Church of the Brethren Sudan Initiative

Phil and Enten just went with Isaac Nyiding, staff person from the Malakal SCC (Sudan Council of Churches) office, and James Mayay, who used to be an accountant working with Shrocks (and he remembers them with fond memories). They've gone to confirm our flights with World Food Program tomorrow at their office, so I'll start the blog for today. (In this photo, James in to the left, Isaac in the middle, and Rev. Paul to the right.)

Today we moved in faith more than anywhere else on our trip. We were not able, nor was Anne in the SCC office in Nairobi, to contact anyone successfully in Malakal, so we were not sure what would unfold today. Someone from the Diocese of Torit (Catholic) guest house in Juba took us to the airport where we had been booked to fly with WFP (World Food Program). We flew first to Rumbek and then on to Malakal, a large city with a paved airstrip. We were expecting taxis there, but there were none there yet, which frustrated a number of people.

We worshiped this morning at a Catholic Mass, listening to (and joining sometimes) some beautiful harmonious singing. The priest called in was a Nigerian missionary priest. He spoke of the Good Samaritan, likening the story to their situation with Taposa and Turkana people - traditional enemies - with a Turkana being the Good Samaritan helping one of their tribe, the Taposa.