Wednesday, December 16, 2009
Sudan #2
The work of MY SISTER’S KEEPER in Sudan is always an adventure. This has been one of our most adventurous and ambitious trips so far. We set a number of goals for this trip focused on education and peace advocacy. Our delegation includes Dr. Holly Carter and Dr. Marilyn Quarcoo, both educators and specialists in teacher training and Niama Green, a Kennedy school student fellow focusing on International and Global affairs. MY SISTER’S KEEPER has truly come a long way.
To make the best use of time and money, we decided to travel overland to our many appointments. (Better financed NGO’s usually travel by air.) The four hour trip from the tiny isolated village of Akon, where we visited Kunyuk Girls’ School ….to the more populated community of Wau, where we are putting together the SISTERHOOD FOR PEACE conference, is a perfect metaphor for the road to peace in this struggling country; difficult but navigable.
In the many times I have come to Sudan, I have never traveled such a great distance by car. Giant tractors plow and grade the dusty main highway that runs the length of this remote region promising easer connections ahead. But there is still a lot of work to be done. Much of the road is marred with ugly sinkholes and rocky ridges making the trip slow and arduous. Colorful people trek alongside the road, their heads balancing unimaginable cargo. With goats and cows following behind, they offer friendly waves and wonderful photo opportunities along the way.
Halfway into our trip, Niama got out of the car to take a picture at a roadside market . And in an instant, everything changed. A group of angry and armed young soldiers on motorcycles roared up out of nowhere. Holly, Marilynn, Niama and I sat holding our breathes in the cars as our drivers along with Sarah and Kaidi Rial, MSK’s program director and field coordinator, got out to talk. They are sisters and two of the most courageous women I know. More angry young men, on the back of a truck showed up, clearly looking for confrontation. I couldn’t understand what anybody was saying but the talk went from bad to worse. Before any of us inside the vehicles knew what was happening, our trip was halted and we were quickly escorted to a frightening local police establishment a few miles from where we had been pulled over. It was a heart stopping incident and frankly I am not quite sure what would have happened had it not been for the work of women.
One of the stops we were most excited about in the trip to Wau, was in Kuajok, where our dear friend Achol Cyier Rehan lives. Achol is the woman who inspired MY SISTER’S KEEPER when Gloria and I first traveled to Sudan in 2001. Achol was our first interpreter, a tall beautiful and shy Dinka woman who, blessed with an education, has a burning desire to help her people. In the 8 years since that first meeting, Achol has risen as a leader of the new Sudan. Right now, she is a special advisor to the Governor of Warrap state, and her voice is growing in power and influence not only here in the south but among all of those working for peace in this troubled country.
The young bulls who stopped us on the road were becoming even more agitated as they led us to see their superior in a crowded and dingy courtyard. I kept thinking “This is it. We are going to some unknown jail and nobody will know where to find us. How long would it be before the headlines read ‘American Humanitarian workers imprisoned in Sudan!” I did not know that our salvation had already begun. Just as we were brusquely commanded out of the cars, another SUV pulled quickly into the courtyard. It carried Achol called when the soldiers pulled us over., via cellphone by a fast-thinking Kaidi.
By the time Achol finished a quick conversation with the man in charge, he and she were laughing, the young soldiers were calmed down and our group was back on the road to Wau. (All politics are local!)
Achol, Kaidi and Sara are three of countless Sudanese women who are taking brave new roles in the work for peace here. They all exude a new kind of power and confidence. They each represent the best possible future for this country and the world. I am honored to know them.
To make the best use of time and money, we decided to travel overland to our many appointments. (Better financed NGO’s usually travel by air.) The four hour trip from the tiny isolated village of Akon, where we visited Kunyuk Girls’ School ….to the more populated community of Wau, where we are putting together the SISTERHOOD FOR PEACE conference, is a perfect metaphor for the road to peace in this struggling country; difficult but navigable.
In the many times I have come to Sudan, I have never traveled such a great distance by car. Giant tractors plow and grade the dusty main highway that runs the length of this remote region promising easer connections ahead. But there is still a lot of work to be done. Much of the road is marred with ugly sinkholes and rocky ridges making the trip slow and arduous. Colorful people trek alongside the road, their heads balancing unimaginable cargo. With goats and cows following behind, they offer friendly waves and wonderful photo opportunities along the way.
Halfway into our trip, Niama got out of the car to take a picture at a roadside market . And in an instant, everything changed. A group of angry and armed young soldiers on motorcycles roared up out of nowhere. Holly, Marilynn, Niama and I sat holding our breathes in the cars as our drivers along with Sarah and Kaidi Rial, MSK’s program director and field coordinator, got out to talk. They are sisters and two of the most courageous women I know. More angry young men, on the back of a truck showed up, clearly looking for confrontation. I couldn’t understand what anybody was saying but the talk went from bad to worse. Before any of us inside the vehicles knew what was happening, our trip was halted and we were quickly escorted to a frightening local police establishment a few miles from where we had been pulled over. It was a heart stopping incident and frankly I am not quite sure what would have happened had it not been for the work of women.
One of the stops we were most excited about in the trip to Wau, was in Kuajok, where our dear friend Achol Cyier Rehan lives. Achol is the woman who inspired MY SISTER’S KEEPER when Gloria and I first traveled to Sudan in 2001. Achol was our first interpreter, a tall beautiful and shy Dinka woman who, blessed with an education, has a burning desire to help her people. In the 8 years since that first meeting, Achol has risen as a leader of the new Sudan. Right now, she is a special advisor to the Governor of Warrap state, and her voice is growing in power and influence not only here in the south but among all of those working for peace in this troubled country.
The young bulls who stopped us on the road were becoming even more agitated as they led us to see their superior in a crowded and dingy courtyard. I kept thinking “This is it. We are going to some unknown jail and nobody will know where to find us. How long would it be before the headlines read ‘American Humanitarian workers imprisoned in Sudan!” I did not know that our salvation had already begun. Just as we were brusquely commanded out of the cars, another SUV pulled quickly into the courtyard. It carried Achol called when the soldiers pulled us over., via cellphone by a fast-thinking Kaidi.
By the time Achol finished a quick conversation with the man in charge, he and she were laughing, the young soldiers were calmed down and our group was back on the road to Wau. (All politics are local!)
Achol, Kaidi and Sara are three of countless Sudanese women who are taking brave new roles in the work for peace here. They all exude a new kind of power and confidence. They each represent the best possible future for this country and the world. I am honored to know them.
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Sudan #1
Jeremiah 12:5 "If you have run with footmen and they have tired you out, Then how can you compete with horses? ...
One of the most amazing things about the work of MY SISTER’S KEEPER in southern Sudan is the fact that the KUNYUK GIRL’S SCHOOL, THE WOMEN’S PEACE SCHOOL, and SISTERHOOD FOR PEACE, all ongoing and viable initiatives, were started by a small group of women with no money and little humanitarian experience, but with a great synergy for God and with a lot of help from the Boston community.
Originally there were six of us (Gloria, Ashley, Cynthia, Melinda, Pat, and I) who conceived an idea, created an NGO, made the visits, raised the funds, drew up the plans, hired the staff, oversaw the work and built a school on the other side of the world. That miracle planted the seeds for an adult literacy program and peace advocacy group, two initiatives that are growing by leaps and bounds. It was an auspicious beginning, but only the first step in the exciting journey of MY SISTER’S KEEPER’S as we take part in the process of peace and restoration in southern Sudan.
Traveling in southern Sudan this week, a group of us are officially onto the next steps. This delegation led by MSK program director Sarah Rial, includes global education and public policy specialists Dr. Holly Carter, Marilyn Quarcoo, and Niama Green. Our plan, which will include visits in Juba, Wau, Kuajok and Akon, is to encourage and help move forward MSK’s “on the ground” peace advocacy work and assess the progress and challenges of our education programs. Both are big jobs. In order to do them effectively and efficiently we need as much help as we can get. That’s why traveling with Holly, Niama and Marilynn is so important and that’s why we scheduled our very first meeting with Molly Williams Senior Program Director of World Vision Southern Sudan. World Vision is one of the largest Christian relief development and advocacy organizations in the world, serving the poor in 100 countries. Molly, , from the Boston area, joined us for cokes and conversations shortly after we checked in at Juba’s New York Hotel. We wanted to find out why WV is so respected and cherished in Southern Sudan.
I love talking with idealistic and spirited young people who have so much passion for this part of the world. Molly has been in Juba only four months but has done humanitarian work in other parts of Africa and has a real heart for the people.
What inspires me most about WV is its progressive mission. It is not focused on the evangelical missionary tradition that emphasizes proselytizing but instead works on a more progressive Christian missionary model of service. WV’s holistic approach of helping families and communities out of poverty includes programs in health and nutrition, water and sanitation, education and peace building. We are learning that this concept of community development is the only way to really support people in this part of the world. WV has worked in southern Sudan for more than two decades.
During our brief meeting on a relatively cool Sudan afternoon, Molly and WV’s Southern Sudan operations officer Arthur shared invaluable information about the importance of collaboration among the NGO’s working in this area. Southern Sudan is a huge region with critical needs. Its people live in remote villages scattered all over the place. There are hundreds of organizations working here, building schools, hospitals, developing clean water programs. Considering the regions harsh terrain, isolation and lack of infrastructure, I’m sure that many of these NGOs probably sought each other’s help out of necessity. The result has been a win-win for everybody involved.
We ended our meeting with Molly and Arthur with a promise to keep connected. They have graciously offered to advise and assist us in expanding our efforts in education and peace advocacy. We plan to take them up on their offer.
I often joke that MY SISTER’S KEEPER has succeeded on sheer will and masking tape. In truth, we have come this far by faith. We serve a God who cares and works unceasingly with us to build His kingdom. And now God is calling us to do even greater works. Peace in Sudan is possible and MY SISTER’S KEEPER has earned its place at the peace table. We bring energy, creativity and love to this effort. With the help of new friends, we are ready for the next steps in the journey. And what an amazing journey it is.
One of the most amazing things about the work of MY SISTER’S KEEPER in southern Sudan is the fact that the KUNYUK GIRL’S SCHOOL, THE WOMEN’S PEACE SCHOOL, and SISTERHOOD FOR PEACE, all ongoing and viable initiatives, were started by a small group of women with no money and little humanitarian experience, but with a great synergy for God and with a lot of help from the Boston community.
Originally there were six of us (Gloria, Ashley, Cynthia, Melinda, Pat, and I) who conceived an idea, created an NGO, made the visits, raised the funds, drew up the plans, hired the staff, oversaw the work and built a school on the other side of the world. That miracle planted the seeds for an adult literacy program and peace advocacy group, two initiatives that are growing by leaps and bounds. It was an auspicious beginning, but only the first step in the exciting journey of MY SISTER’S KEEPER’S as we take part in the process of peace and restoration in southern Sudan.
Traveling in southern Sudan this week, a group of us are officially onto the next steps. This delegation led by MSK program director Sarah Rial, includes global education and public policy specialists Dr. Holly Carter, Marilyn Quarcoo, and Niama Green. Our plan, which will include visits in Juba, Wau, Kuajok and Akon, is to encourage and help move forward MSK’s “on the ground” peace advocacy work and assess the progress and challenges of our education programs. Both are big jobs. In order to do them effectively and efficiently we need as much help as we can get. That’s why traveling with Holly, Niama and Marilynn is so important and that’s why we scheduled our very first meeting with Molly Williams Senior Program Director of World Vision Southern Sudan. World Vision is one of the largest Christian relief development and advocacy organizations in the world, serving the poor in 100 countries. Molly, , from the Boston area, joined us for cokes and conversations shortly after we checked in at Juba’s New York Hotel. We wanted to find out why WV is so respected and cherished in Southern Sudan.
I love talking with idealistic and spirited young people who have so much passion for this part of the world. Molly has been in Juba only four months but has done humanitarian work in other parts of Africa and has a real heart for the people.
What inspires me most about WV is its progressive mission. It is not focused on the evangelical missionary tradition that emphasizes proselytizing but instead works on a more progressive Christian missionary model of service. WV’s holistic approach of helping families and communities out of poverty includes programs in health and nutrition, water and sanitation, education and peace building. We are learning that this concept of community development is the only way to really support people in this part of the world. WV has worked in southern Sudan for more than two decades.
During our brief meeting on a relatively cool Sudan afternoon, Molly and WV’s Southern Sudan operations officer Arthur shared invaluable information about the importance of collaboration among the NGO’s working in this area. Southern Sudan is a huge region with critical needs. Its people live in remote villages scattered all over the place. There are hundreds of organizations working here, building schools, hospitals, developing clean water programs. Considering the regions harsh terrain, isolation and lack of infrastructure, I’m sure that many of these NGOs probably sought each other’s help out of necessity. The result has been a win-win for everybody involved.
We ended our meeting with Molly and Arthur with a promise to keep connected. They have graciously offered to advise and assist us in expanding our efforts in education and peace advocacy. We plan to take them up on their offer.
I often joke that MY SISTER’S KEEPER has succeeded on sheer will and masking tape. In truth, we have come this far by faith. We serve a God who cares and works unceasingly with us to build His kingdom. And now God is calling us to do even greater works. Peace in Sudan is possible and MY SISTER’S KEEPER has earned its place at the peace table. We bring energy, creativity and love to this effort. With the help of new friends, we are ready for the next steps in the journey. And what an amazing journey it is.
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