We made it to Sudan!

Friday morning we headed to Wilson Airport to catch the charter plane to Sudan. We got passed through the dreaded weigh in and customs quickly and then left pretty much on time (around 12:00).

The flight was nice. We didn't have as much turbulence as we did last time. We made two stops for fuel (since we had a lot of cargo) and landed in Tonj around 5:00pm. For most of the time on the plane to Nairobi and on the way to Sudan, I didn't have many emotions. I expected to have more highs or lows, but was very even keeled. That all changed when the plane door opened. I was in the front so the people who were waiting first saw me and Suzy. Right away I heard people yelling "Yar!" It was Mary and Mabior. They were jumping up and down, shouting my name. They were so excited to see me and all the others that were returning. I felt overjoyed to be there. It was so cool to be getting off the plane and not being freaked out.

We then headed to the compound and got a tour. Things have changed since we were here in February. First of all it green! It's the end of the rainy season so there is a lot of grass and plants. Second, there have been updates to the pastors school, Sabet and Suzy's house and the compound. Third, there have been a lot of staff changes. In a way it's nice that it's so different because it seems like a new trip. I don't want to be constantly comparing this trip to last. For dinner we had a party. We celebrated four birthday's: Mark, Jed, Agum and Huggins. There was goat, but I managed not to eat any!

I didn't get too much sleep last night. The dogs, donkeys and chickens kept me up. Then I woke up to Amy yelling about something moving in our room. It turned out to be frogs! Yuck. I stayed in my bed until Tim cleared out all the frogs. The last one hoped out and stopped to pee in our doorway before he left. Nice.

This morning after breakfast we had orientation. John-Paul took us around the clinic and gave us a crash course on wound care. Fortunately I have latex free gloves so I can help in the clinic. John-Paul is the best teacher. He is so nice and patient. I am looking forward to working with him more.

After lunch we had a little down time. Then we went on a tour of Tonj. We saw where Sabet and Suzy first stayed in 1999 and the tree that was bombed. We also saw the plot of land where Sabet and Suzy will build a house outside the compound. It was really pretty. During dinner we had a lightening, thunder and rain storm. It was so cool. Its probably the last one until next May.

It's all starting to sink in that this is my life for a while. Part of me says "what have you done?" It will take a while to get used to the heat, being dirty and the bugs. Most of me says, this feels right. Once the RdR team leaves, I'll be able to get into my routine and begin my life here.This is the earth bag house they built for Sabet's mom.

This is the swamp land where Sabet and Suzy's house will be.

This is the river with the cattle camps in the background.

Day of Fun

We had a free afternoon on Thursday so we got to see a little bit of Nairobi. (We had finished repacking and weighing our luggage in the morning. ) First we went to the Giraffe Center. It was a beautiful park where you could feed giraffes. One thing that you can do is "kiss" a giraffe. You put a pellet in your mouth and they take it out. Most of my teammates did it, but I refrained. It was less about the slimy 10 foot giraffe tongue than about putting the nasty pellet in my mouth. I was content to feed and pet them. We learned the hard way that you better feed them constantly or you will be head butted.



After the giraffe center we went to Mama Zipporah's orphanage. She currently has around 150 kids. The day before we arrived she got 5 more, including a 2 month old. It was fun to see kids that we had seen before when we went in February, especially Moses and Momo (below). Mama Zipporah is an amazing woman. She wakes up at 4:00am everyday and gets the kids ready for the day.


After the orphanage, we went back to Mayfield House where we had a traditional Kenyan dinner of chipatti and sakumi wiki (or something like that!). Then it was off to bed!

Nairobi

We made it safely to Nairobi Wednesday night around 8:00. Fortunately all of our flights were on time and all our luggage arrived. We got through customs pretty quickly and headed out to the Mayfield Guest House. On our way we stopped by the Java House for dinner. I always get a little nervous when ordering food in a foreign country because you never know what it will be like, but my steak and cheese sandwich and chips (fries) were great!

Once we got to the Mayfield House, I took a shower (which felt so good!) and repacked my belongings. I can only take some of my stuff to Sudan now. The rest will come when the rest of the team flies home in 10 days. Then I popped a Melatonin, put in my ear plugs and had the best sleep I have ever had. I guess hours without sleep will do that to you!

After breakfast, I got a massage. Yes, you read right, a massage. Life is rough! Suzy knows someone who does massages so she came to the Mayfield house for me and Sheena. The rest of the team will get one on the way home. It was awesome (and only $13 for an hour)! After lunch we plan to go to the Girafe center and then to Mama Zipporah's Orphange.

Tomorrow around 11:00am, we'll fly to Sudan. Apparently we are taking a different plane so it will only take three and a half hours to get to Tonj with only one stop for fuel. Last time it took six hours with two stops for fuel. The night we get to Sudan we'll be having a party to celebrate a few birthdays. I think that means we are having goat. Is there a polite way to say for my birthday the best present I could have is no goat?!

><> Stacie

Goodbye

We will be leaving San Diego in eight hours and I think I just finished all my preparations. Hopefully I will be able to sleep a few hours before leaving at 4:15 am. Since I can't sleep on planes, I am anxiously awaiting our arrival in Nairobi Wednesday night. Lord, just get me to the Mayfield House!

This past weekend has been absolutly nuts. A few curve balls have been thrown my way and I admit I was flustered. I wonder if God did that so I wouldn't dwell in sadness. I am a giant ball of emotions right now. I have had moments of sadness, but over all I am doing ok. It doesn't seem like I am really leaving. After all, last time I went to Africa, I came home after two weeks. I am anticipating a breakdown when it hits, but maybe the Lord will protect me from that.

Fortunately I was able to say good bye to just about everyone I love. I had a great time at my goodbye party. It was neat to see people from different areas in my life all in one room. Thank you to everyone who came and to those who helped put it together. It was a fun, joyful evening. I apologize to those who missed my Rock Band rendition of "Living on a Prayer." Only the die hards left playing at 10:30 were treated to my last hoorah.

Thank you to everyone for your prayers and support. Next time I update this I will be in Africa!

><> Stacie

A Sudan Filled Weekend

Friday night Rancho del Rey had a potluck for Suzy. She is in town for two weeks and will be traveling back with us. The potluck was really great. Suzy spoke and showed us a mini documentary about their ministry. The video was incredible and got me even more excited to be there. It's so cool to see their love for the community and see the community's response.

Saturday was the Prayer Walk which is their annual fundraising event. They hoped to raise $100,000 for an ambulance and for the clinic expansion. I'm not sure if they met their goal, but it was a neat event. We met at San Dieguito Park, had a time of worship and then walked a trail and prayed for their ministry.

At the end, the Rancho del Rey team was prayed for along with another team that will be going to Sudan about one month after I get there. I got to meet a man from Sudan who is living in Carlsbad. His name is Mabior and he has been here for nine years. Below is a picture of him with Todd, Danielle (who both went to Sudan with me in February) and me.Both events really confirmed for me that I should be there. While I am sad to leave behind family and friends, I am still 100% sure that I am supposed to be in Sudan right now. What is strange is that I leave in 7 days! Yikes! I am a little overwhelmed and tired, but for the most part am done with my preparations. It still seems a little unreal. I think it won't hit me until I'm at the airport!

Donation Information

I just wanted to post information here on how to donate in case someone needs it.

The cost for being there for a year is about $12,000. Of that, $3,500 is just for travel alone. Suzy and Sabet ask that I contribute $500 per month while I am there to help with compound expenses. Everything we eat must be shipped from Kenya. That cost to do that is enormous. Please know that 100% of your donations go directly to Sabet and Suzy's ministry: In Deed and Truth. All administrative work is done by volunteers here in the US so 100% of the money goes towards helping people in Sudan. There are a couple ways to make donations:

1. One Time Donations

2. Monthly Donations

Donations can be mailed to In Deed and Truth Ministries PO Box 51253 Colorado Springs, CO 80949. If you send in a check, please put my name in the memo line. Donations are tax deductible and you'll be mailed a statement at the end of the year. Each time you send in a donation, you'll receive a thank you letter from Suzy and Sabet with another envelope. If you are making monthly donations, you can use those envelopes each month or sign up for automatic deduction.

If you have any questions, please let me know. Thank you so much. I couldn't help people in Sudan without people sending me.

A Big Weekend

Well it's official. I have moved out of my house. It feels really strange. I'm really going to miss my cats. I keep giving them human emotions and thinking they are going to be really sad too and think I abandoned them. However, the truth is they will be fine and will have no idea anything has changed. Another big thing that happened this weekend is my beautiful niece, Katryna, turned 10! Wow... into the double digits. I'm going to miss her too while I am gone. She has the best laugh. I had a great time at her party. It was nice to be around family, although, a little bittersweet. It's hard to be away for such a long time. I can't help but feel I am letting them down. I know they are proud of me, but I hate to be missing out on their lives for a while.

Well, I leave in 23 days. Time is flying by and I feel a little overwhelmed. Fortunately things are going well. Between what has been pledged and sent in, I have about half of my support raised. Hopefully the rest will come in while I am there. I know the Lord will provide for as long as he wants me there.

><>Stacie