Church of the Brethren Sudan Initiative

Torit is an area rich in many things... history and pride (the revolution began here, and ended here), people who are willing to work ecumenically, people working toward capacity-building, those working on trying to improve the infrastructure. There are challenges, but many are being addressed, and the government, and police and so forth, seem to be sufficient.

Yesterday late afternoon, as our journey plans fell through, we took advantage of that time to have a team meeting. We not only processed and collated much of our observations from meetings with governmental officials and church workers here, we also reviewed plans for today and looking ahead to the other places we are to travel... which also resulted in a flurry of emails trying to determine how plans are coming together for our next set of travels. We sent out those emails late in the evening. (We look forward to connecting soon to see if we have responses... and we are incredibly grateful for the ability to communicate in this way, far more connected than previous missionaries have ever been able to be!)

Today, our hope was to get a car and driver to explore the areas outside this city of 42,000 people or so, and Fr. Jacob here with the Diocese of Torit was again irreplaceable for his assistance in making arrangements. He arranged for a car and driver for $250 for the day, to take us both south toward Katire as far as we could journey, and then east to Keyala and continuing north up the east side of the Lopit Mountains to investigate Loming, Lalanga, and as far as we could get to Lokutok and perhaps a little further (although we were told that most of those villages were actually not on the road, but several kilometres up the mountainside)... and also arranged for several people from the Diocese, Fr. Maurice Obote, James, and David, to accompany us and translate with the driver.

As it turned out, we actually made it to the mountainous Katire area, although the bridge was out and not repaired except for branches (not well enough for a car) an estimated 6 kilometers short of the school that had been destroyed. That bridge had a span of about 85 feet across the Kineti (Kitie?) River, and the abutments and steel infrastructure were still solid, and it appeared that all it would take would be linear planks to make it passable. The road was rough, but we made the 33 km in 2-1/2 hours up, but only 1-1/2 hours back in a low Toyota minivan mutatu (not a 4WD Land Cruiser!), and only had to get out to get it unstuck once. We saw local crews at work improving the road (cutting back trees and brush, and taking out tall grass), and one of the local chiefs heard the vehicle and ran out to meet us on our return, advocating for the road improvements that would assist the people of his village nearby. We were told that there were many people in the area, and further in, and that dozens of vehicles would ply the road daily if the bridge would be fixed, and the road graded. The land was fertile, and there was an evident bamboo trade, and cultivated areas visible even from the road despite thick undergrowth.

In summary, Katire is a mixed bag. There would be many opportunities here, but it is currently somewhat inaccessible. That could change very quickly, however, depending upon how the government decides to act.

Despite what was told to us earlier while we were in Juba by people we trusted, there was no sign of any landmines (and no one worried about them), and there was no concern about rebels (the LRA). The area seemed secure, and there was even a lazy military presence at one checkpoint. This only underscores how repeatedly we were reassured by the local people here in the Diocese of Torit about how secure the whole area is now, and how comfortable they are in traveling even to their distant parishes.

We returned through Torit in time for a late lunch at around 2:00p. Our driver became disgruntled, however, and we suspect he thought this would be a very easy day (and not on so challenging a road), and demanded another $100 for the next part of the day... so after our hosts haggled for nearly an hour, we paid him for half a day ($130) and found another driver who would take us east for only $100. We learned that cattle raiding in that direction had caused some issues, and that military or police action might prevent us from going as far as we would like, so after finding this other driver--who turned out to be better and far more pleasant than the first--and minivan, we drove first to Keyala. On our way, we were passed by a 7-car Land Cruiser convoy headed by a wailing siren, which turned out to be the Governor of the State of Eastern Equatoria on his way to help negotiate the cattle raiding problem.

We learned much along the way... the road was good in places, much worse in others, and the few narrow places--almost too narrow for vehicles to pass--we learned were because there were still landmines along the side that the UN had not been able to clear yet. The roads were quite safe as long as one staying on them, but as there had been Govt of Sudan military barracks in a couple of those areas during the war, they had been mined. We went through places that few/no people lived, because during dry season there was no water (and we saw cactus). Then we saw thriving villages.

It turned out that Keyala was now Fr. Maurice's parish area, and so not only did people know him, he met the head chief, and the head chief rode with us for a little to show us the school, and Fr. Maurice's plot of land where he is growing groundnuts (peanuts). From a distance we saw the government Land Cruisers, and knew we should not go further, unfortunately, but still learned much about the area, and heard of other intriguing possibilities (including Isoke, north across the mountain from beautiful Ikotos). As the sun began to drop in the sky, we turned around and headed back here to Torit, arriving close to 7pm and sundown.

I wish we had the bandwidth and battery to send photos... we may try anyway (we are trying!). When we say "roads," it does mean something different than we mean here in the US... even the best were dirt, and heavily rutted in places, and in condition which we would consider nearly impassable in the States... one adjusts one's expectations!

Tomorrow we expect to take public transport to Juba--mutatu. There is a possibility we may be able to share a ride with a priest going our way, or even a WFP (UN) flight... we will see. From there, on to Malakal and adventures yet unknown--we keep thinking about the many possibilities here, and hold close in our hearts the families that are planning to come soon to live out our service and mission and evangelism here. From the deep heart-felt needs we hear expressed, we hope that even more people from the States will consider coming, especially teachers, as those are most needed, and people who can help with so many of the developmental needs here, from spiritual to material, capacity-building in many ways. It is clear that our presence would be most welcome here. Very clear.

Blessings to you all...
Enten, and Phil and Louie