First report

We have had a wonderful experience here in Juba with the team headed by Archbishop Jeffery (lovingly now known as the archbishop of the world and neighbouring planets!).He has emphasized the role of nurturing the process of building, strengthening, and expanding relationships between and within our churches. The leadership in the Episcopal Church of Sudan (ECS) shows great energy, passion, responsibility, and belief, as it addresses many challenges, both expected and unforeseen. The evolution of a strong and committed modern church, from one of chaplaincy throughout a prolonged guerilla warfare phase, has many difficulties. These include insufficient clergy, often with inadequate training, capturing, enlivening, and uplifting the youth, and determining a relevant social, educational, and political context. There is much development occurring in the Southern Sudan, although a lack of central co-ordination and co-operation is evident which has reduced the effectiveness of some of these initiatives.There is so much need the most basic is access clean water, there is so much water in the white Nile running rapidly right along side the city. The flow puts the Murray to shame.Everything is so expensive in Juba 1 bag of cement is 50-70 us dollars - we have taken to heart a project that the Mothers Union were running but because of the bird flew all the birds were destroyed. The coop was in a state of neglect so Mark and Andrew and some of the youth pilgrimage set to and tidied up and fixed the holes in the wire. We have arranged to get the roof re-thatched and have left enough money to purchase 400 chickens which have to be ordered through Uganda. we have the contact details of Mumma Jesca of MU who is arranging this all and will forward photo's when the birds arrive. This project not only produces eggs for sale, they also hatch and raise more birds to give to families in great need. There are approx 500,000 internally displaced people in and around Juba. bye for now love Mark & Carol