Sudan Update 2

Dear All,
Another (much shorter you’ll be glad to see) update,

Before leaving Malakal we were invited to a memorial service for a man who died one year ago in a rather nasty cattle rustling incident. We didn’t manage to work out if he was the rustler or the owner of the cattle being rustled. The service consisted of family and friends standing up and eulogising in between songs and prayers for the family left behind (sadly a wife and 5 children). We then went to the widows home; all the men (including myself) went to eat while the women served the food and then waited until we were half way through before taking some of the food for themselves and eating it away from us. Everywhere we go we are served coca cola – called ‘mobile’ in Sudan, it holds the same value as alcohol does in the UK if you were having friends around for dinner. I unfortunately hate coke but people are very insistent that you knock it back and just when you were feeling relieved and proud that you managed to get through it without feeling sick or burping you are presented with another one!
I also had an opportunity to meet with some of the members of Malakal’s Mothers Union – I explained that me and Simon were married and had come to support the churches development projects in their area and was interested in finding out what they were doing to see if I could assist them in some way. However, I made the mistake of telling the women I had been married for 5 years at which point all anyone wanted to discuss was – did I have any children? Why not after such a long period of time? Did I want children? Would I have a child this year? They would pray for me. I thanked them and hope to find out a little more at their next meeting.
After over a week back in Khartoum trying to arrange our trip to Renk, we were granted permission by the Bishop of Renk on Saturday and by Wednesday were on the bus. Our expectations of this bus journey were fairly low, however, instead of the overcrowded, hot, bumpy journey we were expecting we found ourselves on an air-conditioned coach travelling along a tarmac road. Not only this but no sooner had we boarded when breakfast and drinks started to be served and even a kung foo movie with Arabic subtitles to enjoy. I have attached a picture of the kind of views on the way as well as pics of me in Khartoum earlier this week and of Simon this morning sitting in front of the tukul we are staying in here in Renk.

Will e-mail again soon

Keren x