The North and New Things

Continuing North-South Contests
The North and South of Sudan continue to compete with words and bombs as old tensions are brought back to the surface. A new UN resolution is a firm attempt to try to bring the two sides to the negotiating table and prevent full-scale war, yet it is still unclear what the next days will bring. In the village the main concern is the escalating food prices. A sack of maize is now three times what it cost just over a year ago. People feel that they will not be able to afford to feed their families. Yet, they are far from the immediate violence: www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-17954805

New Soldiers
Along the gravel road, the newly recruited soldiers walked through the day and the night behind the waving South Sudan flag. Having signed up in the main market village, they have a few days walk to the nearest barracks. With tensions increasing against the North, they have been enthusiastic to sign up to the Southern army to defend their new nation. Most of the recruits are in their twenties and have been sent with the praise of their community. Yet, scattered amongst their number, are much younger boys. Pray for these people and all that is ahead of them.

New School
On Tuesday, the ground was broken to dig the foundations of Marol Academy Secondary School. Having borrowed a classroom from the primary school last year, there was a massive demand for the secondary school to have a home of its own. Bricks were delivered using the school's truck and with the help of another truck in the community. Now the mountains of bricks await the builders. Funding for the whole construction is still not secured, but it seemed the right step of faith to start building. People walked around the dug foundations, praying for blessing and protection. There is much need for prayer for this young secondary school at the moment and for protection of all that God is building here.

New Adventures
As strange as it feels to leave Luonyaker, on Monday I will travel away from the familiar pastures of Gogrial East County for a good few weeks. First, I will travel to Kenya to complete university assignments and rest. After a week I will return to South Sudan but will head to Lakes State (another Dinka speaking region a little further south). I have been invited to do a little research, for one month, in that different terrain on possible ways to build peace amongst the communities. It is a privilege to go but I am already tired and fear the energy needed for any new environment. Prayers for rest, work and new adventures would be much appreciated.