Generosity and a Jerrican

Here in Ethiopia, we are blessed to have a grid for electricity as well as city water. However, the power and the water are never on all the time. The water is turned on every 3 to 4 days and the electricity comes and goes as it pleases. I am still trying to figure out if there is rhyme or reason to the electricity and water supply.

We have 3 large water storage barrels that we use when the water is off. We have never run out of water completely, but we have come close. Our backup plan is to pay for jerricans to be brought in from a local borehole.

The electricity will usually be out during the day but on at night for lights and fans. However, every now and then it will be off for days at a time. Usually, multiple days without power and a shortage of water don’t come together. Yet there are those rare occasions when they do. When this happens, I must confess, I get rather annoyed.

A few weekends ago, it happened.

The water hadn’t come for 3 days. With the seven people on our team plus two guards, we were running out. Then the power was shut off. When the power is out at night and there are no fans, no one sleeps well. The house is very hot and if one person moves, either inside or outside, everyone hears it.

By day 5 of no water, we had less than a quarter of a barrel left. A few friends had already come by the compound with jerricans asking if our water was on. This informed me that there was a shortage of water all over town, meaning that the option of deep well water was quickly diminishing if not already gone. Thus bathing is only to happen if an emergency.

Lack of sleep, heat, and little water unfortunately put me in a not so good, very grumbly mood.

While visiting with my friend Nyaret, I made a comment about how I hoped the water would turn on soon so that I could bathe, as it had been 4 days since my last bath. Immediately, she perked up and told me that she would go home, get one of her jerricans and bring me water.

Whoa.

I knew that she only had two jerricans, and that water was difficult to come by. I couldn’t take her water, especially when she has seven kids. Without hesitation I told her no, I was okay, the water would come soon. She didn’t say anything more about it, and after we were finished chatting, she left.

About thirty minutes later, the gate swung open, and in walked Nyaret with a jerrican on her head. I tried to tell her that I would be okay and she needed to take the water back to her family, but she insisted I keep it.

Talk about being humbled. This small act of kindness made a huge impact on me. In my time of need, my friend provided water from her already small supply. 

I thought that I had sacrificed to come to help the Nuer by working for an organization that provides access to clean water. In reality, the Nuer have helped me and taught me so much about life, family, caring for others, and sacrifice. In the Nuer culture, if someone is in need, no matter how much or little another person has, they share it. It’s completely Biblical. Unfortunately, I am usually not so quick to give like that, especially when it is something so precious.

I pray that I will one day be as generous as Nyaret; sacrificing whatever I have, small or great, for the glory of God.

The beautiful Nyaret

Kuoth Ja Thin

Since meeting Nyabuol over a year ago, I have always known her to be “ciek mi buom buom”, or a strong woman, full of life as she is hilarious and very joyful. After being reunited with Nyabuol at the refugee camp, she shared with us all that had occurred since we had seen her in December.

There was a dispute with her son-in-law regarding the dowry paid for her daughter. As a result, her-son-in law shot her. When she was shot, she passed out and was taken to the MSF (doctors without borders) compound in town. The bullet entered through stomach and exited through her back. Her wounds were so bad that she was flown to another MSF location in South Sudan for better care.

Nyabuol remained there for a few months, having many surgeries to repair her mangled organs. When finally released from the hospital, she walked for 10 long days back to Nasir, with little to no food. Shortly after reaching Nasir, she was relocated to the refugee camp where we were reunited with her.

As Nyibol shared her story, she paused periodically to look up, point to the sky and say “Kuoth ja thin” which means “God is there”.

Nyabuol now walks with a limp and battles infection from the bullet wound. Nyabuol was a very thin woman to begin with, but after all this she is even smaller. However, she is still incredibly strong, and she hasn’t lost her humor or her joy.

Nyabuol regularly talks about the time that she “died” and how God saved her life. When I see the scar that covers the entire length of her stomach and the hole in her back from the bullet exit, I can’t help but think that she really shouldn’t be here with us today. She is a constant reminder that “Kuoth ja thin”.

Pumpkin cooking (Nyibuol on right in green jacket)

Nyabuol (green dress) teaching me Nuer tribal dances

Finding Nyabuol

On our return to Gambella in July, our desire was to find all of our Nasir employees. We had been praying earnestly that God would work to bring the others to us, much like he had with our guard and compound manager.

Soon after our return, we receive word that one of the ladies who carried water for us, Nyabuol, was in a refugee camp nearby. We knew that she had been shot by her son-in-law in March, but until now we had no idea where she was.

Early one Saturday morning, Laura, Keisha and I made the 4 hour bumpy ride to Matar, a border town with South Sudan situated very near to a refugee camp, in hopes of finding Nyabuol. We knew that finding Nyabuol in the midst of thousands of displaced people would be difficult, if not impossible. If we were to in fact find her, it would be miracle.

Car ride to Matar

As we made our way along the bumpy, muddy road in the land cruiser, we received an exciting text from Jared who had remained back in Gambella with the kids. His text said that Nyaret, the other lady who carried our water in Nasir, had randomly shown up on the compound! This was an answer to prayer. We had tried to find out information regarding her whereabouts, but had come up with nothing. To have her just walk onto the compound the same day that we went to find Nyabuol wasn’t just a coincidence.

Full of anticipation, we made it to the receiving grounds of the first refugee camp. People immediately began to recognize us from Nasir, making it easy to ask about Nyabuol. Many had seen her there recently but no one knew her exact location.

We continued on to Matar to see if we could find anything more. Reaching the main part of town, we decided to split up into two groups to cover more ground. After just 10 minutes of searching, Keisha and Laura walked up with a tall thin boy. They introduced him as Nyabuol’s son. He remembered us from Nasir and said that Nyabuol was in a different camp and that he could take us to her.

We found Nyabuol's son, Guan Neer! (tall boy next to Keisha)

We all piled into the landcruiser and headed to the camp. However, it was decided that it was best for us khawajas (white people) to wait outside the camp, as it is very difficult to be admitted to the camp if you’re not a registered aid worker or a displaced person. So Laura, Keisha and I sat under a tree with some donkeys, anxiously waiting.

On our way with Nyabuol's son

Finally, after what seemed like ages, the land cruiser pulled up, the door opened, and out came Nyabuol! The reunion was surreal. She came back to Gambella with us that day, and we were reunited with Nyaret soon after. Nyabuol and Nyaret are currently working for us here in Gambella.

Keisha teaching Nyaret and Nyebuol about frogs

Wounded in Battle

Soon after returning to Gambella, we were informed that there had been more fighting in Nasir. Some of the wounded of the White Army (rebel army) had been brought to the Gambella hospital for treatment.

Here, and in a good portion of Africa, if you go to the hospital all that is provided in regard to accommodations is a place to lie—if you’re lucky you may get a bed with a mattress, but nothing else. Your family is responsible for providing linens, food, and taking care of you---keeping you clean, aiding you in using the facilities, etc.

Since the wounded were not from Gambella, many of them had no family here to take care of them. We soon found out that many of the local churches had banded together to raise money for food, and the women of the church were cooking for the wounded. Each day, many of our friends would go together to the hospital to visit the men. This was so encouraging to see the local church reaching out to care for those in need.

One of these days, Jared, Laura and I went along with them. When we arrived at the hospital, we were taken through three wards, two of which were previously tuberculosis wards that had been converted to accommodate the wounded. All three wards were packed full of those wounded in the fighting. There was also a surgical ward nearby that was very active.

The rooms were damp, dirty, poorly lit, and there was no privacy. A musty odor filled through the room as a result of the stench of human excrement, soiled linens, and a leaky roof.

Seeing the degree of some of the wounds was a lot to take in: men wincing in pain as they gasped to take their next breath; those with freshly amputated limbs; some were so weak that they could barely move; family and friends sitting by the unconscious, waiting anxiously for the moment when they would awake. 

As I looked around I realized that some of these men were really just boys no older than 15.

Before coming here, I had just heard stories of fighting. Seeing this glimpse of the effects of the war really hit me hard. This fighting is real. People are dying. Families are being torn apart.

My heart is so burdened for the South Sudanese people. Many of them I now consider my family. I pray a lasting peace comes soon. 

A Whistle or a Chicken?

One afternoon, I went to visit a friend’s house. Ben, the middle Pierce child, decided to go with me. After visiting for a while, we left and went to the thuk mitot (or small market) to grab a few things. Ben is a super hard worker and is always looking for ways to earn money. When he earns money, he then of course has to find a way to spend it.

As we walked through the thuk mitot, I could tell Ben was on the lookout for something. When I asked him what it was, he simply told me he had some money and wanted to buy something fun….maybe a whistle.

We stopped at many different shops, and finally found a whistle. As Ben was weighing his color options, a boy walked up to make a purchase, and I noticed that he was holding a rooster. I jokingly made a comment about Ben buying the rooster. However, Ben did not see this as a joke; his eyes immediately lit up and he enthusiastically said that was a great idea. As we began to negotiate a price with the boy, I remembered how noisy our roosters were in Nasir and also that roosters don’t only crow in the morning, but all day long. I didn’t want to give him the okay to buy the rooster without asking his parents, so we asked the boy to follow us home to get an answer.

Unfortunately for Ben (and fortunately for the rest of us who like sleep), when we arrived home Jared and Keisha said no to the rooster. However, they did say that he could buy a chicken since they are not as loud.  Arrangements were made with the boy to bring back a chicken. A few days later the boy showed up with Ben’s chicken tucked under his arm.

I am sad to report that his chicken only stayed with us one day before flying over the fence and getting lost….No worries though, the Pierce kids now have a mama goat, Nana Montana and her baby,  Himalayas. I’m sure the two of them will bring about many more stories!

In Memory of Yien

Back in May, we discovered that our compound had been looted. As far as we knew, all of our workers were okay. It wasn’t until a few weeks later that we received news that our night guard, Yien, had passed away. His passing had nothing to do with the fighting in Nasir. We were told he went to sleep one night and never woke up.  Even now, as I think about it, it’s still hard to believe he’s gone. I keep expecting him to wander onto our compound in Gambella much like many other of our workers from Nasir have.

Yien--on the left

After Yien’s passing, we learned a little more about him. He had been the first Every Village “volunteer” in Nasir to manage the Hai Majak water well. Over time his position evolved and he became a paid security guard, and a good one at that.

Here are a few of my fondest memories of Yien.

Yien was a feisty little man, as most Nuer are. Every morning, as I sat on my front porch drinking my coffee, he was the first person to walk up the narrow path by our house and let out a good hearty “malE kE runwang” or good morning. Yien always had a smile on his face, and he had the best laugh.

Some mornings, I would look over at the well to see Yien in his over-sized white sports coat directing the ladies at the well. We joked that it looked like he was a maestro directing an orchestra as he was very animated in pointing, ushering and moving the ladies along in an organized fashion.

Our first week in Nasir was slightly terrifying, especially at night, for we were not aware of the security situation. The first few nights, we were awakened by the crunch of footsteps outside the house and a light reflecting off the roof. Laura would call out asking who was there. Every time, we heard the same heavy Nuer accent of Yien as he answered “security guard”.

We had a safari tent on the compound for a while that was used as a guard station, and Yien would sleep in it. One night, there was a HUGE windstorm. When we came out in the morning we discovered that the safari tent had blown across the field with Yen inside it! Yien didn’t speak English, but his acting abilities were top notch so he acted out his flying adventure. (he was okay—just some bruises--- and we all got a good laugh out of the whole situation)

Safari tent after it rolled across the field

One night, a basin was stolen from the outdoor bathing area. Yien spent the entire day investigating. That evening, he returned with an eye witness in tow. He knew who took the basin and Yien wanted justice. As custom in South Sudan, we had to pay for the police to arrest the thief.

Another time, some of our chickens escaped. We hadn’t seen them in a few days, so we just counted our losses. But then, Yien came strutting through the gate with the lost chickens. I still have no idea how he found them.

Every so often while living in Nasir, we would be out a little after dark. O man, Yien was not happy about this. He would meet us at the gate shaking his head and pointing at his watch. He really was concerned about our safety.

As I reflect on the life of Yien, even though I only knew him a short time, my heart is full of fond memories but also filled with some sadness. I am reminded of the fleetingness of human life, as well as the urgency of the Gospel. Even now, as I say good bye to friends who travel back and forth between refugee camps, I always do it as though it may be the last time we meet. 

Rest

Since moving to Gambella in March, we have moved around three times. I am so grateful to the Lord for providing the compound we are now living on. It is smack dab in the middle of the Nuer section of town, which is awesome. However, it can be very busy as there is a lot of traffic right outside our gate that sometimes wanders onto the compound. The compound is very small, and usually at least 2 or 3 locals are present, which means a lot of closeness. Living in a small house with 6 other people, there is not much alone time. Laura and I share a room with a woven rug hanging as a divider to provide a little privacy. Given the living conditions and the cultural aspects of it being completely okay to poke your head in the window, sometimes it feels like I am on 100% of the time. So as much as I love what I do, as we headed to Kampala assignment this time, I was honestly very ready.

This Kampala assignment, I met up with my mom and cousin in Israel. Israel is a beautiful country. It was a wonderful time spent with family and seeing places I read about in the Bible. One night, we stayed in Tiberius, which is on the Sea of Galilee. While there, I began to think about the story of Jesus getting in a boat to get away from the multitude of people that were constantly following him. There are many accounts of Jesus going to a place to be alone to pray. Solitude. He needed a break. That’s what I needed.

I had been feeling slightly guilty about being so ready for a break this time, but I saw that it isn’t a bad thing to need to rest. Even from the creation of the world, God set in place for us as humans to need to rest.

I am very thankful that Every Village has worked into our roles the time for rest. Rest

Visitors

With the unrest in South Sudan, we periodically hear rumors of skirmishes nearby. Although Gambella is safe for the most part, we are still cautious and keep on the alert.

During our stay in the mudhuts, I was awakened one night by rapid footsteps of at least half a dozen people coming up the path towards my hut. Because of all the rumors I had been hearing, my heart began to race. Where we being ambushed? 

My hut was at the front of the small compound (and I was by myself), so I would be the first hut to be reached. I flipped on my head lamp and quickly scanned my eyes across the room looking for something to use to protect myself just in case.

There were voices outside, but no great commotion. After a few minutes, I heard Jared speaking with a man and then lots of movement coming from the storage hut.

I soon ventured outside to see about 10 people (men, women, and children) spread out on a mat preparing to sleep.

It turns out that a pastor from Nasir had come to Gambella with his family. According to culture, if someone shows up, you give them a place to stay and food to eat, and we were able to do just that. 

Looted

Every so often, the power will go out for days at a time. Laura and I joke that this happens to force us to go to the restaurant/hotel in town with a generator so we can meet people. Almost every time we take a trip due to the power being out, we have run into individuals who have played a key role in our lives here.

This day was no different. The power had been out for days, so we made our way to the Baro Hotel to charge our computers. We went to the charging station, a circular concrete seating arrangement with outlets. This area is always full of Nuer men charging their devices.

Charging circle

As we sat working on our computers, some Nuer men were discussing the war and Nasir came up. (Our Nuer is just about good enough now to pick up on the gist of conversations). We deduced that the fighting had finally come to Nasir. We quickly asked the men, who were surprised we could understand them, and they confirmed the news. The government troops had made it to Nasir and there was fighting.

My heart sank. A week earlier there had been reported a horrible massacre in another town. I feared that the same would happen for Nasir, and if thousands weren’t killed, then the town would be burned to the ground for sure. I began to prepare for the worst, but prayed that God would intervene.

Over the next few days we heard reports of the town being burned, we ran into some MSF workers from Nasir, and our compound manager showed up. All reports weren’t good, but the validity of the information was not clear.

As the week pressed forward, we learned that no civilian casualties were reported and that only sections of the town had been burned. Praise God.  This was truly a miracle after what had happened in previous towns.  We continued to war in prayer for the protection of the people as well as for our compound.

Over the weekend, our compound manager went to Nasir to check on things. We received a report from another NGO friend who had recently arrived in Gambella that everything was ok on the compound. We continued to pray for massive angels to surround the compound and the area.

Then, a few days later, our compound manager returned with news that our compound had been looted. We learned that not everything was taken, but that the place had been trashed. I began to feel angry and frustrated… couldn’t they just leave it alone if they didn’t want it?

Everything I had so carefully planned for and purchased in the US was there---good shampoo, knives, a good camping stove, nice sheets, my clarinet, the bible I had since I was 16… many things. And that’s what they were… just THINGS.Countless people have lost loved ones all over South Sudan or lost all their belongings or food stores... my things could be replaced.

As I wanted to be angry with the people who did this, I began to see that what I needed to do was forgive them. I began to really see why to not lay up my treasures on earth--- they can quickly be destroyed.

After the initial shock and feeling of loss, we conversed more with our compound manager. He spoke of the unfortunate happenings as an everyday occurrence.  I realized that I had been given a chance to get a glimpse of what the South Sudanese (and so many others across the world) walk through for years if not an entire lifetime. I will never be able to fully relate to the tragedy of losing loved ones horrifically in battle or witnessing a massacre in front of me. I will never know what it is like to walk for days upon days in the hot sun with no water or shelter in order to seek refuge. I will never understand what it is like to be packed inside a refugee camp with no shelter from the sun or from the torrential down pours of rain or having to live in quicksand-like mud without something as little as a tarp on the ground for escape. I will never know what it is like to be raised in a culture where war is the norm.

But God is good and his purposes will be accomplished for his glory. I am so thankful that through this loss, He has enabled me to inch forward as I try to relate to these people whom I love so much. I still stand by the fact that it is a HUGE miracle there wasn’t a massacre in Nasir. Yes, it is a loss and it is normal to walk through a grieving process. But, any day I would trade a looted compound for the lives of thousands of South Sudanese.

The Praise of Nations

Every Sunday afternoon, we have team church. This is a time where we spend time in worship, praying, and discussing a passage from the Bible. Sometimes we have other Khawajas (Nuer/Arabic word for foreigner) join us.

This day, Jared was sick, so it was just Keisha, Laura and me. We had recently learned that fighting had spread to Nasir, so we decided that we would spend the time worshipping and in intercessory prayer for Nasir. Like most days of team church, we sat outside in our plastic chairs in a small circle.

As we were alternating between singing and praying, two of our young friends, Nyatet and Molan, wandered onto the compound and sat down with us. Neither of them speaks much English, but they soon realized what we were doing. Many of the people in Gambella have relatives in Nasir, and these girls were no different. Immediately they began to pray with us. Soon after, another one of our friends, Mary, joined us as well.

The time of prayer continued as we would sing a song and pray in English, and then they would sing and pray in Nuer. This was such a beautiful time as we praised God and warred together for Nasir in two completely different languages.

I was reminded that God’s love and worship supersedes language and culture. It was a beautiful glimpse of what heaven will be like; people from every tribe, tongue, and nation praising God together. 

"After this I looked and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and in front of the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands. And they cried out in a loud voice:"Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.”All the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures. They fell down on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, saying:“Amen! Praise and glory and wisdom and thanks and honor and power and strength be to our God for ever and ever. Amen!”--Revelation 7:9-11 NIV

Provision

Moving to four different countries in nine months has taught me so much. Living in a town full of refugees, Aid workers, and people I don’t know, who don’t speak my language, or understand my culture has taught me even more. 

One of the lessons I have learned (which I previously thought I knew) is that whatever God intends to happen will come to fruition. There is absolutely nothing I can do but be faithful to what He is asking of me. Being here has made me realize that God doesn’t NEED me to do anything for Him. His purposes will be fulfilled with or without me. I am so extremely privileged that he has ALLOWED me to be here. If by his grace He uses me in the lives of others for His glory, praise be to Him.

Let me share a few stories of God’s provision for our team...

Every friend I have here has literally walked up to us or stumbled onto our compound. We haven’t searched out anybody. From day one when Laura and I went to buy phone SIM cards, we have met person after person who God has brought to us as an answer to our prayers, to become our friends, and to help us as we do life here.

Brooke getting her hair braided by Nyatet and Molan

Our friend Nyatet enjoying the swing Jared made

Me visiting with my friend Nyatuok

Two of my little buddies, Buay and Kir

Since the conflict began in South Sudan we haven’t been able to contact any of our workers in Nasir due to cell towers being shut off. Because of this, we have some compound workers that we hadn’t been able to pay since December. With no way of contacting them to let them know we hadn’t forgotten about them, we began to pray for a way to communicate as well as a way to get them money. We prayed for almost four months. Then one day here in Ethiopia, Jared was getting off a Bajaj (public transport motorized rickshaw), and there stood James, one of our guards from Nasir! He had come with one of our radio workers for medical care. If that isn’t a divine appointment I don’t know what is. We were able to pay our workers through people going back to Nasir, and since then we have run into more of our friends from Nasir. James is even continuing his work here with us in Ethiopia as our night guard. God is good.

Meeting with some of our friends from Nasir, John, Nyakang, and James

God has provided abundantly for all of our housing. We started out in the nightclub hotel. We prayed for a better housing solution, and soon we were able to transition to the mudhuts. As the rainy season approached, we realized that with the kids the mudhuts weren’t the best option, so we began to pray again. Shortly after we started praying, one of our friends informed us of a brand new house in the Nuer area of town. It works out perfectly for our needs.

Our new home

Rats!

I have been living in a mudhut for the past month. The roof is made of grass, but the ceiling is a plastic tarp used to keep bats out and used as extra protection from the rain. When moving into the huts, we had been warned to make sure everything was locked up in containers because of rats. These rats were said to be on the prowl.  They would crawl across the ceiling and come into the huts, chewing through bottles of shampoo, lotion, or anything they could get their teeth on.

The first few nights, we had no rat problems. But then, one night while in the storage hut, I saw a rat crawl down and back up the side of the wall like Spiderman. This gave me the heebie-jeebies. After observing this, I began to be awakened by the scurrying of feet across the tarp. Countless times, I would lie in bed listening to the scurrying, fearing that the rat would fall out of the ceiling onto me.  I reasoned that this was an irrational fear because the rat just wanted food or something to chew on. Also, it was probably more afraid of me than I was of it. 

I then realized that there was a hole in the tarp from a rope extending from the roof, which was used as a clothes hanger. The rat was crawling down the rope into the hut. I cannot even count how many times I woke up because of the rat knocking things over. I would quickly flip on my headlamp to see him scamper up the rope back into the ceiling. After a many nights of being woken multiple times, I began to sleep with earplugs.

Since it was dry season and mosquitoes were rare, I was sleeping without a mosquito net. 

Then it happened.

One night, I was awakened because I felt something on my side. I sat up rapidly, flipped on my light to see the rat jump off the bed and scurry up the rope into the ceiling. BLAH! BLEH! EW! ICK! GROSS! I immediately put up my mosquito net (to keep the rats out, not the mosquitoes). 

Let’s just say, I didn’t get much sleep that night. I did however spend a good amount of time plotting the demise of the rat, and I also named him. His name is Mr. Peebody. In my mind, I cooked up many creative plans of how to get rid of him. Luckily, it was an easy fix as I was able to patch the hole in the tarp with some screen. I'm happy to report that Mr. Peebody hasn’t ventured down since that fretful night. 

Home Sweet Home

Water Crisis

The night club hotel accommodations seemed decent from the beginning. There was a shower, a toilet, and a sink. Not too shabby. However, shortly after arriving we discovered that the toilet did not flush, and no water came out of the faucets. In broken, Amharic-English, we were told by the owner that the water would come in 2 or 3 days. So to hold us until then, they would bring us buckets of water… or at least this is what we understood from the conversation. Unfortunately, some of the message was lost in translation. We later learned that the owner really meant the town water was consistently shut off and is only switched on every few days. Although the bathrooms had the physical appearance of modern plumbing, the water lines were missing. We were used to bucket baths from living in Nasir, and manually flushing the toilet wasn’t too difficult, so no big deal.

The problem came when they hauled in our buckets of water. It was water straight from the river. At first you think, river water isn’t so bad to bathe with. But, this wasn’t just any river water. It was muddy and smelly river water. And after seeing what happens in the river you definitely don’t want to use it.

On the walk to the market, we had to cross a bridge over the river that flows through town. The view from this bridge was kind of like looking through a national geographic (and a health & hygiene nightmare). Upstream, livestock were drinking/cooling off/bathing in the water, then next came the town carwash that was in the river, and finally many men completely exposed bathing. Among all this, there were people with jerycans gathering water. Yikes!

Luckily, we were able to negotiate with the hotel owner to bring us water from a nearby well. 

After about a week and a half, we moved into some mudhuts on a church compound. Never before would I have ever imagined that I would be grateful to move from a hotel to a mudhut…but I was.

Our stay at the “night club” was very eye opening. The hotel owners’ family lived and worked there. Living alongside these Ethiopians, we were able to get a glimpse of life here. Even at 12 or 13, the children of the family were expected to work at the restaurant/bar. The water crisis was another eye opening experience. I have always seen a need for clean water and I am so happy that Every Village drills wells. However, until this experience, I was not able to relate to the gigantic need for clean water and hygiene training. 

River and bridge in town
 (at a slow time...usually the river is full of people and animals)

The Night Club

A little over 3 weeks ago, the Pierce family, Laura, and I moved to a town in western Ethiopia. The town is very near the border of South Sudan and close to Nasir, so there are many Nuer here. We will be here for a few months, as we hope for Nasir to become safe enough for us to go back in. Currently, our main aim at being here is to continue learning the Nuer language and more about the culture.

Before all seven of us packed up our things in Kampala to come to Ethiopia, Jared and Kerry (our Field Director who lives in Kampala), took an assessment trip to find housing for us. The best option they landed on was for us to live in a hotel.

Upon arrival to the small airport, the one rickety public transportation van going to town was full. There we sat, three kids, four adults, and seven pieces of luggage, outside the airport waiting and trying to figure out how to travel the 17km to town. We had come in on the only flight of the day, so there wouldn’t be another public transport van that day. After waiting a bit, a man who worked at the airport began to talk to Jared. He had a truck and offered to give us a ride into town. We took him up on the ride. The seven of us, our luggage, the driver and his friend piled into the truck. It was a squished, bumpy and sweaty ride to town.

When we reached town, we discovered that due to new refugee camps in the area, there were many NGOs in town so accommodations were limited. All of the hotels Jared and Kerry had previously scoped out were full. The men with the truck dropped Keisha, Laura, me and the kids off at a hotel/restaurant and set off with Jared to find us a hotel. After searching for a time, they found a few rooms. The place was rather run down, but it was somewhere to stay for the night. Luckily, later that day, Jared was able to hop on a Bajaj (a 3 wheeled small buggy similar to a motorized rickshaw which serves at public transportation) and found a little nicer place down the road. This place was larger and in slightly better condition (imagine a very shady motel in the states). They only had one room available that day, but said that others would open later in the week. It was decided that Keisha, Brooke, Laura and I would stay at the new place for the night, while Jared and the boys stayed at the first hotel.

Bajaj

That afternoon, the kids discovered some puppies behind hotel #1. The mother dog was very protective from the start, but the puppies were just too cute for the kids to leave alone. As we were preparing to go to dinner, suddenly there was a lot of commotion. The mother dog had bitten one of the kids! Luckily, the dog wasn’t rabid and just protecting her young. (We did monitor the dog for about a week following the bite—there were no problems, all is well now).

By the time we returned from dinner it was already dark. As we road down the road lined with tea shops, we could hear loud music coming from somewhere nearby. I panicked for a minute as I feared the music was coming from our hotel. Soon we passed a joint with loud music and flashing lights. What a relief. I thought I was safe because it was far enough from our place that we wouldn’t be bothered. Boy was I wrong. As we pulled into the gate of our hotel we were greeted by booming music and Christmas lights that blinked along with the beat. We were living in a night club! 

The party continued until sometime between 12-2am (with the same about 8 songs playing over and over—including some Britney Spears and Justin Bieber). Sleep that night was rather difficult, as 4 of us were crammed in a small, hot and stuffy room… not to mention the party that was going on outside our door. 

The next morning we learned that Jared and the boys had a similar experience at their hotel. From what I have observed, many hotels in town turn into night clubs every night. Luckily, our stay at the “night club” only lasted a week and a half.

It Makes More Sense...

       Living in Sub-Saharan Africa has increased my understanding of some of the stories, common themes, and issues faced in the Bible. Here are a few things that I can now relate to:

 1.       Washing feet. I now understand why the washing of feet was a common practice. Walking everywhere on dirt roads and dusty streets, my feet are filthy at the end of the day.

 2.       The miracle of Moses safely floating down the Nile. The Nile is a wide river, with rapids and dangerous animals. It really was an act of God for baby Moses to float in a basket all the way down the river to the safety of Pharaoh’s daughter.

 3.       Flies. In the 10 plagues I don’t think I ever quite understood how annoying and dirty a plague of flies is. There are so many flies here, and escaping their irritating buzz and tickly feet is almost impossible.

 4.       Women and water wells. Many Bible stories involve water wells and women carrying water. Obtaining water for a family is the woman’s job. She may spend hours walking, waiting in line at the well, and carrying the water. Fetching water seems to become somewhat of a social event, as the same women use the same well day to day.

 5.       Life in water. Throughout Scripture, there are many accounts of people searching for water or God providing water miraculously. Jesus even alluded to water by calling himself the living water. Along our journey, there have been a few times where clean water is very difficult to come by. Recently, we stayed in a place in Ethiopia where there was no running water and the only water we could get was muddy river water. Luckily, the water dilemma only lasted a short time. This experience really helped to enhance my passion for clean water being available for all people.

 6.       Power in blood. I have never lived in a place where I would have experienced the slaughtering of an animal for food. Watching a goat being slaughtered or even a chicken being beheaded just for us to eat really caused me to realize the power in the blood of animal sacrifices in the Old Testament. I am so grateful that we do not have to make sacrifices for sins anymore, and that Jesus’ blood was the perfect atonement for sin.

 7.       Communal living. In Acts, the early church is portrayed as a group of people who lived very communally. No one claimed anything to be his own; they shared everything. If someone had a need, those living in community with him banded together to provide. Living in Nasir, on a compound with nine other people, results in communal living. We have our own houses, but we share pretty much everything. I love it.

 8.       Frankincense or sweet aroma incense. Offerings of incense were to be made to the LORD in the Old Testament. After the birth of Jesus, the wise men brought frankincense to Jesus. In this part of the world, incense and frankincense are burned regularly. Although I am not a huge fan of the smell, people here really like the sweet fragrance. It is a good reminder that our prayers are offered up as a sweet aroma to God.

 9.       Livestock. Throughout the Bible, livestock is a main theme. It is used as payment, in parables, in measuring ones wealth, to communicate messages, etc. Before moving here, I understood that livestock was just part of the culture. After seeing disagreements over cattle, donkey carts hauling loads, the pride of the people in the number of cows they possess, or the intricate way they shape of the cows’ horns, my understanding of the impact of animals in the Bible has deepened.

10. Living one day at a time. Jesus told us not to be anxious about the days to come. He told us not to worry about what we’ll eat or drink or do. So far, in my life this has never been more real until this past year. Many mornings I wake, not really knowing what I will do that day. I have to ask God to show me what he has for me that day. Fairly often, my days look nothing like I would have ever imagined myself. God always provides and is always faithful.

End It

While living in Houston, I became involved in an organization that combats sex-trafficking. Since Houston is a major hub for human trafficking, I really had a heart for everyone involved in this trade. Whether a consumer, a pimp, or one offering services, all are in bondage. It was my desire to help raise awareness to end modern day slavery. Because involvement in this ministry was basically in my backyard, making the decision to leave such a pressing and in my face issue was difficult. I figured that moving from the physical front lines in Houston to a village in South Sudan, the best way for me to still be involved in the end it movement was to pray. However, human trafficking is an issue all across the globe, and the Lord has opened some doors for me during my stay in Uganda.

Living in Uganda for a time has enabled me to research the rates of trafficking here. My findings were that due to poverty, low employment rates, plus a few other factors, many women, men and children are being sucked into slavery. Uganda is a big hub for child slavery. Children are forced to work cattle herding, mining, begging on the streets with the money going to their oppressor, working in bars or restaurants, and not a surprise, prostitution. Women are targeted as well. Many times, Ugandan women unable to find work are lured by men whom they have learned to trust (usually a boyfriend, a good friend, or another woman who is caught up in trafficking) into going somewhere internationally in promise of a high paying job. Upon arrival, the promised job is discovered to be a lie, passports are seized, and they are forced into sex slavery. In fact, it was reported in 2012 that “over 600 Ugandan women were trapped in Malaysia’s sex industry”ᵇ. Uganda is also a destination country for trafficking victims from all across Africa. These victims, women, men and children may be sold in cattle markets and forced into both domestic and sex slavery within the country. It has also been conjectured that trafficking of children is directly linked to child sacrifice which is still practiced by witchdoctors in some parts of the country ͨᵈ. All of this breaks my heart.

Being delayed in Kampala has been very trying, but God has been faithful. He has enabled me to actually play a physical role in fighting human trafficking. It is nothing that I have gone looking for, but something that has fallen into my lap. I have a new friend, I’ll call her Jane, whom I believe is being lured in to a situation that will lead to enslavement. I cannot relay much as to maintain privacy, but all signs point to what seems to be a trafficking ploy. I can already see how gracious God has been in protecting Jane. I continue to pray for God’s wisdom on how to handle this delicate situation and for His mighty hand of protection and His intense love to envelop Jane. Will you join me?

Sources:

ᵃhttp://www.makeeverywomancount.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=4657:uganda-combating-human-trafficking-of-women-and-girls-in-their-search-for-better-economic-opportunities-a-growing-epidemic-in-the-east-african-nation&catid=70:16daysactivism&Itemid=187

ᵇ http://www.monitor.co.ug/Magazines/PeoplePower/Human-trafficking--The-modern-form-of-slavery-/-/689844/1974562/-/rj8l5s/-/index.html

ͨ http://gvnet.com/humantrafficking/Uganda.htm

ᵈ http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/8441813.stm

Limbo

Radio training in Kampala began this week for some of the newest Every Village employees. They are all South Sudanese men, who will be helping to get the radio stations set up in Nasir and Tonj. We (the Nasir team) have been asked to help out with the training in teaching chronological Bible storying. However, we were not planning on being here for this. You see, according to the rotation schedule, we should already be back in Nasir. In fact we should have flown back in 5 days ago.

As most may know, there has been some unrest in South Sudan for a little bit over a month now. We have been warring in prayer daily for peace in South Sudan, just hoping to get a call telling us to pack our bags and prepare to fly back in. One day peace negotiations look promising, and the next day hopes are shattered as the peace talks are back to square one.

Recently, I have received many emails from friends and family asking how we are all doing. In all honesty, these past few days have been very trying. It wasn’t so bad during the time that we were scheduled to be in Kampala. In fact, I really enjoyed the amenities Kampala has to offer. But, now that our scheduled time has passed, restlessness has settled in. I have found myself feeling in limbo and somewhat homeless. Yes we have a great place to stay here, but it’s not home. Home is in Nasir. My life is there now. More than once I have wanted to either be in Nasir or back in the states. More than once have a grappled with the Lord as to why He uprooted me just to wait here in Kampala. More than once I have reasoned that I could have been halfway done with nursing school by now. The unknown is really what makes it all so difficult.

So as I began to review my chronological Bible stories for radio training, I was assigned to tell the story of Abraham and Isaac. My current situation caused me to view this story in a different light than I ever have before.  In this story, God made many promises to Abraham about his descendants. They would be as many as the stars in the heavens. They would be a great nation. They would be enslaved and mistreated, but after 400 years they would come out with many possessions. They would inherit a land called Canaan, and all peoples of the earth would be blessed through him (Abraham). But there was one problem, Abraham had no children. His wife was barren and they were both old. Yet Abraham believed God, and God fulfilled His promise when Abraham and his wife had a son named Isaac. However, years later, God told Abraham to take his only son, Isaac, up to a mountain and to sacrifice him to the Lord. Abraham obeyed God and took his son up to be sacrificed. In fact, he tied Isaac up, put him on the altar, and just as he was about to kill him, the angel of the Lord spoke to Abraham telling him not to kill his son. Luckily, there was a ram close by, which Abraham sacrificed in place of Isaac. Abraham then named this place “Jehovah Jireh” which means “the Lord will provide”. (Genesis 22)

Abraham had such a great faith. He believed God from the beginning and obeyed God, even to the point of taking his only sons life. He trusted in the plans of the Lord rather than his own reasoning. Yes, some of what God asks us to do make little to no sense. In retrospect, I am not being asked to take anyone’s life in my hands. All the Lord is asking me to do now is to trust Him, His timing, and His plans for my life (although at times this can be just as scary when I’m not wanting to relinquish control). If it is to go back to Nasir, He will provide a way. If it is to go back to the states, He will provide a job. If it is something completely different, He will provide the direction. The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob is Jehovah Jireh.

Christmas in Kampala

Christmas time for me includes lots and lots of family. Baking parties, lots of food, games, 42 tournaments,  movies, hanging out, annual football game, caroling, Christmas Eve candle light service, and reading from Luke together—all traditions that have been observed by my family for years.

This year I was in Kampala with the rest of the Nasir team and the Hendersons. Christmas Eve was a great time. We had our big Christmas feast and then sat around chatting and catching up on the YouTube videos we had missed while in Nasir. The day was filled with lots of laughs. I was presently surprised that I wasn’t missing my family too much.

Later that evening, after watching Polar Express with the Ginter’s and Laura, I decided to make Christmas cookies. Every year, making and decorating Christmas cookies is something I do with my mom (and whatever siblings want to help). As I was slathering icing on the cookies, I began to hear the roar of laughter coming from the house next door. It was 10pm by now, and as I listened more, I deduced that all the commotion was from a family gathering together on Christmas Eve.  Listening to this directed my thoughts to my own family, and how I wouldn’t be with them this Christmas. Suddenly, I could feel the tears welling up in my eyes. I tried to fight them back, but soon they were streaming down my face (it didn’t help that the song “I’ll Be Home for Christmas” was playing in the background). After finishing the cookies, looking like a soggy mess I made my way up to my room to call my mom (I’m so thankful for Skype). Talking with my parents cheered me up and helped me to see the bigger picture.

Yes we are apart, but we are all healthy and safe. I was reminded of the unrest in South Sudan, and how much of the country was not going to have a merry Christmas.

I began to reflect on the true meaning of the Christmas season. If it wasn’t for that starry night in Bethlehem, I wouldn’t be in South Sudan. Christ came to earth so that we can be reconciled to God through His blood. In doing so, He left his thrown in heaven to come down and be born in a lowly stable amongst cattle (after living in Nasir for a few months and being constantly surrounded by livestock, I understand this better---its smelly, noisy and dirty). Why? Simply, because He loves us, and His love is what has saved me.  His love is what has led me to South Sudan. His love is what will bring true peace to South Sudan.

Since it is the start of a New Year, would you make a commitment to join me in prayer, daily warring for the Prince of Peace to pour out His love on the South Sudanese?

“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore. The zeal of the LORD almighty will accomplish this.” Isaiah 9:6-7

Kerry reading from Luke

Movie time!

Our make-shift fire place!