As we flew over the arid section stretching along the border with Ethiopia one could really appreciate the vastness of the country. Land would stretch on for miles in either direction with no signs of people. As we made our way over to our destination, the mighty river Nile started to appear. In the distance, one could see the belt of green bordering either side and firmly in the middle of the river. The caravan plane circled over the village. As it banked to its left, I was able to peer down into the waters of the river. Birds could be seen flying below. As the plane banked some more, the glitter of the sun off the river made it sparkle. There is so much life and vegetation along this Nile corridor. However, as you move several meters away from the river the land is but a flat and seemingly desolate place. Green turns to brown.
We landed on the long airstrip constructed by the oil company during their surveys: now completely abandoned. It’s roughly a 40 minute walk from the airstrip to the compound where we have set up. We walk along the Nile where we are told there are hippos and crocodiles. As you walk away from the banks of the river the dry cracked ground stretches on forever. Bones of dead cattle that succumbed to the elements are strewn on the ground: a section of the skull here and the ribs there. The trees do not offer much shade there. They are acacia trees, primarily good for making charcoal which have thorny branches.
The main event we went in to witness was the graduation of the first set of students from the accelerated learning program. This community living along the Nile had really embraced the project and the teachers that had spent up to three years of their lives there. A bull was slaughtered the day before the celebration and would become the feast for the following graduation day. The students worked hard setting the stage for the celebration. Guests of honour would include representatives from the county commissioner's office, the education minister and others from the government and civil society associations.
The day began slowly and reaching noon, we were underway. Guests started pouring into the building that was constructed for the school. A choir started with song and I opened our time in prayer. Speeches were given and encouragements flowed both from the community members and the dignitaries to keep each child in school. As the diplomas were passed out, the women would yell their distinct Sudanese cry of joy! The student with the highest score was given a gift. To our great joy, it was a woman who had taken top marks. In a country that has seen so much discrimination against women, it was a great achievement. As the name was announced, the father jumped to his feet with pride and pumped his right fist in the air. It was a touching moment for all!
As we closed up the ceremony, it was a bitter sweet moment for the teachers there. As we all walked to the airstrip, many cried the whole way there. As we sat and waited for the plane to arrive, some slumped on the dry cracked earth, I could appreciate how much the people loved our teachers and how much the teachers loved the students. As a visitor in there for a total of five days, the scene was touching and also made tears well up.
There are some amazing things going on here and we are grateful for the opportunity to witness these historic moments.
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Please pray for:
· Safe journeys as we travel;
· More workers in the field: need water technicians, agriculturalists, veterinarians, educators, HIV/AIDS ministry people, builders, administrators, etc.
· Good relations with community leaders and the churches where we work;
· Our support of the missionaries in the field!
