From Gratitude to Destitute

I spent the last week in the field checking up on some classroom rehabilitations that were to be started and also join a team to go into an area that we have been unable to work in for almost a year due to security reasons. The first four days of my trip were filled with communities that were sincerely grateful for the support they have been receiving. It was kind of like being Santa. We had to drop off some school supplies but we didn’t have a lot of time because we had to visit 8 schools in two days. So we arrived, took pictures of the construction and then dropped off the boxes of supplies and left town five minutes later. I have never seen anyone so excited about some boxes of chalk before. It was actually really fun. In these communities that we have been working in for a while and have been providing assistance such as food rations or hygiene training have put education at a high priority for their communities. It has been exciting to meet with heads of communities and for them to express how important it is to educate their children. This area of South Darfur has been the most neglected by the government so all the schools in the area have been 100% supported by the communities. That means that school fees are high to feed the teachers, which also means that only a few children out of each family can attend school.

In one of our locations we assisted with the construction of a high secondary school. The school that the students were attending was closed due to security which meant that they could no longer complete their education. So the community decided to move it to a safer location. We assisted with the construction costs while the community provided the labor. I
happened to be at the right place at the right time and was able to participate in the celebration as they moved into their new classrooms for the first time. It was so great to see a group of youth so excited about continuing their education. The other great thing is that the number of girls in the school has already increased from 4 to 7. That’s a big accomplishment in itself.
It’s a rather humbling experience to be the face to the work that we are doing. I know that as I accept the thanks for the work that has been done I realize that there are so many people involved to see this happen and I just get the privilege of seeing it through. The rehabilitation of the basic school classrooms and the construction of the high secondary school both have been projects that I have written the proposals for and am grateful to see them carried out. It’s a strange feeling to play around with words and numbers on the computer and then go to the field and see those numbers reflect in classrooms and children’s education. I really am thankful for what I get to do and I realize what a privileged life I do live.

After I got all pumped up and excited about all the great work that is happening in one area we headed into the area that we have not been able to access for almost a year. The roads were opened up and went in as a team to assess the situation. So as I was very excited about all that is being accomplished, I got a reality check about how much work there still is to do. We
headed into an area where people are still not returning to their villages for fear of attacks. We stopped at a destroyed market where there were a few men sitting selling firewood and charcoal. We were wanted to talk to community members to get a picture of their situation but in order to do that we had to go on a bit of a hike into a nearby wadi to find some families that are living under the trees. This was my first time really talking with people that are living in fear for their lives to the point that they are hiding under trees and collecting firewood so that they can feed their families. This is not the first time these families have fled. They have been moving around for years running away from the fighting and trying to find water. I can’t imagine what that would be like and it breaks my heart to realize that this is the reality of so many in Darfur.

I guess this is a good motivator to try and do more. If it was all gratitude I would forget about the destitute.

10 Wonders in 10 Days

So I think I was a little ambitious this week. My program received funding that needs to be spent by the end of the year so things are really busy. I decided that I really needed to get out to the field and make sure that the communities that we are sending supplies to are ready for them. However, ten days of visiting 14 communities has left me really tired but content with the memories of all the amazing things that I was able to experience. Here are my top ten.


1. 16 hours in two days on a donkey through the mountains north of Nyala. Minus the pain my body experiences I love going on donkey trips. There is no better way to experience the mountains. I was able to enjoy the monkey spotting along the trail, the numerous extended hellos to passers by and even going through the clouds of locusts that we would stir up as we passed under trees. There is plenty of time to sit back and contemplate life, God and the other things that we never seem to find time to do in our busy life.

2. Watching tears and laughter fall across girl’s faces. My latest soap box that I have been standing on when I visit communities is promoting girls education. Most girls start school when they are young but because of family and household responsibilities they are unable to complete their basic education. Many girls get married at 12 and drop out of school. Some communities understand the importance of educating their girls but others are having a more difficult time changing
tradition and realizing the potential of the girls in their community. During one of my soap box moments I looked over and saw a few girls with tears running down their faces as we discussed with them that they need to take charge of their education and delay their marriages to put their education at a higher importance. But it wasn’t all tears as I spent time with the young women in the communities. Many times I found myself in a crowd of giggly girls as I took pictures and videos of them and showed it to them. Their laughter is so contagious and we would get caught up in the laughter and joy of the moment and laugh together without the necessity of the same language or background – just the joy of the moment.

3. Putting in my first hours as a helicopter pilot. On my way to our communities south of Nyala I found myself being the only passenger on the helicopter. I have had a few times where I am the only one getting onto the helicopter at my location but I have never been the only one on my flight. So the pilot allowed me to join them in the cockpit and they taught me how to fly the helicopter. I’m not so sure what I was doing but I didn’t crash and we did make it to our destination. The pilot said that I should take his job and I think I may have to consider his offer.

4. Surviving a stampede of grade 1 children. A lot of the school locations tend to be on the top of a hill or a high point in the community. One school in particular requires a bit of rock climbing to get to the school property. This is normal for the children in this mountain community but is a bit of an obstacle for some of us that grew up in the prairies. So as I was in the midst of descending the small cliff the school released half of the grade 1 class for the day. So then not only was the decent a challenge but doing it without stepping on children just added to the adventure. But we all ended up at the bottom with few injuries and only a couple of fights. We continued in the midst of a crowd of excited children through the streets of the market. As we played, ran and chased each other through the streets the amount of dust the was stirred up by the children and all the activity made it hard to breath. I think we all came out the other side the same color – the color of dust.

5. 7 hours on a horse cart. Due to security reasons and the target that driving our Land Cruisers puts on us, we have resorted to local transport wherever we go. In some areas that means that we hire donkeys but in flatter areas we get to take
horse carts. They are a little more comfortable but still not a luxury form of transport. Because my time in the field is limited I try to see as many locations I can and that lately that means taking uncomfortable transport from sun up to sun down just to get the work done. I have now acquired the nick name from some of the staff of ‘Iron Lady’ because they continue to beg me to rest as they are afraid I will get tired but I keep saying – ‘ok, I will rest after one more community’.

6. Enduring the cold around a small fire with a group of new friends. One of the communities that we stayed overnight in is high up in the mountains and very cold. Ok I am saying very cold because I am in Sudan but I was wearing layers and slept with two blankets. It was cold. The community was so excited for us to stay with them. The house that we stayed in belonged to the cutest little old lady that didn’t stop smiling and giggling the whole time. As we waited for supper a I joined a small group of men under the stars huddled around a small fire. We tried some small talk and listened to the radio but mainly I just enjoyed the beauty of the moment.

7. Sharing the road with a nomadic family. Along
the road while on the horse cart we came across a nomadic family moving all of their goods and livestock. The most amazing part was how the women were traveling. They sit under a tent like structure on a camel to stay out of the sun. It was an amazingly beautiful sight. We discussed with them why I was taking pictures and they invited me to ride with them instead of on the horse cart. I think they even said I could marry one of them so I could travel like a real lady should travel. After 7 hours on a horse cart and a very sore butt I was considering their proposition. It was one of those moments that I was able to breath in and appreciate the opportunity to see this very real part of life that few get to see and enjoy.

8. Being poked and prodded by a group of children. I love how children are so curious and not afraid to discover new things. A few times when I would stop and try to talk to a group of children I would find the kids pulling at my skin and hair just to feel how different it is. Little calloused rough hands would reach through the crowd to feel how this strange white girl felt. From a young age children are engaged in hard work to help out their family take care of the fields and assist in the household duties. Our hands that are mainly used for computer work and are pampered with good soap and lotion become a novelty to these small hard working hands. The kids love to touch and giggle at the difference. All I can do is welcome their curiosity and laugh along with them.

9. Drinking tea, coffee and more tea. Everywhere I would go the community would invite me for at least one cup of tea. Thankfully the cups are small but half of the cup is sugar. It has become a new addiction of mine. Their tea is a fabulous mixture of spices and sugar that becomes a welcome refreshment after hours of traveling. Sometimes they would send us away with chickens, watermelons or tomatoes but my favorite is the tea. Every meal is followed with at least one cup of tea and the morning is started with one cup with milk, one cup without milk and a strong little cup of coffee. In one location I had coffee with so much ginger in it that it left a burning feeling in my throat for hours. Tea breaks and tea conversations are a vital and very enjoyable part of time in the field.

10. Coming home happy, healthy, tired and dirty. After days in the field with limited showers, sleeping in strangers huts and communal eating I am amazed that I have arrived safely and healthy. Illness after being in the field is something that we battle with all the time. Meal times are one or two bowls of local food and everyone digs in with their hands and eats their fill. I really enjoy this way of eating a meal with a group of people but with it comes with the risk of catching whatever illness the rest of the hands in the bowl may be carrying. I am very thankful that after these 10 days I am feeling well and am able to catch up on all the work that remains for me in the office.

I know that hearing these things you are all booking your flights for Darfur as your next holiday destination. I would love to see you all here! It really is a fabulous place.