Visitors

My first Saturday here in country dawned with a light breeze, a few puffy clouds, the first I have observed, a bright blue sky, 80 pleasant degrees and drums beating a short distance away.

God is teaching me to appreciate and enjoy solitude. I do not always find it pleasant but I am adjusting. Sometimes I find it can be a bit lonely.

God knew just what I needed today when 10 ladies from the church affiliated with the school arrived at my door. The drums I heard were beating for them 2 hours earlier. The drums were calling them to church.

On Saturdays a group of 11 ladies have a prayer meeting and worship time together. Afterwards they meet with a long time missionary, Jan here at the compound for bible reading and bible study. Jan has been here 10 years after serving 15 years in Senegal. She is fluent in Dinka, the local language.

They wanted to meet Lydia and myself. We had previously met some of them at the school, in the market or working here at the compound.

But more than that they wanted to thank us for coming, learn about our families and to pray for us.
After all the introductions, handshakes, hugs, smiles and laughs they prayed for me all at the same time.

Most of the volunteers coming to Cush Christian School have been 20 year olds. They were happy to have an older woman and they told me they prayed that I would come back and bring my husband. That is a bit funny because one of the first questions one of the junior teachers at the school asked me was why I had gray hair.

Having their children in school is very important to them. All South Sudan school curriculum includes learning English. But it is well known that learning English from a Khawajas ( white person) is the best.