A day with Paul

Okay so I am not finished with this blog. I wanted to share with you an average conversation with Paul so you can see why I am thoroughly entertained (and also very confused sometimes). Here is a conversation we had today as we were walking on the roads of Juba which are filled with trenches of water so you have to jump and dodge and all sorts of fun "frogger" moves. (10 points if you even know what I mean by "frogger")

Anyways, here is what happened:
Scene: Paul and Adam walking together jumping around a bit and chatting about life.

Paul: You can't be afraid to jump.

Some more time passes.
Shortly after Adam elects to jump a big ditch while Paul finds his way around.

Adam: I took your advice, I jumped!

Paul: Ah yes, you can't be afraid to jump. Me? I'm not afraid. Although I am an old man and have eaten so many Christmas

End Scene.

So I hope you take this advice friend....young and old, don't be afraid to "jump around, jump around, jump up jump up and get down." (Another 10 points if you can tell me the artist of that song.)

Peace out.

That's all for now.

Yesterday I said goodbye to Mundri--for now. I do hope to be back sometime in the future. The research, assessments, and project proposal developing for the school and a few other ideas that we have started to develop is ongoing so my involvement doesn't stop here. But the field work will be under the very capable hands of Paul. So we are very excited about these things in the future that we are planning. Another program we are slowly developing is HIV people counseling (and other people living with infections). We have brought on a lady to head up this program who is sorta doing this kind of thing for people unofficially. So we want to be able to empower her a bit to develop this. Not completely sure how things will look but God will give her direction. She is totally seeking the Lord in everything so I think it will look sweet. I am going to be fundraising for these things when I get home so if you want to schedule a time to sit down and talk, I would be happy to discuss things. Especially if you want to make donations :) Just kiddin' I wanna just sit and talk too.

Otherwise, now I am Juba. I am mostly excited about the ice cream Paul and I will enjoy again. Then on Friday, I am going to Nairobi where I will meet my cousin Liz and then we will hang out on some beaches of Mombasa for a week and visit some elephants. Or at least be lazy and do nothing. Heck, we deserve a break right? After all of that, I am coming home. And yes I am excited to see you. All of you. It's gonna be rad yo.

I might post more blogs, I might not. Depends, but either way, it's been a splash.

Just want you to know...

I am celebrating with you in Mundri and listening to my first Canucks playoff game since I have been in Africa. 3-0 going into the third. I am happy that the internet has let me listen to such a sweet period. Here we go, let's play hard for another 20 minutes. Woot woot. If all goes well, I will make it home in time to catch the end of the Stanley Cup Finals to see Canucks bring that trophy home baby.

A Beautiful Moment

I know I have talked a lot about ice cream in this blog, but it seems that distance has made my heart grow hungrier. So let me devote this one to ice cream completely and a beautiful moment that might my favourite-est memory yet.

One of the Americans named Scott who lives in Mundri has an ice cream maker with their organization. Whoa whoa, a what?! I didn't know you could get that as a commoner. Well mom, that one goes on the birthday wish list. Anyways, so as I explained in a previous post, that I had the opportunity to treat Paul to his first ice cream. He asked me at that time, "Can I be able to make it with this ice cream from Juba to take to my children?" I had to explain how this melts quickly. (The concept of cold food and frozen anything here is far from the average Moru persons' mind). Long story short, I wanted to still give ice cream to his family so Scott took me to his compound today to make a very delicious chocolate flavour. So I took it to his house as fast as I could before it melted making sure that everyone was already prepared to eat it when I arrived so that it would be real ice cream and not soup.

Now as I said, the concept of frozen food is a foreign idea. So the people confidently took a spoon and dug in. I will let the pictures show the expressions of a few faces.

The ice cream in the middle (look at that girl brace herself...haha I love it!)

Not such a tough guy now are you

This one is priceless. She just put it in her mouth. Might be my favourite picture of the trip.

We have a winner! He loves it :) (So does the girl beside her I am guessing)

For the record, the faces of disgust were actually mere surprise because of the cold. But everyone ate quite excitedly once they were prepared for this strange temperatured substance that the white man must eat for his regular subsistence...which if you know me, that is mostly accurate. But I can honestly say, this was a beautiful moment. Just being able to sit back and watch (while also eating) some of the very first children and elders of Mundri to have their first taste of ice cream. Maybe you had to be there, but at least you can appreciate the pictures!

Oh and also, I told Paul I was going to tell the people of Canada about this. He said, "Make sure you know that I greet them." So he greets you and he wants you to know that he is happy to taste this ice cream food of ours. Just so you know...

White man can dance. Just listen to the Africans!

Today there was a party. One of the NGOs called "Nonviolent Peaceforce" has been in Mundri 1 year today so they had an anniversary party. So I got invited to the supper which was a beautiful meal when you are used to eating bread, beans, and some vegetable that would be very appetizing to most rabbits. Then this party was followed by dancing.

First, if I can just interupt the danging story to mention something about party music here in Southern Sudan. You remember when you got your electronic keyboard for $89.99 for a super value price and it had the demo track that repeats itself every 4 bars? When I was little, I loved that track. The local people here are way more authentic than using a demo track. Instead they jam it out themselves. This tune is usually played in church, at funerals, and anywhere else that needs a soundtrack really. Pretty cool, it's like reliving my childhood. (I am trying to sound like it doesn't drive me crazy if you didn't pick that up by the way :)

Anyways, so the dancing began to this all too familiar tune. I figured, if you can't beat 'em, join 'em. So I started pretty mellow. Then I slowly "busted a move" Canadian Style. Well, maybe just Adam style...not really ever sure. But anyways, long story short, when I was walking home with my friend Ida at the end of the night, she told me, "People were laughing at you."

"Why? I didn't try to do anything funny. I was just dancing," I said laughing back to her.

"No, it was fine!" (there is that fine word again that really means good) "Even me, I was trying to dance like you were dancing Adam."

haha, I laughed. Go figure, the truth is, all my life I have been trying to figure out how to carry beat and dance like African people. Now they are trying to dance like me. And I tell you this story to make you laugh because that is what I did. It DOES NOT mean that next time you see me you will say, "So, let's see some of these moves Adam." (cough cough...mother....cough cough). I love you mom, but that is totally what you would do and you can't deny it :)

As far as the project progress here, in brief we are still targeting the clans of Greater Mundri and aiming to build a school. However, after some discussion with other people and NGOs, we have realized that targeting orphans specifically is actually not strategic according to the culture and the development need. (One day, I can tell you why over coffee but the details don't make a good blog). Instead we are aiming to just target CSNBEs. That is Children Susceptible to No Basic Education, or at least that is the terminology that we have coined for now to include not only orphans, but those who simply are needing education. Anyways, that is the most major update, just so you know. OH! And my new home in Mundri (for next time when I come and for other foreigners) is being built. It is a mud house but it will have iron sheets for roofing. Here, take a look at it so far...

Prayer List
1) First and foremost, please pray for rain. Should have been raining a while ago and people are going to go hungry this year. Drought is not a pretty sight.
2) Pray for the Internally Displaced People that are a couple hours North from here. I have heard from the NGOs that the estimation for food security aid for these people is pushing 1 year because their houses have been burned and their crops have been destroyed in the tribal clashes. War sucks man.
3) Pray that I finish in Mundri well. I am finished here in 10 days when I will be making my way back to Juba and then Kenya.

Sentimental for a moment.

I found a very unique mango today. It was 2 mangos that were conjoined into one mango. I ate it, and naturally I was baffled at how to approach this phenomenon as it was quite a unique shape to tackle. When I finished, I realized that the pits that were attached looked like a heart. I just thought I would share my love with you in this limited, but unique senimental moment I am feeling for my friends and family at home. So here it is...

I love you guys--mango style.


Thanks for the support.

Juba and Yei--then back home.

So I don't have a whole lot of updates, but I know that some of you faithful blog readers are checking everyday. Out of respect for my fans out there, (sorry, I just always wanted to talk like a celebrity...don't take "fans" in a conceited way), I thought I would keep ya posted on a few things.

I went to Juba to spend a bit of time doing some business related things. While I was there, I had the privilege of buying Paul's first ice cream he has ever eaten. Unfortunately for him we were sharing it from the same family-size bowl, and as some of my friends might know, I eat fast and uncontrollably when I eat ice cream. So I think I scored outta the deal. Oh well. He still enjoyed.

Then after being in Juba, I went to hang out with my Uncle Ken in a place called Yei. He is pretty wicked-awesome. I am a big fan (there I can use "fan" for others too). We hung out in Yei--a place where some people describe as the South Africa of Sudan. It is quite nice there for sure. Then we traveled back to Juba together and he bought me a good meal on the edge of the Nile river. And for the record, I like this Uncle not just because he bought me things. Oh and also for the record, if any of you other Uncles are reading this, I am a big fan of all you too. (BUT, off the record, if you wanna buy me nice meals on the edge of the Nile too, I promise to be a very obedient nephew from this day forward.)

As for life now, I am back in Mundri. I am stoked to be back to be honest. I think that is the coolest thing that I have felt in some ways. I felt like I was home when I made it to Mundri. Pretty cool eh? I have a home in Africa. (Even without ice cream. Go figure.)

Prayer List:
1) Praise for my safe travels. and Uncles. (and aunts, you are great too :)
2) Pray for good leadership to step into power on July 9th (the day when Southern Sudan gets its independence). This is a big one because of how fragile things really are here.
3) Pray for wisdom for Paul and I.

P.S. If you are reading this on May 2nd and you are Canadian...Go vote! (Not that I am one to talk because I didn't, but do it for me because I can't, okay?)