Hanging out with friends

"Friendship takes time. There's simply no substitute for the expenditure of large amounts of time in the making of friends. You can't always be accomplishing something, especially friend-making, in the time spent. Considerable time needs to be spent without any other agenda than to spend time together."

- Mike Flynn, Making Disciples

Celebrating Carol and Jeremiah's anniversary with lunch

Jasmine 'talking' on the phone :)

Celebrating Joy's 6th birthday with brownie sundaes

Milk "ATM" dispenser

Happy girls after a yummy chicken lunch

Jim really loves his two sisters!

Carol, with her nephew, Joshua

Jacky and Cliff

"True bonding of a missionary and another people doesn't take place at first sight. Becoming bi-cultural takes years. Jesus envisioned discipleship as a lifetime of building into the lives of others. The work of missions takes weeks, months, and years - an entire lifetime."

- Forget the Pith Helmet, various authors

Deng and Mawien were recently in Nairobi on
their mid-term break. After they had lunch at my
house, Deng read John 3:16 in English

Mawien read the same verse in Dinka.

Can you find John 3:16 in the Dinka language of South Sudan?

Mawien and Deng strike a typical African pose

"It is a beautiful thing when folks in poverty are no longer just a missions project, but become genuine friends and family, with whom we laugh, cry, dream, and struggle." 

-Shane Claiborne, Irresistible Revolution 

Another lunch, this time with only Deng, when
he was in Nairobi for the start of his August
holiday from school.

"Christians are called to infect the world with a radical biblical faith. They must be willing to take the time and personal energy necessary." 

- Forget the Pith Helmet, various authors

Masudi serving Margaret at a conference where he was the chef

"I think what our world is desperately in need of is lovers. Lovers are people who are building deep, genuine relationships with fellow strugglers along the way, and who actually know the faces of the people behind the issues they are concerned about. Lovers are people who have fallen desperately in love with God and with suffering people, and who allow those relationships to disturb and transform them." 

-Shane Claiborne, Irresistible Revolution 

Nyama choma (goat and pork) with good friends - Sam, Emily, and Kim

It's great we still get together socially, even after our homegroup disbanded.

This fellow entertained us with Kikuyu songs :)

"Jesus took time to see people in the shadows - the wallflowers, the lepers. He lived with the little guys - the common folk, the fisherman."
-Laurie Beth Jones, Jesus CEO

Sammy treated me to breakfast recently!

"Establishing a spirit of hospitality creates an atmosphere of safety and security whereby deep, meaningful conversation can blossom. In doing so, we affirm people as human beings and speak peace to their inner being."
-Duane Elmer, Cross-Cultural Servanthood 

Margaret and Carol, two wonderful friends!

Sudan's historic referendum

"The referendum on self-determination is one of the key steps in the 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement, or CPA, which ended a 22-year civil war that caused more than 2 million deaths and displaced 4 million. For decades before and during the war, the people of Southern Sudan demanded the right to determine their political future in an open democratic process. Although the official referendum results might not be known until early February, a vote for secession is widely assumed.

"The CPA was intended to commit the governments in the North and South to make the prospect of continued unity an attractive option, and to democratize their societies. Unfortunately, there has been little progress in these areas. Relations between the North and South were mostly strained, and the elections held last April were seriously marred by manipulation and coercion in both regions of the country.

"In the event of a vote for secession, Sudanese leaders will need to resolve a series of critical issues to manage a peaceful separation into two states and to create a strong foundation for friendly and prosperous bilateral relations."

[above quotes taken from an article written by former US president, Jimmy Carter]

Mawien Ring and Deng at my house the day before voting started

The referendum will take place over the course of seven days (January 9-15th). I joined approximately 1,000+ voters at Nairobi's Railway Club on Sunday, the 9th, to see history taking place with my own eyes! I was thrilled to see my friends in the queue and encourage them!

(from the left) Lino Maju, Joseph Maluk, and Kerubino wait in the queue

Wek and Marial eagerly wait to cast their votes!

Mawien Mawien (on the right) is finally INSIDE the polling station!

Deng (waving) is just about to enter the polling station!

Mawien and a Sudanese lady proudly show their inked fingers after voting

Others patiently wait their turn to cast their votes for South Sudan's long-awaited independence!

Christmas 2010

"The next time you put on a dinner, don't just invite your friends and family and rich neighbors, the kind of people who will return the favor. Invite some people who never get invited out, the misfits from the wrong side of the tracks. You'll be - and experience - a blessing. They won't be able to return the favor, but the favor will be returned - oh, how it will be returned! - at the resurrection of God's people."  (Luke 14:12-14, Message)

As a disciple of Jesus, my aim is to follow his actions and his words. And so... this year for Christmas, eight of my Sudanese-refugee friends plus my 91-year old neighbor, Anne, spent the day at my house.

We had great conversation as we enjoyed our meal. To be sure, just as Jesus said in the above quote, I experienced a blessing! Each one of us agreed that we would always cherish the memory of Christmas 2010! Anne said it was the best Christmas in her entire life!

Madut, Anne, Maju, Wek, Marial, Deng, Maluk, Mawien

Maluk, Wek, Madut

Anne and Maluk

The guys had never had lasagne before!

Eating a tossed salad for the 1st time ever!

I loved listening to the interaction between Anne and the guys! Priceless!

As they left my house, they borrowed some of my books and magazines.

What a memorable day it was!

Sudanese friends at school

Form Four (Senior year)

Form Two (Sophomore year)

Whenever I see the guys, I try to give them my back-log of newspapers. Below, Deng is so engrossed in the news (even as he stands in the sorghum shamba). Above, some of their classmates are also eager to get their hands on the paper.

Three More Boys Taken to School

I escorted these three guys to the school at Narok yesterday. They are the ones in the navy blue blazers (left to right) - Wek, Emmanuel, and Deng. (The other two boys, class prefects, welcomed them and helped them to get situated in the dormitory and classroom.)

Again, I ask that you keep them in your prayers!

Starting School!

I attend Karen Vineyard Church in Nairobi. Almost a year ago I was asked by the church leadership to start up a ministry designed to address and respond to the various needs within the congregation. There are seven of us on the team.

After meeting for several months to establish our policies, we launched Rehema (“mercy” in Swahili) last September. After an application and selection process, these three young men were chosen to be sponsored to high school. On Monday, we traveled to Narok (3 hours from Nairobi) and they began an exciting new phase in their lives. They were thrilled beyond words! To say they were eager to be learning again would be a gross understatement!

I felt very privileged to be a part of providing them with an education that they so highly value. Please keep them in your prayers! I should add that they'll be boarding at the school.

This was Monday’s proverb from my flip-calendar –

“Kindness lifts a person up from the ground.”

Ethiopian proverb

Deng Madit Deng - Form One (9th grade)

Emanuel Mawien - Form One (9th grade)

Mawien Mawien Dut - Form Three (Junior Year)

Two others also went with us - Joseph and Lino.

They're being sponsored through the ministry of Shane (a guy at our church).