No, I did not ride off into the sunset on the back of a giraffe though I find the thought tempting. There is, however, some catching up to do.

In May, the rains came to the mountains and flooded the river next to the compound. It sounded like a train rushing through but lasted only a few hours and then was gone. This kind of rain can sink a lorry foolish enough to attempt to cross even if the water level is low.

School was supposed to have begun on May 4 but because CRS (Catholic Relief Services) had not delivered the food which they supply to the primary and secondary schools of the area, the girls and boys of the local schools did not return until two weeks into the summer term and even then a number of girls came as late as three weeks. Then there are always some girls who do not return because they have been "booked" or promised in marriage.

I resumed teaching grades 7 and 8 a course in nutrition - some of the exciting topics included kinds of foods, vitamins, minerals, and what the girls eat at home as compared to what they eat at school. Recently, Mercy Beyond Borders committed to buying ten goats a month so the girls can have goat meat at lunch and dinner. This truly is a real treat for them as food is scarce. The rains have been sporadic at best since May and many of the crops have shriveled up.

The Toposa are hardest hit since they are pastoralist who plant a little sorghum and maize. Their diet consists mainly of goat, milk and chipati (tortilla) made from either maize or sorghum. Most refuse to eat greens. The women work hard building all the tukuls and the grainaries, they fetch water three times a day and cook all the meals. The girls stay at home to help their mothers while the boys watch the goats and cattle. Because there is so little grass or leaves for the cattle, the young men take huge herds far out into the bush into what is called a cattle camp and stay there until all of that vegetation is gone. Some of the young women go with them to do the cooking. The young men and boys tend to wear western style clothing while the old men and most of the women and girls wear traditional clothes. The women wear goat skin "skirts" embroidered with very fine bead work. They also wear many beaded necklaces, bracelets and earrings. Some of the bracelets and anklets are made of metal and can be eight or so inches long. A hole is made below their lower lip and a post inserted at the end of which is a metal ring.

I have found the Toposa to be friendly and curious, especially the children. On my treks into the bush I bring my binoculars and when I use them to look at the wildlife, I attract a number of children who have to have a look too. I try to tell them that they can learn more of this if they go to school but their parents, on the whole, do not want them to go because they need them to work and also because some of the parents say the children will want to leave their village when they finish school.

Sister Judy Carle, a good friend and Sister of Mercy, came to Sudan for a visit and stayed with me in Narus. The Primary School girls took to her right away so I offered her a position at the school (any position really). She respectfully declined. Of course that means that there is a position waiting for one or two or several of you readers here at St. Bahkita's School. Some of your donation monies has gone into buying soccer, volley and net balls for the girls as they have NO ATHLETIC supplies. I also took Sr. Judy to visit the local clinic run by the Diocese of Torit. While we were visiting the ward, we saw three men who had been shot in a cattle raid two days before. It will take years to get the tribes to discontinue this practice.

Sister Angela, the nurse who was shot in the leg a few months ago is back in Sudan working at the clinic in Kuron (a six or seven hour drive from Narus).
She works with the Toposa there and they are very glad she does as she has saved many lives.

Sister Marilyn Lacey of Mercy Beyond Borders and a Sister of Mercy will be coming for a visit on July 6 and I am very much looking forward to this! This whole venture is part of her vision of what needs to happen in order to educate girls and bring them and their families a better way of life.

What do I hear when I pray either indoors or outside of an afternoon:
goat bells, cattle tearing at the grass, countless birds chattering,
Toposa men chanting and druming, lizards rushing in the brush.
I love to watch the leaves and the tree trunks catch the last glimmer of sun light around 6 pm or so as the birds settle down for the night. There are far more pros than cons in living in South Sudan. Come and see what they are.

Let us pray for each other