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. 

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