Day 3 - Yabus

A deep throated croaking rises from the Yabus river. The bullfrog chorus has begun. Crickets ratchet the refrain. They are an accompaniment to the chanted choruses of the students at Yabus Secondary School. I joined their worship tonight for a short time. It was easy to distinguish the melody . . . What a Friend We Have In Jesus . . . but the words were foreign to me. They invited me to sit down and join the circle. I don't understand the joy I see in their faces highlighted by flashlights. Their life and land is torn by years of war. Yet, they sing with joy of God. Education is their hope for a better future. Phalice and these teachers are bringing that chance to these adult men so they can go back to their families and villiages as capable leaders. The children of the next generation like the ones in the pictures yesterday will be the benafactors of this great work.

I'm feeling much better today. I think a combination of jet lag, not sleeping on the plane(s), and the heat here was not a good one for my health at least temporarily. That's all for now . . .

Day 2 - Yabus

,

Today was hard for me. After visiting two classes in the morning I basically tried to stay cool. I think I had a minor case of heat exhaustion, was sick to my stomach, head achy, and sleepy. I slept in my hammock (I have a hammock in the shade on my covered porch) for a while and that helped. Pray that I will acclimate to the heat.

The school is having trouble with the Internet so it is only up for 1/2 hour each evening and is very slow. However, I want to get two pictures to you if I can . . . Just tried and the connection is very limited so I'll do my best tomorrow . . . Second try here they are; ultimately this is what makes a trip like this and the ministry of starting a school all worth it. These children just had a lesson by the tall women, Victoria, in the back on the left. She is the wife of James, a teacher at the school. She is volunteering to teach this group of kids simply because she was there and saw the need.

Tomorrow morning I'm teaching the students about Biblical leadership for Bible class. I have Henri Nouwen, In Jesus Name, along so I have good material. I'll try to get you a picture tomorrow. I also just had a great conversation for about 2 hours with Phalice. Please pray for her strength and wisdom. A female attempting to do what she is doing is unheard of. Those of you that know her know she is a trooper.

Grace and peace,

Day 1 - Yabus

The ride from the airstrip put a whole new meaning to the idea of bumpy. I rode in the back of the pickup with my new friend John. He is a builder, a mason really. He flew up with me from Nairobi to put up a couple more teacher houses. I'm using the term "house" loosely.

Things to be thankful for:

• It is so hot there are no misquotes
  
• There is a fan running on a small battery in my tent
• I made it here on six different airplane rides; only one was late
• I gave Phalice a big hug from everyone today, she is very glad to see me. I also gave her lots of chocolate. We ate dark chocolate m&m's while we sipped warm water with Crystal Lite mixed in
  
• There are a billion stars in the sky and I can see them as I use my laptop from the patio to my tent

Thinks to pray for

• The missionaries here: Phalice, the compound manager, Eli and his family (wife and three very small boys), the teachers in the school (three of which are Africans)
• The students, more on them as I get to know them
• My state of mind as I live in a safari tent in 100+ degree heat. IT IS SO HOT HERE THERE ARE NO MOSQUITOES!!!
  

Tomorrow I'll start visiting classes. Phalice wants me to mentor some of the teachers. The three African young men that are teaching have only been up through high school. None of the teachers including the three missionaries are trained teachers.

There is a lot to do just to survive here. I've probably drunk 2-3 liters of warm water today. Of course I sweat 2-3 liters of water today too. I don't understand how they do it . . . well I guess I really do.

Grace and peace.

In Yabus

Wanted everyone to know I'm in Yabus, but I don't have much time. It is really hot. I have my safari tent setup. It is good to see my friend Phalice. There will be more time to fill you in later this evening. It is noon and I'm touring the school. I just stopped briefly to check in. Please ignore typos . . . I don't have my glasses on! :)

Sunday Morning

I'm adjusting to this time zone with a good night's sleep. This morning I walked through an outdoor weekend market where I was mobbed by anxious traders wanting to sell their wares.

This afternoon I fly to Loki on the northern boarder of Kenya. It has a large airstrip built to help the relief effort in Sudan. I'm traveling with Thoro and Ricky so I'll have company and people along who know what they are doing.

Tomorrow morning we fly in a twelve-seater to Yabus. It is around a 2 hour flight.

Touch Down Complete . . . Welcome To Nairobi

Well, I made it. My last flight was 45 minutes late because they had to wait to load an extra 4 Kenyans on board who did not have the correct "documents" to stay in Dubai so they had to leave on the next available plane which was mine. So we were about an hour late leaving Dubai, sitting on the tarmac of course.

David (a Kenyan taxi driver who owns his own company) and Claire were patiently waiting at the airport. David's a kick . . . great sense of humor and will likely drive me several other times during my stay. He also arranges for my trip to the animal park when I return to Nairobi. They whisked me off to a very nice boarding room. It has an open air restaurant where I had breakfast: an omelet with two kinds of peppers, an interesting type of meat, and cheese; sweet potato; a cooked banana in a green peel; a plantain (a little banana); and pretty good coffee. Then I was off to the shower (cold as it was) to scrub off 36 hours of traveling. I tried to take a nap, but I'm a little too wound up. I'll sleep really well tonight since I'm operating on about 6 hours of sleep over the last two days.

I get a brief orientation at noon delivered by Claire and her husband, Thoro (sp), who is Japanese Canadian. After that a nurse talks to me about what to avoid (scorpions, snakes, the water, etc.) Then tonight I have dinner with, Claire, Thoro and the other team from the Eastside who just returned from visiting Phalice in Yabus yesterday. I'll be able to get the scoop on what to expect in the Sudan. Tomorrow at noon I leave for the boarder town/airstrip where I'll spend the night. Monday morning I fly with Thoro and a few others on a 12 seater to Yabus.

No WiFi but I'm able to charge my laptop as I was smart enough to bring the right (Great Britian) adapter. YaYa Center, a large indoor shopping mall, is one block from my room. I'm having my watch band repaired and buying extra suntan lotion. While I'm waiting for my watch, I found this Internet "easy surf" cafe. So I'm able to update my trip information.

There are some electrical problems at the school so my messages might have to be much shorter and probably won't be daily. But, I'll try.

That's it for now . . . I'm in AFRICA!

Almost there . . .

Dubai . . . 2 am . . . Seattle 2 pm . . . works nice for the time thing. No problems save a small bag checking issue. I had to pick up my checked bag in Dubai, walk outside to the departure terminal and check in. It took two passport stations and three bag screenings to do it, but I'm about to board the flight to Nairobi.

UNBELIEVABLE . . . I just saw a past BCS student Tobias Westen and his dad walking through the Dubai airport. His dad works here and they're leaving for a skiing vacation in Switzerland. Amazing, there are no mere coincidences.

I'm looking forward to keeping my feet on the ground for a while. Sunday I fly to an airstrip in northern Sudan and Monday on to Yabus.