Still Going

Well, here I thought I was holding things together as the one responsible for things getting done around here only to come back from R&R to find two churches that had just begun construction before leaving nearly done and a third that began the day I left only a couple weeks from finishing. That and two churches finished getting all the materials ready in preparation for a crew while I was gone as well. In the first 8 days after arriving, there were/are 3 church openings. Guess I’m not as important as I thought to the operations around here.

Seriously, though, I have been blessed beyond measure to work with the guys I do and it is exciting to be here at such an active time. There are two people from this base who have been with the project from the beginning and have laid a solid foundation for the work that is happening. Unfortunately for us, one of those guys is not renewing his contract this time and will not be around here in June. So, if anybody is interested in being a technical advisor to a massive church construction project, let me know.

I also get to work with a couple Kenyan engineers, one of which is unfortunately moving to a different site that needs him a bit more. They both have been busy running several crews and sites at once and have been incredibly patient with me when I haven’t had all the stuff they needed at the site to get the job done. The eagerness in helping to rebuild churches that they have and the desire to help the Body of Christ grow is encouraging. After being with Oliver from the beginning of building churches, it is quite a bit disappointing to know that he won’t be back here in Yei working, but it is good to know that he will be able to spread his joy and share the love of Christ in a different area.

I’ll have to try to keep updating about some of the others that have been my encouragement and support over the last three months and will continue.

Pictures

Ok, so the pictures didn't turn out so good. For some reason they wouldn't post with the text before. Sorry they don't line up based on the info in the other post and you have to use your imagination for the ones that are pictured as well as the other names I'm called that aren't pictured.

Law and Order

So I previously added a list of names I get called to the sidebar of the blog with the intent to explain a bit and include pictures for everyone to see what they thought fit better, but it has been quite awhile up to this point with none of that. I have recently managed to upload some pictures from coworkers and am now asking for everyone to go ahead and vote on who you think I most look like. For those who can’t figure it out . . . the picture on the left is Chuck Norris, the one in the middle is myself with a pastor here (I’m on the left and Pastor Wilson is on the right), and the one on the right is one person’s representation of Jesus.

Rambo was a one day thing, but there were multiple people who called me it that day so I thought I’d include it. Chuck Norris was the main name being called back at the beginning of April through the end of the month with quite a few times being called Jesus in there. For the last three or four weeks now, however, Chuck Norris has definitely slid to second with me hearing people call me Jesus (or the local language equivalent) at least fifteen times a day. Go ahead and compare the pictures and see what you think.

P.S. If someone who understands could please explain how the title relates to the body of this post, I'd appreciate it.

R&R

Well I’m back in Sudan after two much-needed (or greatly appreciated) weeks of R&R. It’s amazing what 10 days in Uganda followed by 3 in Nairobi with not too much office time will do when you’ve just spent the last eight weeks juggling a knife, ball of fire, chainsaw and anvil (figurative). My energy level and excitement to get back into things is amazingly high considering by a couple days before leaving here I considered not coming back from R&R (ok, not really, but the last few days my frustration level was sky high).

So I was able to spend the time with one of my college friends and this Canadian that works out here in Sudan out of a nearby base. Thankfully by the end I managed to keep from picking up any of those crazy Canadian sayings like “eh?” or anything. Here is a pic of us at the amazingly powerful Murchison Falls in central Uganda. The crocs and hippos were cool, but the amount of force as the Nile goes from what looks like about 60 or so feet wide to about 10 as it drops about 20 yards was definitely more impressive to me.