both ended up being on the same flight to Entebbe, Uganda. I had one night in Entebbe so Steve and I went to the Botanical Gardens and ate dinner at the Imperial Garden Hotel. Steve and I both stayed at this hole-in-the-wall bed & Breakfast in Entebbe. The place was OK except when I tried to take a shower and when I touched the nob to turn on the shower, I got shocked! I called Steve over to check it out and when he touched it nothing happened. He thought I was just messing with him until I grabbed his arm and then grabbed the handle. The shock was so bad the lights dimmed... Steve believed me then :)
Steve and I parted ways in Entebbe and I made the short hop to Sudan. Steve went on to go rafting some class five rapids in the Nile and bungee jumping (I may have to do that during my R&R).
Things were a bit hectic when I first arrived in Sudan. Kajo Keji First Babpist Church, the mother church and base for e3 in Sudan, was finishing up a missions conference in which over 700 people attended. The conference ended today and things have calmed down a lot.
Since arriving in Sudan, I have eaten all but two means with my hands, taken one basin shower, and been given a Kuku name: Wani (Pronounced wann-nee).
I am starting to adjust. Thank you for all your prayers. I can confirm that they are being answered and God's hand in my life has been very apparent as I have gone through this transition.
I look forward to sharing with you more stories and news very soon.
Love,
Stephen
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