I had plans, but Africa happened.
This is a popular phrase I've heard since the first time I came to Sudan. And this year's journey has already proven itself to be no different. Due to situations beyond our control our venture to cattle camp has been put on hold, for now. We are now changing gears to leave out Thursday to help train church leaders in a neighboring village. We have been told there are only two churches in the village and the pastors are in dire need of discipleship. As much as we desire to be in cattle camp, we know God's path has proven better than ours time after time.
Sudan has not changed too much since last year, the sights of the country are still as startling as ever. On the day we went to Rumbek to get supplies I couldn't help be haunted by the images I think I trained myself to forget. Images like ten kids lining the shop you are in just to beg for an amount less than a dollar. I know the kids have been trained in tactics to manipulate you into giving money, but that excuse never seems to settle my stomach. As well the cripple by the restaurant whose feet dragged the ground and used flip-flops on his hands to get around, who was delighted to see our monetary gift. Not to mention the sights of trash for miles in mud puddles everywhere lining the town as a background. Then the baby we had seen in Akot who had fallen in a fire with his legs covered in open burn wounds, sights like this never get easy.
But, for me and my team it has not exactly been the most adventurous of days lately. Spending time at the hospital cramming for teaching the church leaders , we have found many things to keep our excitement alive. Things like becoming very skilled at singing Beyonce's Halo, eating tea and madzi, and laughing at kids calling us "kawadga" which means "white man." Children helping you identify your race never gets old. We look forward to camping out in this near by town for the next few days to teach the church leaders while continuing on this journey. A journey in which we can never plan, but as well I'm sure one we could never dream.
John 16:12-13 "I have much more to say to you, more than you can bare, but when He, the Holy Spirit comes, He will guide you in all truth. He will not speak on his own, He will speak only what He hears, and He will tell you what is yet to come."