It's raining! That may not seem like much to share but its is here in South Sudan. Rainy season is supposed to start in April but here it is the last day of May and still little rain, if any. Most families plant only in the rainy season because there is no bore hole near the cultivation. If it doesn't rain, there is no food, really, no food. I was here two years ago during the level four famine. It was a desperate situation and people remember it with great fear. There simply was no food for many people and very little for others. Even our teachers who are paid, went without food for 2-3 days trying to assure their own children had at least something to eat. School often ended early because teachers were too hungry to teach and students too hungry to learn. Some students just dropped out. Many people were sick, malnutrition took away any defense of disease. Women could not produce milk for their babies. It is no wonder people here look up to the big blue sky with nothing but fluffy white clouds with a sense of worry. So celebrate the rain with me. Join me a happy rain dance!

Today we met with the man who oversees Rumbek University and opening the Catholic University here in Rumbek. The university is called science and technology but they have no labs. Their plan was to transport the students to the university in another city. They did that once but it was so expensive they could not repeat it. It has been three years with no experience in a lab. We talked to him about partnering to ask USAID to provide a grant for a lab that could be shared by the universities and secondary schools in our area. Next week I will share with our science teachers experiments that can be done without a fancy lab, kitchen items, home school type. Thanks to Katie Fliegler, Mindy Kelly and Kate Ewalt for their assistance. We will see if I am up to the task. I have got to be one of the least knowledgeable educated persons in the area of science. Pray for me and our teachers!

I have been thinking about something a midwife told Jean and me last week. She said that anemia is a problem here. It is due to ulcers. When asked she said ulcers come as a result of hunger and worry. We in first world countries often think people in developing countries have adapted to scarcity and hunger, that somehow it doesn't bother them. I think it helps us take some of the sting out of the fact that parents can't feed their children. But this local midwife's statement tells me otherwise. Hunger and worry.

This is Jean Dobay. This is my first time in South Sudan. i am amazed at the passion that the South Sudanese have for their country, and their desire to bring the newest country in the world into the 21st century. The women are especially strong and determined to lift themselves up. One of the biggest problems that the women face is the dowry tradition. The male members negotiate the sale of the daughters by the groom's family paying in cows. Grooms are selected by the male family members, and the girl has no say in who or when they will marry. This has reduced their ability to be educated. Where most schools dismiss girls who are married or pregnant, Abukloi encourages those girls to attends their school. Abukloi is not only changing lives, it is changing the society of South Sudan.

Today was so much fun! We met with some of the 2018 graduates who are recipients of micro loans. Of the 75 graduates 66 completed a business proposal. Of those, 36 were part of one of the 6 businesses selected for funding. They include 3 agriculture, 1 retail, 1 dress making, 1 carpentry. One of the students said, "we are covered in a very big happiness" They will work with our Director Justin and business teacher, Deng Henry. And they will meet with last years recipients to learn from their mistakes and successes. Thanks to all our donors for making this possible. If you would like to be more involved in this, please let me know. I'd be delighted to talk to you. Marg

It took us 3 days but we finally arrived on Tuesday in Rumbek, South Sudan. There was a group of about 50 students and teachers to welcome us. Our flight was hours late so they had been waiting in the hot sun for hours. There was singing, flowers, a sign and lots of handshakes. There were even people there from the local radio and tv station. For me, it was returning home after a long departure. wednesday we went to the school. It is examination time but they changed the schedule to allow an assembly. My sister, Jean, is traveling with me this time. We both greeted the students and I announced the recipients of the next round of micro loans. We visited four of them. One of the student-graduate run businesses has already paid back her loan. Some are nearly ready to start paying back. All of us are learning. Everyone here is waiting for the rain. It impacts everything. We expected the agriculture to be affected but not the hair salon. Drought drives up the price of food which means there is no money for anything except food. Jean and I took a walk yesterday evening. Several women asked us for money to buy food. Because of the language difference, they used their hands to communicate. Hunger is evident. Please pray for rain in South Sudan.