First Sunday 11/15

Dr. Nandi Preparing for Pastor Training Class

New Dining Tukal

I was joined in Nairobi by Pastor Godfrey and Dr. Nandi, both from Nairobi Pentecostal Church. They will be conducting their second three week pastor training in Boma. We arrived in Loki on Friday afternoon and spent the night. The place we usually stay had been recently closed; Loki is becoming a ghost town because the UN and most of the NGO's that had used Loki as a staging area for relief efforts in South Sudan during the years of war have now moved to Juba, Sudan. Those who remain are trying to hold on for a couple of years as they believe war will resume between the North and South forcing the NGO's return to Loki. 2011 is the year the South can vote to become a separate country apart from the North and the situation leading up to this vote is not promising. Realizing too late that the room I had been given did not have a mosquito net, I laid down a heavy cover of insect spray throughout the room to kill any hiding malaria carriers. Whether it was heightened awareness of any buzzing sound or the fear of dying from inhaling the spray, I did not get much sleep.

Flew to Boma early Saturday morning with MAF and JAM drove us up the mountain. About half way to the top the engine overheated so Dr. Nandi and I walked to the compound with some young Sudanese men. Never trust a Sudanese who says, "It is not much further", and "It will get easier". I had forgotten how steep this path was. The compound looks fantastic and much work has been done. We now have 10 living tukals, a new storage tukal, a new dining room/kitchen/food storage and two new toilets almost complete. The second school building is very nearly finished and the foundation for the third building is ready for bricks.

As always, the crowd of kids welcoming us was wonderful. My little friend David even had a perfect mango as a gift which I was very glad to receive as it meant there are mangoes to be eaten in Boma during my three week stay. Last night's sleep was ended at about 4:00 AM at the sound of a horn, drums and singing/chanting in the village. The boys were getting an early start in advertising a big dance coming up. They reminded everyone of the dance for over an hour, but I didn't mind too much as it was a pretty cool sound and a reminder that I was not in Boring, OR anymore.

I taught in church this morning which was mostly kids as there was a joint church meeting/celebration in Kiawa which took most of the older members. Pastor Vergil and Gresham Bible Church will be pleased to know that our staff here has been showing the Jesus Film just about every weekend since we left it and the equipment you donated to show it, here last April.

I won't bore you with talk of the beautiful balmy Boma weather, Freddie's amazing baked bread, Rosemary's laughter which fills the compound on a regular basis, the crowds of smiling kids at the compound entrance that wait there for hours at a time for me to take their picture or at the chance I may give out a couple of balloons, or the other myriad of things that make Boma such a special place. I am looking forward to seeing the pastors again tomorrow at the start of training and then working with Iris, Carol and James in the school.

Blessings from Boma;

Micheal