Tuesday Football

Today is my mother's birthday. She died 2 1/2 years ago. I had hoped to get to Nancy's Garden today. It is in Rumbek, a garden named for her. But there were things to do here in Juba, so that was not to be. She was on my mind a lot - rather feel she traveled with me this time. Over the years we had become friends so it is nice to have her spirit with me. Basically, I did very little today. Justin was working on registration of our organization with the national government and Angelo was still trying to meeting with government officials, primarily the Vice President. Time is so different here, measured in longer periods. The way I think about minutes is how people here think about hours and my hour is their day, etc. If you know me you know I don't like to waste time so when I come here I have to take a very deep breath and just let all of that go. I did review some notes and started to calligraphy the names on the business proposal certificates to be given at graduation Feb. 10. I have my kindle with me so could do some reading. This evening I went to a football game (soccer for most of you). It is the Unity Games. The Rumbek Team is representing Lakes State. We got there after the game started. Allow me to describe it. The field is nothing but hard, dry dirt sprinkled with stones. There are some chalk lines and net goals as well as the standard officials. There were two bus stop type structures that the teams stayed under. There was also one area with a canopy over it and plastic chairs lined up. The entire field was lined 3-5 deep with fans. People were also hanging out windows in an adjacent building under construction. I would guess there were well over 1,000 people there. The announcer was speaking in Arabic and it was loud and fast. I understood 3 words: Sudan, Rumbek, salom (peace as these are the Peace and Unity Games). Justin took my hand and led me to a chair in the front row under the canopy. At 5'3", that was the only way I was going to see any of the game. I could see the entire field and all the spectators. I was the only white person there. But I was wearing a T-shirt for the Rumbek team so people knew I was there intentionally. The level of play was fast and aggressive. The ball handling skills were amazing. These are not professional soccer players but young adult men with school, jobs, families, etc. One of the coolest plays (mind you, I don't watch a lot of soccer except grandchildren) was a shorter player leap frogging above the taller player in front of him and head butting the ball. I wanted to take pictures but there was a clear military/police presence there and I have gotten into trouble twice before for taking pictures when I was not allowed to. I saw no one else taking any except the professional in front of me. Sitting this close we got to breath all the dust and see all the action. Near the end of the game a player about 15 feet in front of the first row of chairs kicked the ball into the area where we were sitting. It smacked the arm of the man sitting right next to me. He never moved - didn't seem to bother him. When Justin and I left the game we carried 4 young men in the back seat to a netball game (volley ball). Apparently they play on a team - very popular here - a game that a growing number of females play - especially the tall women. Some other observations: men here hold hands with other men, seldom with women; only about 5% of the spectators were female and they were young women; several of them were wearing shorts; people sold ground nuts wrapped in clear wrap in a ball about the size of a fist - they carried them on a tray balanced on their heads; after the game kids went around and picked up plastic water bottles - I think they can sell them; country music is all the rave here in South Sudan - I hear it everywhere and people know the words and sing along!

I am now in Amarat Hotel in Juba, capital of South Sudan. The first flight took a little more than 12 hours - we made good time. The second flight was less than 2 hours. Justin Mathok, our Director, met me at the airport and took me to this hotel. We talked while they finished cleaning the room and then he left so I could get a long nap. The room is 3rd world but very nice by South Sudanese standards and I am safe and quite content. One of the things I have learned is to make plans for these trips but then just relax and go with the flow. I thought I would fly out to Rumbek in the morning (Tuesday) but instead we are going to stay in Juba until Saturday. We have things to do here and the flights between Juba and Rumbek are only on Tuesdays and Saturdays. We want to apply for an international grant through Rotary but in order to do that there has to be a Rotary Club in Rumbek. There is one in Juba and the leaders have agreed to help us start one in Rumbek. Justin has secured more than 25 interested people in Rumbek. So tomorrow afternoon we will meet with the Rotary leaders here in Juba and write up a concept paper. I think we are going to also meet with some folks in the National Education Department on Wednesday. Justin and I will work on what we can from "the list". Shortly, Justin and Angelo will come and we will have dinner, probably here at the hotel. Life after dark is better inside here in Juba. Grateful for a safe trip and negotiated price at Amarat ($40 instead of the standard $100 - thanks Justin!).

Africa Bound January 2018

I have made it through security and am sitting at gate A31 at Dulles Airport waiting for my flight on Ethiopian Air. It is a 15 hour flight, non-stop to Addas Ababa, Ethiopia then on to Juba, capital of South Sudan. I am traveling by myself until I get to Juba where I will be met by Angelo Maker, Lost Boy of Sudan and inspiration for Abukloi, and Justin Mathok, Director of Abukloi. Tuesday I will fly with them to Rumbek, location of our school. The primary purpose of this trip is to attend graduation, Feb. 10. It is the very first graduation of Abukloi Secondary School. There are 60 graduates. Many of these graduates started in the pre-session in the fall of 2013 when Bev Nelan and I started the school. So these are the students we know the best. They are much older than the other students, most of them in their 30's and 40's. Each year our students get significantly younger and we have more female students. This is a great indicator that the community is growing in their value of education even for their daughters. They can see the benefits education has for the individuals and the community. Our incoming class is likely to be 90 strong with many in their teens and at least 1/3 female. I don't know if I will have internet in Juba and not sure how dependable internet will be in Rumbek but I will try to post something on the blog every day. We have generated a long list of things to accomplish during this 2 week stay in South Sudan but only God knows what will actually happen. It is always like Christmas, these trips. You sent your list to Santa but not sure what will actually be under the tree!