Last night was perfect sleeping weather – cool – no sweating – even pulled a sheet up early this morning.
Today is Friday so school was just a half day. When an Abukloi Board member visits Rumbek there is quite a list of people to meet with. The student leaders is one such group and I met with them this morning. They spoke for over an hour while I listened and took notes. Their concerns have some similarities to those in the US but the differences are far greater. Their primary concern was for the teachers. Because of the way we are paying them, their pay has not kept up with the hyper-inflation South Sudan is experiencing. Three of their teachers have left and the students are very loyal to good teachers. There was continued interest in boarding for male students for safety and for female students for release of family chores that keep them from their studies. I will take all their concerns to our Director and their teachers who I meet with tomorrow (Saturday morning) and then to the Board.
The materials and equipment for the internet café arrived today via plane (turned out that was less expensive than by truck). Tomorrow the technician is to arrive and Monday it is all to be installed. Meanwhile, the students are coming to Pan Door for computer lessons. With 275 students and 8 computers there is generally 3-5 students per computer. But they are patient and used to working in groups so things went smoothly. Two groups met yesterday, two today, and there will be three tomorrow which will then have provided all students with a basic introduction. It has also allowed Kory to observe the students familiar with computers. They can be used to train others.
The radio program (the one I was interviewed about the internet café) aired last night and again this morning. Already the teachers and director are receiving calls. We will likely have to have people make appointments to use it because our service is limited as we start and we want time for our students to use it. Rumbek has about 750,000 people and we will have the only public internet. No wonder people are excited.
Ken and Steve taught their last introductory class of starting a business. I was able to sit in and was impressed with this class. They seemed to get it! One wanted to be a retailer, two pharmacists, the girls sitting next to me wanted to have a boutique. The class is loving having Ken, Steve, and Kory here to teach them these subjects – great excitement in the air!
This evening we went to the town square to watch Justin play soccer. His team won 4-1. There was also karaoke happening directly in front of us, about 6 feet away. It was loud but we could watch the game in the shade from that elevation, even sitting down. One can tell much about a society by the way they treat those who are different. At the karaoke, there was a man who had to walk on his knees. In addition, he wore thick glasses and had garbled speech but they invited him to sing and dance. People showed their appreciation by putting money in the performers pockets. (With the inflation, the money isn’t worth much.) This handicapped man received far more than any other performer and great applause. It warms the heart to see people with nothing being generous with some who has even less.
I was able to move to a different room today. It is self-contained so the bathroom is part of the room. The other room had communal toilets and showers. I was sharing it with men and just felt uncomfortable so am glad to be in this new room.
-Marg
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