On The Road

It was the most beautifully dug hole I have ever seen, a big circular border of bricks we created decorating the center of the courtyard and one of the final touches of the construction of the Kunyuk School for Girls in Akon Sudan. What made the sight as well as the experience so wonderful was the fact that we all helped create it, our group representing My Sister’s Keeper in Boston, some of the girls from the school and Akon’s community members. The collaborative effort was sweat equity at its best and symbolic of the globe spanning relationship that built this school.

Our landscaping project was led by Achol Cyier Rehan, who epitomizes our sisterhood with this community. Achol is the first friend we met in Akon. She led efforts to build the school here and she is helping to spread excitement in anticipation of the June 1 dedication festivities. That’s when the rest of our group will arrive including Gloria and Ray Hammond and Cynthia Bell from Boston, Country Rock Sensation Big Kenny Alphin and his "Love Everybody" entourage from Nashville and people from all over South Sudan will officially commemorate the fruits of a friendship that began some seven years ago when the members of My Sisters’ Keeper met with this community to support its efforts to educate its young girls. We had no idea then how hard the work would be and how much our friendship with this resilient community in one of the world’s most troubled countries would grow. Two decades of war in southern Sudan have halted the education of two generations and less than 1 percent of the women in this country have ever been educated. The people realize that education is power and freedom. We were inspired by their dreams and so we made a promise.

Promising to build a school and actually accomplishing it are two very different things. The journey to this week’s dedication has been a long one. There have been film debuts, speaking engagements, country concerts, bracelet and quilt sales. We have begged, borrowed and begged some more. Often we have moved way out of our comfort zones, appealing to wealthy and well known philanthropists to help us accomplish a huge undertaking on the other side of the world. Thank God that most people, at heart are caring and generous. Over the years we have raised more than 400 thousand dollars, obtaining obscure permits and bringing materials and construction workers into a harsh and remote area to build on dreams that seem nearly impossible.

We have been especially blessed with a phenomenal field coordinator who oversaw the work here on the ground. Kiadi Rial who lives in the town of Wau, not far from Akon, is the sister of our program director Sarah Rial. Kaidi has overseen every inch of the construction work and community outreach that went along with it and she has done a spectacular job. Despite natural and manmade challenges, the school was built within budget and on schedule. In a culture where women are systematically marginalized and abused, Kaidi Rial is a revolutionary.

Education will eventually bring these girls financial independence, the confidence to fight sexual violence and strengthen their communities. There are more immediate needs. Angelo, one of the teachers here says, " Right now Cholera is killing our people because many don’t know they should boil the water and avoid the rivers which are unclean and dangerous . If people are educated then they will know how to live healthier lives and protect their families and themselves. I want them to be educated so they can live."

Most excited about the upcoming dedication ceremonies are the Kunyuk School students themselves. Their favorite part so far, is a special plaque we had made for the event. It includes pictures of three students and will be hung on a wall in the Administrative offices of the school. The dedication ceremonies will also include tribal singing and dancing, country music provided by Big Kenny and speeches by Government of South Sudan officials and probably everybody else since these events tend to draw much enthusiasm from the community. Our hope is there will be more singing and less talking.

The all day celebration will be unique in many ways. It will connect people who but for the grace of God, might otherwise never have known each other existed. It will mark a big step in the liberation of generations of Sudanese women and ultimately the transformation of their communities. It will lift up the idea that nothing is impossible (with God).

We are expecting big things!!!!!

For Kaidi and Sarah Rial and Journey Productions Field Producer Yaimani Rivera, all part of the My Sisters’ Keepers Advance Team in Akon Sudan,

Peace…..Liz Walker

# posted by Liz Walker Journeys @ 11:11 AM 0 Comments