New Beginnings!

Hello from Gumbo-Juba!  This past Saturday night, I left my parent's house in Chatham, IL and started the journey to South Sudan.  After spending over 17 hours on a plane, over 13 hours in airports, one delay in our luggage (they put it on the second flight from Addis Ababa to Juba, we were on the first), 15 minutes in a car, I finally arrived to my mission site!  It was such a moment of joy to finally be at my destination after so many months of preparation. 

The first couple of days has been filled with so many wonderful and glorious things, as well as so many reminders about life.  As we drove from the airport in Juba to our site, we had motorcycles passing us on both sides of the car...reminder...I'm not in America and things are very different!  All of the power is from a solar powered generator, so lights are very rarely used during the day and sparingly at night.  If we have a few cloudy days in a row, we will go without any lights or power at all.  My mosquito net (I like to look at it like I am sleeping in a fort EVERY NIGHT!) was also a big change for me.

The days so far have been pretty relaxed, as they are giving us time to adjust to the community, culture, and time zone (we are 8 hours ahead from CST).  Yesterday, it was very exciting to start Arabic class!  We will take a class for about an hour everyday for a while to get used to the language.  When the group is in class,I feel like Adam Sandler in Billy Madison, constantly saying "slow down!"  While English is widely spoken  around the mission site, it is not the native language and most of the younger children do not speak any English at all.  It is a big change to use the language side of my brain and the young people laugh at us when we mispronounce words, but they appreciate the effort we are putting into it kindly correct us. 
Also, this morning it was very nice to get to know more of my daily schedule and duties I will be performing throughout the week.  The majority of my time will be spent in the planning and development office doing various administrative tasks.  I will also be teaching 3 English classes at the secondary school (it is similiar to a high school) and one Commerce class.  In the evenings, I will be spending time at the youth centre playing either soccer, volleyball, basketball, (no tennis), or learning native songs and dances- as there is always music and dancing going on!  We also have daily mass and prayer.

The culture in South Sudan has provided so many lessons about life so far.  The people are the most joy-filled people I have ever come in contact with and they are grateful for every moment God has given them on this beautiful Earth- and it shows in so many ways.  While playing soccer on the dirt field with no nets in the goal, some of the kids are wearing shoes, some are wearing sandals, most have no shoes at all.  Sometimes the ball is regulation size with air in it, sometimes it is a smaller ball, and sometimes the ball is completely flat.  However, none of that matters to them at all.  They are surrounded by their friends and smiling ear to ear the entire time.  Every moment is an opportunity to share joy...and they do.  Everywhere you look, there is always laughter and joy.  Nothing matters besides being in the moment and enjoying that moment. 

They are also a faith-filled people.  In fact, in Arabic, when asked "How are you?", a common response is "I'm great, thanks be to God." ( in arabic class, we are only speaking and not writing any arabic so I cannot write any for you...sorry!).  Again, they are so grateful for everything God has given them.  When a fellow SLM and I were walking with a group of young people earlier today, they spontaneously yelled out "God is good....All the time!  All the time...God is good!"  An hour later, we joined over 300 people in the community to pray the rosary together as one.  What an unbelievable moment that was to hear "Hail Mary" being echoed throughout the village- and in 4 different languages/dialects!

Theme so far- learn, enjoy, and be grateful for each and every moment of each and every day because "God is good...All the time!  All the time...God is Good!"