Santa's Sleigh

This week it feels like we are cruising around in Santa's sleigh.  The back of our Land Cruiser is loaded with bags of gifts as we blaze through the town in a cloud of dust, singing along to Christmas music.  Bethany has worked hard at finding out who in each primary school has recently relocated from the North. Then she arranged the purchasing, packaging and tagging of Christmas care packages for them (Soap, notebooks, pens, sugar -for tea, and some candy).  The rest of us are along for the ride and the delight of meeting these youngsters.

It has been a pleasure to assist in this distribution for students who have just gone through a hard year of transition.  Yesterday we visited 5 schools.  This is the end of their school year and exams are being graded and report cards compiled.  Children are still attending school these days, though they are mostly running around outside.  Head teachers of each school have been very welcoming and have helped us find the students.

Today, we went to one school off the beaten path.  School starts a bit later at Jonga because many students are coming a few miles to school.  The students were busy sweeping the school grounds when we arrived.  The school consisted of three small mud buildings, a latrine and many benches made of logs under shady trees.  We had a little more time with the students today, so we were able to hear a bit of their stories.  Most have come from Khartoum, via Kosti.  The wait at the port town of Kosti can take many months.  Even today, many are still waiting to board a barge to take them south to Juba, the capital of South Sudan.  These students have parents who are from the south, but most of them have never been here themselves.  Now that the countries are separate, Southerners are wanting to get to their country. When Bethany asked them about what was difficult about their moving from the North, they immediately responded: hunger.

                          

Our gifts are meager compared to their need, but we hope that these gifts, provided by well wishers in the US, will remind them that they are seen.  Bethany reminded them of Immanuel, God with us.  He is with them in their wandering, in the unfamiliar surroundings and languages.  We rejoice that He is a God who has also wandered and entered new territory in the form of a baby.  He Knows Us.