Arrived in Adjumani

After a 5:00am wakeup call, a taxi ride to airport whose soundtrack included some 1980’s country hits, being too early to the airport, a beautiful flight on Eagle Air from Entebbe to Moyo, a somewhat scorching ride in a lorry (pickup truck), a two-plus hour wait for the ferry at the Nile River, and another 45 minutes in the lorry, we arrived in Adjumani!

We were enthusiastically greeted by the kids at Amazing Grace Orphanage and settled into our tukuls. The staff here are Beniah (say “Ben-I-uh”) the caretaker, Margaret the cook, and Wani Alex the night watchman. (There is another cook, but I haven’t caught her name yet.)

It still the rainy season here in Adjumani, as we were reminded as we prepared for bed last night. Teresa and Rita went tothrough. In Portland, much like the Eskimos and their use the toilets, and returned wet clear snow, we have many,

many words for rain, but here there’s no sprinkling or sleeting or showering… either it’s not raining or it’s raining big heavy drops that get you wet to the bone.

This morning we have been invited to visit the Imago Dei Community in Adjumani, the home of Jeff and Michelle Theisen, Jaclyn, and Erin Carkner. The Theisens and Erin are from my (Leisha’s) home church of Imago Dei Community in Portland, and Jackie is from North Carolina. The Theisens have been missionaries in Africa for something like twenty years, and use

their base here in Adjumani to work in Southern Sudan, although not the same area we will be going to. Jackie and Erin do regular work with the children at Amazing Grace Orphanage, and are building relationships with them through weekly Bible studies, songs, and games, as well as occasional fun things like painting the girls’ toes. I really enjoyed my time with them when I was in Adjumani last, and most of the team got a chance to meet Jeff and Michelle when they were in Portland recently for the funeral of Jeff’s mother.

Please pray that we will have meaningful opportunities to connect with the children and staff here at Amazing Grace, and that we will be a blessing to them.