Christmas in Nimule

Christmas greetings

Despite news reports to the contrary the whole of South Sudan is NOT a war zone. Areas affected are those which were war torn in any case: places such as Jonglei and Unity States.  Juba has now calmed down and we are no longer seeing panicking families heading for the border.  Eastern Equatoria State, where I am, has been free from violence. At Mass on Christmas Day the Deputy Governor for the state gave a very good speech appealing for a grassroots-led movement for peace and reconciliation. He said that the fighting is between government factions looking for personal power. Although the president and vice-president come from rival tribes, their struggle is personal and should be ignored. He urged the people not to cause things to escalate by making it become tribal. He asked people not to seek vengeance for their family members, but to work hard to forgive and mourn those who have died together.  He was greeted with enthusiasm.  I made sure I took his message back to the children’s home.

Christmas dinner is served

Yesterday I dropped into our local UN base to ask for news. They are very relaxed about the local situation.  They also see this area as very safe.

That said, we are being careful.  The gate-keeper to the children’s home and another male staff member have equipped themselves with traditional bows and arrows in case of emergency.  I attach photos, which don’t do them justice.  Close up, the arrows look absolutely lethal with barbed spikes to make them hard to remove.

Gatekeeper equipped

Pastor Abdullah has made a trip into Uganda and found a suitable place to rent in the event that we have to evacuate the children’s home.  The border is walking distance.

Christmas was lovely.  The boys killed three goats.  We ate together and had a feast of goat (roast and stewed), rice, fruit and sweets.  The children found the sensation of a full stomach very uncomfortable and unfamiliar.  Hardly anyone ate the evening meal.  Everyone proudly wore their new clothes.  Later in the day the older girls went out, clearly wanting to show off their swanky attire.

The only fly in the ointment was that I was attacked by a mad woman on my way to Mass on Christmas Eve.  She knocked me flying and I fell very awkwardly on my wrist.  Thankfully there was an immediate rush of people to help me, including a Dinka who took me to a local clinic for pain relief and bandages.  He then helped me get a boda to church.  I doubt if I would have had such care from strangers in London.  My wrist is still very swollen and I am therefore typing this post one-handed. An incident like this could happen anywhere in the world, including London.  The reaction of bystanders was characteristic of Sudan, north or south.

We will not be moved!

This is a photo of my three youngest charges, who were staging a ‘sit-in’ in my room and refusing to come out.  As you can see, they are blissfully unaware of the country’s problems.  Hopefully this will remain the case.