Meet Dennis

Since I have been away for a while, it has been some time since I did a "Meet _____ " post. Now, that I am back, I am excited to keep introducing you to people on the compound. Dennis is first up.



Dennis is one of our clinical officers (doctors). He has been working with In Deed and Truth Ministries since mid 2009. Since arriving, Dennis has had many ideas about how to improve the clinic. He has taken on the role as head of the clinic and is doing a wonderful job leading the staff. He has a lot of vision and also has the drive to get things done. Dennis is a blessing to have on the compound.



(Dennis with Matoch on the way back to Tonj)

In addition to being our clinical officer, he is also our resident rapper - original gangsta! Mark and Dennis were quite the duo and performed for us a few times. Now that Mark is gone, Dennis has to perform solo. Fortunately for us, he is not shy. During Sabet's absence, Dennis filled in for him at church on Sunday. He did a great job teaching us about why Jesus is set apart and holy and then closed with two new raps! It was awesome! I figured a rap may be coming so I had my camera ready. When I figure out how to post videos, you'll be able to watch the performances.



I asked Dennis if he had any prayer requests for you guys and this is what he would like prayer for:

1. Peace during the elections
2. His mom who is receiving treatment for cancer.
3. Peace and unity with his workmates as he exercises leadership
4. He is developing a surgical vascular problem and is very concerned about it
5. Strength as he works and lives away from his family (he is from Kenya) and that his family would understand this calling.

Thanks for remembering Dennis in your prayers!

*Funny story - In January, Mark and Dennis were recording one of their raps. They needed some additional voices to add to the track and asked me and some others to help. When they rapped "are you happy when you walk in sin" we were supposed to yell "no!" Well, in my defense, if you ask me for help, I will follow directions as best as I can. So, when they played the track and it was time for us to yell "no" I screamed it as loud as I could. Yeah.... it was a little much. No one else yelled with as much force as I did. We played it back and my voice stood out so much. It was really funny. We laughed a lot. They tried to tone it done, but you can still hear me well in the final version!

Moving Day

Since I have been here, I have moved around to different rooms so I never fully unpacked. While I was in Nairobi with Matoch, a room was fixed up for me with freshly painted walls and a new ceiling to block out sound. Today I moved in. I love my new room! It's nice to have a space to call my own. Here are a few pictures:

Magok Madit

Magok was born seven weeks premature. He was brought to our clinic today because he was crying a lot and had trouble eating. We have referred them to Wau for more treatment. Please pray for this tiny little boy. He has already survived nine days which is a good sign. He is a fighter!

Call Security...

There are unwanted guests in the dining room! Or should we call the cook?

5 Month Update

Here is the 5 month email update I just sent:

Every time I say “I can't believe it has been ___ months” and this time is no different. It has now been five months since I left. A lot happened since I wrote my last update. For those of you who want more details, check out my blog: www.thisisstaciesblog.blogspot.com. It has stories and pictures as the events unfolded. For now, here is a summary:

A few days after posting/sending my four month update, Matoch was brought to our clinic. He is an eight year old boy who was shot in the face when his cattle camp was attacked. Neither our clinic or a hospital near us was able to perform the type of surgery Matoch needed to fix his face. Miraculously Suzy found a plane nearby that could fly him to Nairobi. She asked me to go with him and immediately I said yes. Due to the insecurity, Suzy and the kids decided to come too. So we had ten minutes to pack and were whisked off in a plane. We had only been back in Tonj for one week so leaving felt really strange.

Matoch spent two weeks in the hospital and then another week and a half with us in Nairobi. For part of the time his mom, Achol was with us. Once Matoch was released from the hospital, we were able to send Achol home. It was a huge blessing to help Matoch. It was fun experiencing a lot of his “firsts.” Here are some of the things he got to experience for the first time: plane ride, car ride, toilets, light switches, swinging, going to the movies, eating a hot dog, taking a bath and drinking a milk shake. We had many sweet times together. After listening to the kids' home school lessons, he started to go around the house singing their songs. He also loved the song “Chim Chiminy” from Mary Poppins and the song “Mamma Mia.” Now he is back with his family and doing well. It was neat to see how God used his tragic situation for good... Matoch's dad became a Christian!



While we were in Nairobi, the cattle raiding continued in Tonj. The doctor and nurses were kept busy in the clinic with multiple gun shot victims. Another little girl, Nyangeu, was shot in the face and flown to Nairobi with Hargins, one of our nurse aids. She is still in the hospital being observed. A CT scan showed skull fractures that may need surgery. Suzy and the kids are still in Nairobi waiting to see what happens with her before returning.

This has been an interesting month. I never thought I would be helping with a medical evacuation. I pictured my time all in Sudan, but God has brought me to Nairobi twice now. I felt out of sorts for a while this time in Nairobi. It was strange to be ripped out of Tonj only after being there for a week and having only an hour to get ready. I definitely had to lean on God for help. There were frustrating times at the hospital, but I am learning to be patient and to just go with the flow. A friend (and soon to be Tonj resident!) emailed me that my frustrations were normal. She is reading a book on cross cultural ministry. It talks about how our culture is all about time and accomplishing things. The culture in Africa is all about the people and the event. Things will happen when everyone get there. There is no rush. It was a good reminder to be more about the people then to be such a time and control freak.

God has also taught me to be open to serve Him in anyway, not just limited to my own expectations of how I think I am going to serve him according to my perceived abilities. Whatever God puts before me, He knows my needs and will provide whatever is needed to accomplish it. I don't need to worry and obsess about the details. I just need to say “ok.”

Upon returning to Tonj on Wednesday (after being in Nairobi for three and half weeks), I got to return Matoch to his family. The reunion was great. He'll be coming back to the clinic daily for the next two weeks to change his bandage so I'll get to see him frequently. It was sweet to hear him call my name, “Yar,” this morning as I was walking across the compound. While helping Matoch was a privilege, I am happy to be back in Tonj. Now that we have a cook, I am free to help Suzy and Sabet in other ways. I felt bad leaving Jane after only one week of being in Tonj. However, she adapted well and is doing a wonderful job. It has been refreshing walking around the compound making sure everything is ok and then doing administrative work.

Compound update: The clinic is as busy as ever. Soon we will be doing AIDS/HIV testing. One of our clinic workers is in Wau getting trained on it. Margaret is doing a wonderful job with the pregnant moms. One day while we were gone she delivered three babies! The pastors school is on break until after the elections.



The elections are coming up in a few weeks. It seems like our focus has been on the cattle raids lately and we have forgotten about the elections. I asked Suzy when the cattle raids will end and she said when the heavy rains come and people are unable to travel. So we are praying the rains come soon! Hopefully the elections won't add to the violence that has been happening lately. The compound continues to be a safe haven. We are not in danger from the cattle raids that are happening.

I looked over my prayer requests from last time and most were answered... Praise the Lord! Here they are with the updates:

Things you can be praying for:
1. Long term volunteers – We have a few coming this summer. Some for a couple months, one for two years and two indefinitely!
2. That the temperature will decrease! It has cooled down a bit. It's still hot, but not unbearably so.
3. Peace – it's completely possible for the elections to go smoothly. The culture tends to be a violent one. They need to know God and have their hearts transformed.
4. We need a someone skilled in construction and plumbing to finish the new clinic. Our last guy went on a break to Uganda and didn't come back. We hired a guy named David who is handling the construction. He is doing a great job.

Since you all are so good at praying, here are a few more requests:

1.Keep praying for peace – for the elections and the cattle raids.
2.That we'll get clearance on the truck which will bring in a years worth of supplies
3.We have two gunshot victims we are trying to get help for. The hospitals we have flown the man to and driven the woman to are not able to help them. We need to find a way to get them the surgery they need.
4.An Ambulance – we are driving patients to Wau a lot and need proper transportation.

Thanks to everyone for their support: prayer and financial. I continue to meet my monthly needs. With another trip to Nairobi, my expenses were higher than usual in March, but I received enough support to cover it. Here is the donation information if you need it:

1. Go to www.indeedandtruth.org. Click on donate and you'll see a my name listed and can designate a donation to me.
2. Mail a check to: In Deed and Truth Ministries, PO Box 51253, Colorado Springs, CO 80949 Please don’t forget to write my name on the memo line. Donations are tax deductible.

Blessings,
Stacie

Settling In

Yesterday the gunshot victim was flown to Juba where Sabet was waiting. It looks like he will have to be taken to Khartoum for surgery. Sabet is working on getting him there. Nyangeu is still in Kijabe Hospital with Huggins. A CT scan was done and revealed the skull fractures may need surgery. A specialist is reviewing the results to confirm. The surgery is risky so they won't do it unless they absolutely have to.



Since yesterday, things have settled down in the compound. No additional gun shots or gun shot victims. Today I was able to walk around and get to know the new people working here. Our new nurse/midwife's name is Priscila and she didn't hesitate to work right away.



It's nice to be back here with the people of Tonj. It's fun to greet the people waiting at the clinic. We get some cute kids there.



The new cook, Jane, is doing a wonderful job. I felt bad leaving Tonj after only working with her for only one week. However, she took over the kitchen and is doing great. It's nice to be free to do other work here.

Made it to Tonj Safely

We had nice flights and made it safely to Tonj this afternoon. Matoch was really anxious to get home, but got really quiet towards the end. A lot must have been running through his mind. He was probably happy to be with his family, but might miss the fun times in Nairobi. He'll be coming to the clinic daily for the next two weeks so I'll get to check in on him. He had a nice reunion with his family, especially with his dad. Here is a picture of Achol, Matoch and his dad:



We briefly saw Sabet at the airstrip before he took off to Juba. He has to go there again to file more paperwork. We are still trying to get the truck cleared. We are running low on supplies so we need to get it here quickly. Hopefully we have all we need now to get the truck cleared.

As soon as we got to the compound we hit the ground running. There was so much to do. Peter, the pharmacist, was sick so Margaret, the midwife, was filling in along with another employee. They had a HUGE line of patients waiting for drugs... maybe 50 or so. So I jumped in and starting filling orders. Priscilla, the new midwife that came today, helped too. Then, we got another gunshot victim. Dennis asked me to come and pray for him. When I got there, my heart dropped. He was shot four times, the worst being in his neck. The bullet tore a hole in his throat and damaged his trachea. Whenever he would breathe and cough, blood would come out of his neck. It was the worst injury I have seen since being here. Somehow I ended up staying to help. I was in the corner and handed Dennis sterile gauze. There was a time when I would not have been able to stay. The injury was so bad that it was hard to watch. However, I think God has helped me get used to seeing injuries and it wasn't so bad. I had to look away a couple times, but over all I did ok. Dennis and John-Paul cleared his airway as best as possible and sent him to Wau. Unfortunately, as with many attacks, 50 people came with the victim to gawk at him. It was so frustrating. I lost it a few times and yelled at people to leave. They flooded in and blocked the door and hallways. I don't know why they do that.

Once he left, all the gawkers went home and we were able to continue working. We had a big medicine order to check in before it got dark. Later, Sabet called to tell me the hospital in Wau was closed. So, he is going to see if the gunshot victim can be treated in Juba. If so, MAF can drop by to pick him up tomorrow. For now, he will be brought back to the clinic for the evening.

Even though this afternoon was nuts, I am really happy to be back. It was great to see everyone on the compound again. They are always so excited to see me and it makes me feel so welcome. I am looking forward to really spending time with them again. I don't feel unsafe at all. This recent cattle raid once again happened outside of the town in the cattle camps. This man was the only one hurt in this attack.

Here are some prayer requests:

1. Pray for Suzy and the kids in Nairobi. I know Suzy's heart is in Tonj and it's hard to be away.
2. Pray that Sabet will get the clearance papers
3. Pray for today's gunshot victim. Pray that he makes it to Juba.

Thanks!

Returning with Matoch to Sudan

Tomorrow morning we (Dennis, a new midwife and I) will be heading back to Sudan with Matoch. Suzy and the kids will be staying here until after the elections. We took Matoch to see the doctor today and he was cleared to go home. He'll need to return to the clinic daily for two weeks to change his bandage, but other than that he is all set for now. The doctor recommends he comes back in a year or so to have another surgery. This will be for cosmetic purposes. He needs his nose fixed and scar worked on. Matoch seems really excited to go home. I'm excited to see the reunion with his family who I am sure will be at the airstrip.

Nyangeu remains stable. We took her to get a CT scan today and are waiting to see what the doctors will do next. She has a skull fracture that may need surgery. Since the surgery is risky, they may opt to leave it as is since she seems to be doing ok. Other than a considerable about of swelling in her face, she seems to be doing well.

I'll keep you updated on both situations when I can. The internet has been inconsistent in Sudan so I am not sure when I'll be able to check email or blog next. Hopefully soon!

Nyangeu Kan

Last night Nyangeu arrived from Tonj with Hargins (pronounced Huggins). Hargins is a nurse/midwife apprentice in our clinic. At the last minute Saturday morning, Suzy called Sabet and asked Hargins to come out with the girl since she speaks Dinka. AIM Air worked out a way to fly Hargins and Nyangeu to Nairobi. The other lady who was shot didn't end up coming at the last minute. When Nyangeu got here, you could tell she was scared. She is only three and is completely overwhelmed. The only person she is comfortable with is Hargins. I am so glad Suzy thought to bring Hargins. It would have been much harder on Nyangeu if she wasn't here.

This morning we (Hargins, Dennis - our clinical officer, Gordon and I) drove to Kijabe Hospital. Although she had minor skull fractures, the bullet didn't pierce her brain, praise the Lord. The biggest concern is infection. Her little face continued to swell even as we waited there. The doctor is going to open the sutures and clean out her wound tomorrow. If they are able to treat the infection and there are no complications, she should be out of the hospital quicker than Matoch. Hargins will be staying with Nyangeu at the hospital and at the house in Nairobi when she is released.

Since Hargins is here, I get to go back to Tonj on Wednesday with Dennis. I am so excited about that. Hopefully Matoch will be returning with us. Matoch continues to do well. He likes to practice speaking English. Tonight he found the word "potato" particularly funny. On Saturday I went with the kids to Java House and he kept calling me "mommy." Later that evening, after Suzy handed him dessert he said "thank you mommy." It was the cutest thing.

Thank you for all your prayers for Matoch. I wish you all could spend time with him. He's so precious. Please pray for Hargins and Nyangeu as they are at the hospital. Pray the the infections is quickly treated and removed.

Please pray...urgent needs...

There are a few situations that need your prayers:

1. My friend, Becca, emailed me about a friend, Erik, who is in a coma. He was in the back seat of a car when it was cut off in the rain. He suffered a crushed left skull and broken vertebrae. This happened on December 12th in Louisiana. Six weeks later he was transferred to a hospital in San Diego. Since Erik worked a lot, it wasn't uncommon to not hear from him for a while. Becca got concerned after months of no response from him and contacted his sisters on Facebook. She just got this information and is going to see him later this week. When I heard what happened, it reminded me of my brother's accident. Brain injuries take a long time to recover from and often leave permanent effects. Please pray for Erik to wake from the coma and fully recover from his injuries. Pray for his family as they deal with this tragedy. They were told right after the accident they should "pull the plug." Pray that they will know they made the right decision and ask God to give them hope. Pray that Becca will be able to minister to Erik and his family and that God will use her in this situation.

2. There is more cattle raiding in Tonj. The much feared retaliation (from the attack where Matoch got hurt) did indeed happen... this morning at 4:00am. Many people died. Our clinic was flooded with victims. Some were driven to Wau right away, but unfortunately the hospitals were closed. Apparently people started shooting in the hospital and they were forced to close. As a result, Sabet contacted Suzy to see about flying more people to Nairobi. The soonest we could get them here is Saturday evening. Matoch is still with us. He has a follow up appointment for next Tuesday. If all goes well, he is scheduled to fly home the next day with our clinical officer Dennis. I was going to be going with them (which I was really happy about.) however, with these new patients coming in, I will be staying to help them at the hospital. The people coming are a three year little girl who was shot in the head and a woman who was shot in the arm and leg. Please pray for smooth visits through immigration, that they will be stable until we get them to Nairobi and that they'll quickly receive the treatment they need at Kijabe Missions Hospital. More details to come when I know them.

3. Pray for Sabet and those at the compound (especially John-Paul, Margaret, Hargins and Jane) as they deal with this new wave of patients. Pray that God will give them wisdom as they face life and death situations. The violence is not in the town, but out in the cattle camps so our compound is safe. Pray for continued safety there and that the stupid, senseless cattle raids will stop!!!

Matoch Adapting Well

Achol made it back to Sudan safely and I'm sure she is happy to be back at home. We have had a great time with Matoch since Achol left. We were worried about him missing her a lot and crying when she left, but he was completely fine. He is blending in well with the Kuj kids and enjoys playing with them. He has also sat in on some of their school lessons. It's cute to hear him sing along with the teacher. Yesterday we went to Grace's house to look at her piglets. Grace is the housekeeper that comes three times a week. Suzy thought about bringing a pig to Sudan, but seeing the size of that pig may have deterred her. It was HUGE. Grace's pig recently had a babies and they are so cute! Matoch enjoyed seeing them.





Today the Kujs added a member to their family...a puppy! We went to a house in Nairobi where they picked out a Rhodesian Ridgeback puppy. The puppies were born a week and a half ago so we can't take it for another month. They picked out a girl and have tentatively named her Honey. I think the experience was strange for Matoch. He was a little nervous being around the dogs. Dogs in Sudan are despised and abused. I saw him swat at the dogs a few times and had to tell him no. He probably thinks it's strange to see people be kind to dogs. Tonight he experienced another first...a bath! He probably just bathed in the river at home. He and Jed had a great time playing in the bath. Jed calls Matoch "his new brother."









Matoch is such a sweet boy. It is a blessing to have him here. He needs prayers for sleep. Matoch and I share a room and he has had trouble sleeping. I think he must be having nightmares. A couple times each hour he screams and cries out. He rubs his head and face as well. He usually won't stop until I go over and talk to him. He's half asleep when it happens, so I don't know if he knows what is going on. He may be having flashbacks of when he got shot. Unfortunately I can't ask him about it (due to the language barrier) and the only thing I can do is pray over him. Please ask the Lord to remove the memories of his attack and give him peaceful sleep.

He goes to the doctor for a check up a week from today. If all goes well then, he'll go home the following day with our clinical officer, Dennis.

Achol Going Home

Tomorrow morning Achol will be going home. I think this whole experience has been too overwhelming for her. Matoch is doing just fine. Kids are easily adaptable. Achol has been in the bush her whole life and is having a hard time being here. She will be flying back to Tonj and leaving Matoch with us since he has a follow up appointment next week. Although I love Achol, I am relieved she is going home. For her sake and ours, it is the best decision. We have to watch her every move to make sure she is safe. I'm glad she feels comfortable enough with us to leave Matoch. I think he will enjoy being here.

This weekend we took Achol to Toi Market (which is the second hand market I love). She wanted to buy clothes and other goods (towels, sheets, etc) to take home. It was challenging, but fun walking around the market trying to find what she was looking for. We had to call Sabet to find out how old her other kids were and if they were boys or girls. I'm not sure if we got it right, but I think we got something for everyone. Today we took her to church where we met up with Kuel (our interpreter) and other Dinka boys who were able to talk to her. I think that made her feel a little better.

Please pray that Achol has a safe and easy flight home tomorrow. Also pray for us as we decide when to go back to Tonj. There is a chance we will return before the elections. Pray that Sabet will have wisdom as he makes that call for us.

Please pray for Nyelu Anhiem

Sabet sent an email with the following prayer request. Please remember this little girl in your prayers. It's one of the saddest stories I have heard.


Please pray for Nyelu Anheim. She is a young girl, who is about 11 years old. She is an orphan who lives with a relative here in Tonj. Her Mum lives in a different town and her Dad passed a way few years back. Her story is sad. She climbed a mango tree to feed herself, after spending days without eating anything and fell down on her head. She was brought to us immediately after the incident, unconscious, bleeding from her head: 1 deep cut on the back of her head and also the side of her skull seemed to be broken. Our clinical officer examined her and our nurses stopped the bleeding. I would like to ask you join us in a prayer as Nyelu is in a coma. We took her to Wau for x-rays and further consultation. pray that she wouldn’t need any surgery and pray if she needs a surgery that God would open the door for that.

House of Horrors

Today we left the hospital! After being there for so long I was antsy to get out. Matoch and Achol were excited too. We'll have to return on March 23rd for a follow up. Here is a picture of him right before we left. He liked wearing my hat.



Once we got home, we had an "incident." Achol locked herself in the bathroom. She started wailing and banging on the door. There is key on the inside to lock the door. She apparently was not putting the key in correctly. Suzy was trying to tell her to take the key out and pass it under the door. She was speaking in Arabic which most Dinkas know. Achol does not. As she continued to freak out, Matoch started to cry.I tried to calm him down while Suzy called Sabet. She got him on the phone and put him on speaker. Achol still wasn't able to understand what he was telling her. Fortunately, we got the window open and Suzy passed Jed through the window! He was able to unlock the door and she was freed. Jed to the rescue! Even though she has been in the hospital for two weeks, there is still a lot she has to learn about the way things work here. It doesn't help that we don't speak any Dinka. They are probably thinking we live in a scary house of horrors where people get trapped in bathrooms! It's funny now but at the time, it was stressful!



After that incident, Achol was a little shaken. After being in the hospital for so long, she is a little restless. She began to get agitated. She wanted to leave the house and go for a walk, but we can't let her do that. She has never been in a big city before and would come across trouble or get lost. She was frustrated and wanted to get on a plane to go home right away. Suzy called Sabet who was able to talk to her and calm her down. Hopefully tomorrow we can visit with some Dinkas living in Nairobi who will be able to talk to her. Suzy made some tea for her and found a place for her to sit on the balcony. She loves being outside. That helped her mood.

Up on the balcony we watched the kids play below. Matoch had a great time with the Hannah, Jed and Agum.





Achol found a doll and explained that she missed her baby she left at home. She held the doll for a while. It was cute and sad.



Then Suzy went on a mission to knock off a doll that got stuck on the roof below (we were on the third floor). She threw a bunch of toys down hoping to get it, but after about 12+ toys landed on the driveway, we gave up. Achol must think we are nuts... scary bathrooms, throwing toys off the roof! Fortunately Gordon (our Nairobi logistician) came home and was able to reach the dolls (and other toys that got stuck as a result of our attempts!).





For dinner we had Ethiopian food, which both liked. After, Achol helped with the dishes and Suzy showed them how to use the shower. It should be an interesting time until they are able to go home!

Please pray that Achol will be at peace while here and listen to us as we try to help her. Also pray that Matoch will heal and not need another surgery.

A Testimony from Sabet Today!

Suzy received an email from Sabet with the following testimony. She sent it out as an email update to those on her list. For those who are not, I am posting it here. It's neat to see how God is using Matoch's situation to minister to people in Sudan and Kenya.

Matoch's father came to the compound today so he can talk to his family using my telephone. He came with two other men. I called Stacie, one of our missionaries here for a year, who was at Kijabe Hospital with Matoch and his other. The evidence to see the joy in Matoch's father's face was very clear that after 12 days, he was so happy to speak with his son whom he couldn't believe was still alive.!!

The real blessing came afterward when we started talking about my family and who Stacie was. I explained she is a very good friend which is helping their son at the hospital. I showed him the emails Suzy had sent with the pictures and we started talking about Jed and asked about how many kids I have, so I answered him. He then asked me how many cows I paid for Suzy (typical sudanese disscussion) I said none, not that she is valuless, but it's the love we have that allows us to to be in a covenant. I began to share about God's love for everyone, John 3 :16 and Roman 5:8 and the gift of God is free for all. We talking about how Christians show that love but like Suzy and Stacie leaving their homes and coming to Sudan to share this Good News with us. I tell you I could see Matoch's father looking and God working in his heart.

We continued to talk about how many Dinka people are dying because of cows, as they were listening they were nodding in agreement. I started to tell them how many friends in the US, brothers and sisters in Christ are praying for us and doing more, like helping his son to be treated. All because they believe in the free love of God. I explained it is for that reason people like my wife left her people to come and live with me in Sudan, because of Christ and what He did her for her. The same goes for Stacie, I shared that with them. I shared how these people don't buy their wives with cows, and I intend to do the same with my daughters. I told them love is the better way. I asked them if they wanted to except the Lord Jesus as Savior and trust Him and to my suprise they agreed and were very sure they wanted to except HIm as their personal Lord and Savior. I immediately prayed and asked them to pray each on on his own words and that's what they did exactly ! What a joy to see what the ending of this story of Matoch has come to.

I am overjoyed with the Light that has shone down on them, all three of them Matoch's father and his two uncles. Then Matoch's father asked me if he could give us Matoch so he can go to school and be far away from the cattle life. He said he wants to sell two cows a year to pay for his school expenses. This is culturally a miracle!! I was delighted to see how he sees and agree with me the cow business is dangerous. Now his son has a new life and he wants him to have nothing to do with cows again.

So please pray for these brothers, that the Spirit of God would be on them and they would trust God and not retaliate this attack. His father is called Malwag and the uncles are Mabior and Machol.

Tomorrow Matoch will be discharged, he does not need a second surgery and after a check up next week, he should be able to return to Sudan. His Dad can't wait to see him.

Thank you for praying and for these precious people.

Sabet Kuj
Tonj, Sudan

Discharged Tomorrow

We'll be leaving the hospital tomorrow morning. Matoch had his stitches removed yesterday and he is healing well. The doctors are fairly certain he won't need another surgery. Praise God! We'll be coming back to the hospital for a check up on Tuesday. After five days of being here, I am happy to go "home." I have slept in five different beds in six nights. After staying with the Trotters, I am back at the guesthouse tonight. Matoch and Achol will be staying with us in Nairobi.

Matoch's countenance continues to brighten. He is smiling and laughing more each day. Since I know very little Dinka, I have been trying to teach him a little English. He especially likes saying "monkey" and "lion." Each day I look forward to our time outside. I love swinging! Today Achol got to talk to her husband (Matoch's dad) for the first time since leaving. He came to the compound to ask Sabet for an update and wanted to talk to her. After twelve days, he was naturally concerned so Sabet called my phone (yep, that's right. I'm official now, I have a phone here!). Achol was thrilled to talk to him. She had been so worried about the family she left behind. I could tell a burden was lifted from her right away. Matoch was excited to talk to his dad, too. He was a little confused at first that he was talking to his dad in Tonj. I think it may have been his first time to talk on the phone. Both Achol and Matoch were shouting while talking to him. I didn't know the words to tell them they didn't need to shout. It was so funny. Our roommate was plugging his ears. It was so loud in the room!

Thanks for all your prayers. His recovery has been miraculous. Here is the latest picture. Since the stitches were just removed, his face is a little raw. Once it heals, the scars won't be as bad. The ties on his nose will stay for one month. They will be removed at our clinic in Tonj. Part of his ear was used to rebuild his nose.

The Princess Bride

My time at the hospital today went by fairly quickly. I am there daily for 12 hours (7am-7pm) and I am convinced somehow time actually slows or perhaps stops. Yesterday, the morning went by fast, but the afternoon was painfully slow. Today wasn't bad at all. I had lots of visitors to chat with: the chaplain, a couple new missionaries, Cathy and others. Josephine and Caroline went home today. Praise the Lord. They got everything worked out.

Matoch continues to do well. He had his face cleaned of most of the scabs. Tomorrow he will go to the OR to remove the stitches. The doctors will have a better idea then of whether or not another surgery is needed. His doctor was concerned about a damaged tear duct that might need replacing. Pray that he won't need anything else. We had a lot of fun doing the puzzle again. I think I can do it blindfolded now! We also had another swinging lesson. He learned how to chant "straight and bend" with me, but never actually bent his knees! In the afternoon I showed him a few videos I had of Tonj on my computer and he seemed to find a lot of comfort in that. He kept asking to watch them again. Later we watched "The Princess Bride." He and Achol laughed and talked though the whole thing. They kept pointing at the screen and talking to each other about what they were seeing. They laughed everytime someone got hurt... not sure what that is about! I'm sure it is the first time they have seen a movie. I am fairly confident they think ROUS (rodents of unusual size) are real! I wish I could speak their language and explain everything to them.

Today I was moved to Cathy and Dr. Trotter's house for two nights. She invited me to have dinner with them and their guests. We had such good food! Really yummy enchiladas (something I don't like or eat at home), salsa, guacamole and carrot cake. The company was nice too. I almost chickened out and didn't go down for dinner. Being in a roomful of strangers is terrifying for me. I am so glad went. The other guests were missionaries working at Kijabe and were very nice. It's neat to hear their stories: where they are from and how they came to be in Kenya. I met another doctor who invited me to come to her house in the evenings if I have nothing to do. Other people come over and they just hang out. I might call her on Thursday evening. Tomorrow Cathy invited me to join them for leftovers (yes please!). Cathy has been so kind and hospitible. I really feel loved and supported. The missionary community I have encountered has been truly wonderful and a blessing. God is so good.

Pictures of Matoch

Today was a pretty uneventful day. I got to the hospital early and spoke with Matoch's doctors. They are still waiting to see how his face heals before they will know if another surgery is needed. His spirits remain high. Today we colored, did the puzzle at least ten times and played outside. I tried to teach him how to swing, but he would not bend his knees. I think he was a little nervous and therefore remained as stiff as a board. I also showed him a cartoon on my computer. It's fun to see him experience so many things for the first time. I think the talking dogs on the cartoon really baffled him.

In addition to the time I spent with Matoch and Achol, I had a nice time talking with the staff, other patients and volunteers. I had a good talk with the chaplain and prayed for a teenage boy having surgery tomorrow. His mom and aunt stopped by my room and chatted with me for a while. Then they called the boy in and said "talk to him" and promptly left! It was funny. I think he was a little confused why they left him with me, but I just talked to him and prayed. Later his mom and aunt came in and told me I would be coming home with them. Oh really!? They insisted I come to their house. Fortunately the chaplain was there and he explained I couldn't leave Matoch. They didn't seem satisfied and said they will talk to me again tomorrow! Later, Matoch and I went into the room that has Josephine and Caroline. It is a room with eight beds and a TV on which they play Christian music videos in K Swahili. Even though I have no idea what they are saying, I really enjoyed it. Matoch obviously did too because I saw him bopping his head with the music. I love hanging out in that room. There is such a sense of camaraderie. I like it much better than our impersonal hospitals back home. Everyone is secluded and it's depressing. Here patients and their family members are free to visit and encourage each other. It's really neat.

While I was at the hospital, I got a call from Angela, the missionary who runs the guest house. There were some Sudanese people needing to stay longer and she didn't have room for them, unless I gave up my room. She found someone to house me if I didn't mind. I told her I was ok with that. It turns out the person she found was Cathy Trotter, the wife of one of the doctors, who I met on Saturday. I thought, that's perfect! Cathy came by the hospital again today and we chatted for a bit. I'll be staying with her Tuesday and Wednesday night and then probably will be back at the guesthouse after if there is room. I love the family feeling of the missionaries there. I talked to several other ones who were all just as welcoming. They are eager to lend a helping hand. Here are a few pictures of Matoch:





(Snuggling with his seal)



(Coloring a picture about Noah's Ark)

My Heart Is Bursting With Joy

Today I went back to the hospital to see Matoch. Since our translator, Kuel, needed to go home, I came to replace him. I'll be at the hospital all day and sleep at the Kijabe Guesthouse which is run by a missionary couple. The guesthouse is a blessing. It's not fancy, but I see it as a place of refuge and comfort, especially after sleeping at the hospital last Sunday. I have a room to myself, there is a community kitchen and bathrooms with flushing toilets. Yippeee! I just took a shower and it was lovely. I feel really refreshed and rested.

While the hot shower and flushing toilets were great, they are not the reason my heart is bursting with joy. The reason for my joy is Matoch's smile and laughter. When I walked into the room, he immediately lit up. This is the first time I have really seen him engage with me (or anyone). Right away I noticed his smile. Because half of his upper lip was operated on and is still swollen, only half of his mouth turns up in a smile. It's really sweet. He was smiling as big as he could. As I spent time with him, one by one I gave him some toys donated by the Kuj kids. With each gift, he (and Achol) were so excited. He loved looking at the books (especially the ones with animals) and coloring. I can't figure out which toy was his favorite: the white seal stuffed animal or the Monster's Inc puzzle. I showed him how to snuggle with the seal. It was so cute to see him lying on the bed squeezing it. Then he lifted it in the air and made it fly. It was in putting the puzzle together that I almost started to cry. I showed him how to place the pieces in the right spot. He time he found the correct space, I cheered and clapped. Then he laughed. And laughed. And laughed. Every time I cheered, he laughed. It was music to my soul. I couldn't believe how happy he was. Since Matoch was brought to us, he has been quiet and in pain. Before the surgery, he was really upset and I wondered, is it me? Does he want me to leave? I assured myself it was anxiety about the surgery that made him cry, but I still felt bad I couldn't comfort him enough. Now I know, God was the one that needed to comfort him and bring back his happiness. Being with him today really made my heart soar. I was thrilled to see him "normal" at last. He was well enough to play outside for a bit. Achol, also, is doing well. She always greats me with a big smile. Today she sang a Dinka song with me. (For the RdR members from the first trip, it was the song we sang at church.) Tomorrow I will get to the hospital early to hopefully speak to the doctor and get a progress report.

I also had a neat time of prayer and Scripture reading with Josephine who is Caroline's aunt (not mom). Caroline has been discharged already, but they are still in the ward. I'm not exactly sure why, but it may have to do with money. I don't think they have the money for the bill or a way to get home. I assured her that God was able to bring them here and He'll get them home. We read Psalm 39 and 40 together. I encouraged her to put her trust in God. He is our only hope. Even during hard times, God is with us and loves us. We may not know why we are enduring hard times, but we know God has a plan. Tomorrow I'll visit her and Caroline again as well as some of the other people I have met. I'm excited to be there and see what God has in store for the day.

Visiting Matoch

Today we visited Matoch in the hospital. He was sitting up and doing well. His face is still really swollen from the surgery so it's hard for me to tell if it worked. One of the doctors we talked to said he may need another operation to fill out his cheek. However, we didn't get a chance to talk to his surgeon. We'll know more once we talk to him. We had a nice time visiting with Matoch, Achol and Kuel. They all seem to be in good spirits. Achol was worried about the children she left behind. Suzy was able to call Sabet in Tonj who talked to Achol and gave her an update.







I stopped in and checked on my friend and her daughter, Caroline. She asked me to pray for her which I happily did. Hopefully Caroline will be released soon and on her way to a full recovery.



Towards the end of our visit, a woman named Cathy stopped by our room with a Sudanese woman, named Martha. Cathy's husband is a physician and is the head of the woman's ward at Kijobe. They are missionaries in Kenya for one year. Martha is married to a Dinka who is attending the local Bible school. Martha speaks Dinka and visited with Achol for a while. A few weeks prior, two Sudanese women and their children were brought to Kijobe for treatment. However, there was no translator or anyone to accompany them and help them out. Cathy said it was really sad. They were very lost. Fortunately, Martha stopped by the hospital a few times per day and helped them out. She volunteered to do the same for Achol and Matoch since the translator is leaving on Sunday. Even though I will be there, I can't speak their language. Having Martha there will be a blessing. Cathy also volunteered to help me. It's neat how the body of Christ rallies together to support each other.

On Sunday I will be returning to the hospital to stay when Kuel goes home. I'll be there each day from 7:00am (so I can talk to the doctor while he is doing his rounds) until Achol and Matoch go to bed. Then I will sleep at the guesthouse located near the hospital. I'll stay there until Matoch is released or until Kuel comes back.



Please remember to pray for Tonj and everyone back at the compound. There is still a lot of fighting going on. It may take a while for everything to settle down.

Update on Matoch

Wednesday I returned to the hospital for Matoch's surgery. He was scheduled to go in at 11:00am. At 11:30, they called him to the theater (OR). I sat with him in the theater hallway while we waited for the nurse to take him. After days of being tough, Matoch finally broke down. The poor little guy was terrified. He cried really hard. Since I can't speak his language, all I could do was hold him, pray for him and sing a few songs I have learned in Tonj. The nurses let me bring the translator back and that seemed to help a bit. Unfortunately, there was a delay and we ended up sitting there for two hours. I think Matoch would have done much better if he had waited in his room. The anticipation only made his anxiety worse. Finally the surgery began at 1:30.

For the next few hours, I had some time to visit with other patients and their moms. I talked to the ones I met on Monday and made a few new friends. Everyone is so friendly there. They are were very concerned about Matoch. I also spent a lot of time with Achol. At one point she left to go to the bathroom and then never returned. I frantically looked around the hospital and found her outside, sitting in the sun. She motioned that she liked the sun against her skin. She was probably restless after spending days inside. Later, Achol had a visit from Mary Kay. Mary Kay has been coming in a few times a day to visit and pray with Achol and Matoch. She is so sweet and kind. Kuel had a friend, Richard, with him that day. Richard is also a Sudanese refugee living in Nairobi. When he heard about Matoch, he wanted to come to support him and his mom. I know Achol appreciated having company that could speak her language.



I saw the doctor before the surgery and he told me he would give me a progress report after the surgery was over. The nurses instructed me to wait in the theater seating area so I would be sure to catch the doctor. The surgery would take 4-5 hours so at 5:30 I went to the waiting area. At 7:00, they wheeled Matoch out. I asked if I could speak to the doctor and was told he was already in another surgery. I asked if there was anyone else who could give me an update and was told no, only the surgeon. I asked if I could call him and was told no. I asked when I could see him and was told I have to be at the hospital at 7:00am when he does rounds. I explained that I was staying in Nairobi and would not be able to be there by 7:00am. The nurse just apologized, but couldn't help me further. I was so frustrated! I called Suzy almost in tears. She reminded me that this was a missionary hospital. They charge very little for procedures and are very busy. God is in control and everything will be ok. She suggested I leave a note for the doctor and ask him to call us in the morning. After talking with her, I felt better. The inflexible planner in me was freaking out! I just needed a reminder to relax. Flexibility is definitely a lesson I am continually learning.

Fortunately I found a nurse who was very helpful. I left a note for the doctor asking him to call in the morning. The nurse also gave me the direct line to the ward so we could call if we hadn't heard from the doctor. Around 7:30, Gordon and I headed back to Nairobi. This morning Suzy called the phone number to the ward and reached the doctor right away. He gave us good news. The surgery went really well. They decided not to do a skin graft. They opted to close up the cheek with the existing skin. There is a chance it might not work; we'll know in five days. They decided to try it without the graft because there will be less scaring and no chance of rejecting the tissue. If the surgery was successful, Matoch may be released in a week and a half. If they have to do the graft, it will take another three weeks. We are praying that is not the case.

Our translator needs to leave on Saturday, so I will be staying at the hospital with Matoch and Achol for the rest of their time there. There is a guesthouse nearby that I was able to book a room in from this Saturday to next. I'll be at the hospital with them all day and then go there once they go to bed. The great news that they have regular toilets! Am I lame for being excited about that? Yes, but I am ok with that. On a funny note... I believe God gave my bladder super strength. I was at the hospital for 10 hours yesterday and managed to “hold it” until I got back to Nairobi. That's unusual for me. Too much information? Perhaps. I am grateful for the small things!

Medical Evacuation

These past 60 hours have been a whirl wind during which I have been able to see another side of missionary work: medical evacuation. After reading Suzy's email updates in my previous postings, you know what happened. If you want a play by play – here it is from my point of view. Beware -it's long!

Saturday:

This started out as a really nice day. Suzy and I got up early to work out (oh yeah, you read that right), then I went to lay down and recuperate from the work out! Around 11:00 I decided to help Jane in the kitchen. As I was leaving my room, Huggins came and asked me to come to the clinic. There was a boy who had been shot in the face and Suzy needed me to take a picture so she could send out a prayer request. I grabbed my camera and zoomed over to the clinic. When I got there, John-Paul, Margaret, Huggins and other staff were in the room helping him while Suzy was on the bed holding his hand and praying. They were getting ready to take the bandage off and assess the damage. He looked bad enough before the bandage was removed (which is why I didn't post a picture), but I wasn't prepared to see what was underneath. His whole cheek was ripped apart and part of his nose was destroyed. This poor boy, Matoch, had been brutally injured.

I tried really hard not to cry because I didn't want to scare him, but I just couldn't help it. How could someone do that? There have been a lot of cattle raids nearby and this was the result of another. Around 5:00 am, Matoch was getting the cattle ready when all of a sudden their camp (about 30 miles from Tonj) was surrounded by cattle raiders from Tonj. The attackers opened fire and he was shot in the face. I wish you could see how brave he was. While the doctor and nurse cleaned the wound, he did not shed one tear or make any noise. Unfortunately, our clinic is not equipped to fix such an injury. He needed major reconstructive surgery. Even referring him to Wau was not an option. They can't do that there either. I began to wonder what would happen to him. I didn't know what we could do for him.

Unbeknown to me, Suzy began calling various missions organizations looking for a flight. At first she was told there were no planes nearby. Then as she prayed for God to intervene she got a call that a plane was going to be near and could fly to Tonj to pick up Matoch.

Once Matoch was cleaned and bandaged up, I went to the kitchen to help Jane with lunch (12:30). We were almost done (1:00) when Suzy came over and said she thinks she found a flight to take Matoch and she needed someone to go with him. Right away I volunteered to go. She went over to the clinic to talk to John-Paul and it was decided I would go with him. At this point my mind was swirling. When, where, how... We all went into overdrive to prepare for Matoch's departure.

Suzy wasn't sure if the plane was coming right away or waiting until the morning. It was in a town called Akot which is about six hours by car from Tonj or about a 45 minute flight. Since we didn't know, we planned as if it was right away. Because Matoch had no documentation (passport, birth certificate, etc) getting him into Kenya may be a problem. John-Paul and I drafted a referral letter to a specialist as well as a letter to immigration. Sabet also was trying to get a letter from the town commissioner.

Around 1:30 we got confirmation the plane would be coming in about an hour. That is when I typed my blog post as fast as I could and rushed to get the letters printed. Sabet came back from the commissioners office, but didn't have the letter. Apparently they ran out of the necessary forms and needed us to type one up. I hurried to do that and Sabet took off again. Around 2:05 I started to pack. I just threw stuff into an box and hoped I got the essentials. I was done in 5 minutes. I ran over to Suzy's house to ask her questions and then discovered she and the kids were coming too. Sabet was concerned there would be retaliation in Tonj and suggested Suzy leave with the kids. The kids got their shoes on and Suzy quickly got the home school stuff together. It was a mad dash. We had to be at the airstrip by 2:30. Then we realized we had to type up a consent letter for the mom to sign. Nancy ran off to do that while we waited for Sabet to return in the truck with the letter from the commissioner. The car had gone to Wau that morning so we only had the truck. While we waited by the clinic for Sabet, we heard the plane zoom over head. Sabet arrived a short time later and we all loaded into the truck and headed to the airstrip.

By this time Matoch's mom (Achol) had decided to come. When Suzy realized she was coming, she grabbed a dress she had packed and gave it to Achol to wear. We got to the airstrip about 2:45. Since the plane had come from Akot where there is a medical clinic, a doctor came along to make sure Matoch was stable enough to fly. After he saw that he was, Matoch, Achol, Suzy, Hannah, Jed, Agum and I loaded the plane (3:00) and headed to Akot to drop off the doctor and refuel. As we were flying, I turned to Suzy and said “Can you believe we are on a plane to Nairobi? Didn't we just get to Sudan?” Unfortunately, because it was so late in the day, we had to stay over night in Akot. While I was very thankful the clinic let us stay there, it was one of the worst night's I ever had. We were on thin mattresses on the floor of an enclosed patio. It was hot, hard and there were bugs crawling on us. Anytime I thought I felt something on me, my body went into a spastic convulsion. After a loooong night, I was ready to leave. The doctor and staff had been very hospitable, but I just wanted to get to Nairobi.

Sunday:

By 8:00am we headed for Loki. This is where we would refuel and go through immigration. Fortunately we had a contact there that warned immigration officials we were coming and Matoch and Achol had no problems being cleared. At 11:00 we took off for Nairobi. Matoch and Achol did well on the plane. I know they must have been blown away. Everything was new for them. We landed in Nairobi at 1:45pm where it was pouring rain. Quickly we dashed to the car that was waiting to pick us up. Suzy's car was being repaired so we were picked up by a Mayfield van. First we picked up Gordon, Sabet and Suzy's logistician in Nairobi, then we dropped off Suzy and the kids at the house. Since I didn't know if I would be returning, I threw an overnight bag together. Then we picked up our translator, Kuel, and headed to the hospital (2:30). (At Sabet and Suzy's church in Nairobi, Karen Vineyard, there is a group of Sudanese men. While in Loki, Suzy called a friend from church and asked him to talk to one of them at church that morning and see if one of them would be willing to translate. Kuel said yes.)

The hospital is about an hour away from Nairobi. It's called Kijabi Missions Hospital. Suzy knows one of the doctors well, but he was out of town. One of our contacts reached the on call doctor who said he notified the staff we would be coming. When we got there (4:00), we were brought into the casualty room where we waited for a while. A doctor came over to see him and said she would call the general surgeon and the plastic surgeon. While we waited for them to come, Matoch got x-rays and blood work done. Around 6:30, the general surgeon came to see us. He said he wanted to wait until the plastic surgeon got there in 30 minutes to remove the bandage. By 8:00, he had not come yet. Gordon and the driver from Mayfield needed to leave so I remained with the translator, Matoch and Achol. Gordon left me his phone so I could communicate with Suzy. At 8:15, we were informed Matoch was being admitted and would be transferred to the pediatric ward. There we would see the plastic surgeon.

At 9:00 we still had not seen the plastic surgeon so I asked the nurse who told me she didn't know when he would come. At 9:30, the nurse took Matoch to the theater (OR) where the doctors would look at the wound and decide what would be needed and then we would meet with the doctor. However, they brought him right back and said it was postponed for an hour. At 10:30, they took him again and he didn't return until 12:30am. I asked if the doctor was coming and the nurse said I would have to wait until the morning to talk to him. I was so frustrated. Then my phone died and I couldn't find a place to plug it in. By this time, Matoch was put in a room with two beds so the nurse, Nancy, said I could stay in the other bed and she also found a bed for Kuel. While Matoch was in the theater, Nancy showed us around. Most of the rooms were full with ten kids and their moms in each one. She showed us where the toilets where. We had to show Achol how to use it. Unfortunately, the toilets were squattys. Imagine a hole in the ground. That's it. No seat. I'm not too prissy, but I hate squattys. I would rather go behind a bush than use a squatty!

Monday:

Around 1:00am, we turned out the lights (another thing I had to show Achol how to use) and attempted to sleep. The nurses came in around once an hour so I didn't get to sleep much. Around 6:30, they were serving tea to the patients so I got up. Once again I asked when the doctor was coming and was they didn't know when. I returned to the room, laid down and started to cry. All the emotions of the last two days just hit me: sadness for Matoch and awe for his courage; outrage over the evil of man; feeling displaced – I just got back to Sudan and had mixed emotions about leaving; frustration about lack of communication – I had no idea what the plan was for Matoch (what treatment was needed, how long he would be there, what the cost would be, etc) and no one could help me. I felt I had no advocate or point person to assist us there; total exhaustion – very little sleep over the last two nights; hunger – I hadn't eaten much since lunch on Sat.; frustration I couldn't charge the phone and lastly... the squatties. I went to use it and it smelled so bad I couldn't stop gagging. I know it seems silly, but in the moment, the thought of having to use the squatty was really disturbing. All of that and even more combined led to one much needed melt down. I just needed to cry it out. I did for about 10 minutes and then I was ok. Then I felt foolish for the breakdown because I am healthy and was not shot in the face. I asked God to give me joy right then and there and asked that He use me today.

Fortunately things proceeded much smoother from that point on. I found a nurse who let me charge the cell phone and I was able to touch base with Suzy. Then around 9:00am I met the plastic surgeon who was very nice and told me what the plan was. Last night they cleaned the wound and found lots of debris and also infection. Today they will clean it again, Tuesday they will just replace the bandage and then do the operation on Wednesday. In two and a half weeks they will need to do another procedure to finish up and hopefully in three weeks he'll be able to go home. I felt much better after talking with him. For the next few hours we just hung out in the room. At 12:00, Matoch was taken to the theater for the second cleaning. He was finished around 3:00pm and taken back to the ward.

Since Matoch wasn't going to have a procedure done on Tuesday, it was decided I would go back to the house Monday evening and return to the hospital Wednesday morning for the surgery. Kuel would stay with Matoch and Achol at the hospital. While I waited for Gordon to pick me up, I met a lot of neat people in the ward:

Merci – the chaplain for the pediatric ward. She made a sign for Matoch's room that said “Jesus Loves You.”
Mary Kay – a older lady from Michigan who comes to Kenya every February and March. Her husband is a pathologist and works at the hospital and she volunteers on the pediatric ward, doing crafts with the kids.
Maureen – a friendly employee on the cleaning staff
Mirium – her son, Eric, has had for operations for intestinal problems
Josephine – her daughter, Caroline, was in the theater getting multiple fractures treated after falling from a mango tree

I was having such a good time talking to patients and their moms that I didn't want to leave when Gordon came. This morning I was struggling to be there and then I ended up having a great time. God is so good that way. I'll be able to see them all again when I go back on Wednesday. Around 5:00pm I said good-bye to Matoch, Achol and Kuel and Gordon and I headed to the house. After making a few stops for groceries and gas, we arrived home at 7:00pm. Suzy had a wonderful welcome for me: a massage (by a lady named Rose who does inexpensive, about $13/hr, but AMAZING massages) and Mexican food for dinner. I felt so blessed by that. After a rough three days, it was exactly what I needed.

It was neat to see how God's presence was apparent through everything. It was a miracle there was a plane so close to us. The pilot was extremely accommodating and helpful. She was supposed to go from Akot to Loki on Saturday and be off in the evening and on Sunday. Instead she flew from Akot to Tonj and back to Akot Saturday. Then on Sunday she flew from Akot to Loki to Nairobi and back to Loki. She was such a blessing. Also, In Loki we got through immigration with no problems. Someone from Samaritan's Purse helped us through the process. Then God led a translator to us who was willing to stay at the hospital with Matoch and Achol. Small things like finding someone to charge my phone, Matoch being put in a small room where the translator could stay and others things provided encouragement and reassurance God was in charge.

It was a crazy three days and I still feel a little out of sorts. I was just getting back into the swing of things in Sudan and then suddenly found myself in Nairobi again. I don't know when I will return to Sudan. I may be in Nairobi until after the elections in April. I know I am still being helpful to the ministry here, but it feels strange not to be in Sudan. I am trusting God has placed me here for a reason and am ready to do whatever I can to help.

Please continue to pray for everyone back at the compound. They are still receiving victims from the attack in Matoch's village. Pray for their strength and courage as they serve the people of Tonj in the midst of uncertainty. Also pray for Matoch's surgery on Wednesday. I will let you know how everything is going.

Suzy's Third Email

Here is the third email Suzy sent.

Continue to Pray...

Right after sending the last update, Sabet called to say the remaining victims finally came to the clinic. The story of what happened yesterday is now unfolding and it appears a hand grenade was actually thrown into the camp as well as shots being fired. Many people were killed and even more are still out there injured. Photo 1, 2 and 3 shows Machar Chol, around 1 year. He was shot in the back, which also injured part of the face. His mother and sister were both killed. Three other of his siblings were shot or wounded from the blast (photo 4). Our medical team and other staff are working around the clock, please pray for them and for Sabet, for their strength and safety.

Pray for Stacie, she slept at the hospital last night as they were contemplating possibly doing Matoch's surgery right away. I know she must now be exhausted having little sleep in the past 48 hours.

My kids are doing OK with all the sudden rush and change,  They continue to amaze me and have been such troopers through this. They understand why we left and have peace.

In Christ, Suzy Kuj