Sudan Update Apr 5, 2007

Camping in Sudan!

Back here we call that murder during the commission of a felony.

Bang! The rifle went off about 30 feet to my right and the sound made us all jump out of our skin. It was about 9:30 at night and some of the soldiers were lost trying to get back to the camp. Someone fired a direction shot. It’d be nice if they told us first. Everyone laughs nervously.

Earlier that evening the Merle tribe had stolen over 400 head of cattle, killed five people and wounded four others. Back here we call that murder during the commission of a felony. In the Sudan, it’s just another cattle raid. They bury the dead right where they fall. No ceremony and little grief on display. Life is cheap. That’s why they need to know Jesus. They brought four people with gunshot wounds to our camp. We stabilize them and send them to Bor 96 miles south.

It was hot. A couple of our volunteers weren’t drinking enough water and became ill from dehydration. It takes awhile to snap back from that and while they recover, the rest of us went to work putting up the steel and making cement. Others become ill from bad meat, some down for two days. We start work at sunup and go till noon, then rest during the hottest part of the day. The flies only rest at night, no doubt gearing up for another busy day. Back to work at about five and bring out the lights till 8:30 or 9:00 PM.

The food was rice and beans and beans and rice. $100 gets you a goat and $20 for a chicken. There is no refrigeration, so eat up boys, the meat goes bad quick. One of our guys thought up a pretty good glaze for the goat. He mixed peanut butter, which he had brought from USA and some sugar, boiled it down and cooked the goat with it. We call it "Bubba Butter." Any change to the diet is welcome.

The clinic needs to be finished by the end of April, before rainy season, so we go back on the 13th of April. We need your prayers to go with us. We need health, stamina and courage. The Lord knows all this and He is faithful, so we will be faithful too.

GBU,

   Jim