Teachers, Travel and Talks

If you turn left through the gates and right at the road's end, having avoided the swerving cars as they avoid the potholes, you come to a little row of ladies selling fruit. For a few pence, they will give you a bowl of fruit salad cut from fresh bananas, mangoes and such sweet avocados that are unknown in the UK. Kenya gives many treats to enjoy. This week, as I wait to return to South Sudan, I have tried to indulge in lots of those little gifts of daily Kenyan life. Staying here in a friend's flat has been such a blessing.

Teachers
Next year we hope to have 70 pupils at Marol Academy Secondary School. In an area where only a few dozen people have had a secondary education, this promises to make a massive impact. Yet, there was no certainty of having even one teacher. That's partly why it's been good to stop in Kenya. Post the blessing of having three, trained, Christian teachers from Kenya last year (Loice, Rachel and Emma), we hope that the same will happen in 2012. FOCUS (the Kenyan Christian Union) helped us find these teachers last year. Having met them on Friday, they have promise to find us five teachers for 2012. Loice (from last year) and Floyd have already committed to come. They come as volunteers yet we support them financially. Now the task begins to find sponsors for these brave, faithful people who are prepared to spend a year in South Sudan.

Travel
Tomorrow, just after midday, as church services start in the UK, I fly to South Sudan. Then, on Friday (or as soon as transport can be arranged and a couple of meetings have passed), I fly to Wau and the village. I am praying I would love it as much as ever and that it will feel as if I am coming home. Yet, I have been away a long time and England seems most familiar.

Talks
The North and South Sudan were due to start negotiations today post the closure of the oil pipeline. The sale of Southern oil is dependent on it being piped out through the North to Port Sudan. Yet, the North and South have failed to agree the levy for the use of this pipeline. 98% of South Sudan's revenue is from the oil, so it was a significant decision to turn off its flow.

http://africanarguments.org/2012/02/06/pipe-dreaming-over-oil-in-south-sudan-–-by-luke-patey/ .