I went to the church this morning. Elijah led the singing and preached. I sang along with the Lotuko songs and tried to find the scriptures in the Lotuko Bible. But I really understood nothing that was going on. I want to start working on the language soon. It will be a bridge between me and the people. People in less developed countries (and most places for that matter) like it when you are interested in their language, farming, food and culture.
I met Daniel, the chief, today. He had heard that an "agriculturalist" was coming. He is interested in getting ox-plows going here. He thinks I should be able to train people how to do ox-training and plowing! (After all, I am an agriculturalist.) Unfortunately, I have never worked with draft animals. He did say that the busiest time is from April to June. I should get busy documenting that. They work from about 6:00 am to 4:00 or 5:00 pm now. Hunting is apparently a big user of time in the off-season.
I talked a bit with Martha. She says they keep a daily log of patients and treatments at the clinic. I should be able to tell from dosages whether the patient was a child or adult. I should also separate diseases that could be nutritionally related from those that could not be (e.g. injuries).
Martha also told me about the political history of the area. She first came in 1950. There was a war around the time the English gave Sudan independence. I guess the South wanted to be free from the North, so they rebelled. The rebellion was quashed in a few months. The rebellion broke out again in the early or mid-1960's. Martha had to leave about 1963 and all missionaries by 1965. Most of the Christians, including Daniel, went to Uganda during the war. Some went to further their education. Many Sudanese villagers were not helping either side, but were shot at by both sides. Sometimes a village would be surrounded by the North in search of rebels. Villages were often burned and suspicious looking people shot. The war was never really won, it just came to a stalemate. Daniel says even now, the North exercises much power over the South. For example, more Northern students are sent to the USA, England and Germany. The teachers at Juba are from the North. Orders for the school at Juba come from Khartoum. To go to school, even in Juba, one must pass Arabic.
Some children with bloated stomachs were just picking mulberries in the yard. Through the window, they saw me stand up, so they scurried off. I consider the mulberries to be "ours", but don't feel quite right about chasing the children away. In the Bible, the Israelites were instructed that the gleanings were to be left for the poor.
I wrote letters to my family today.
I met Daniel, the chief, today. He had heard that an "agriculturalist" was coming. He is interested in getting ox-plows going here. He thinks I should be able to train people how to do ox-training and plowing! (After all, I am an agriculturalist.) Unfortunately, I have never worked with draft animals. He did say that the busiest time is from April to June. I should get busy documenting that. They work from about 6:00 am to 4:00 or 5:00 pm now. Hunting is apparently a big user of time in the off-season.
I talked a bit with Martha. She says they keep a daily log of patients and treatments at the clinic. I should be able to tell from dosages whether the patient was a child or adult. I should also separate diseases that could be nutritionally related from those that could not be (e.g. injuries).
Martha also told me about the political history of the area. She first came in 1950. There was a war around the time the English gave Sudan independence. I guess the South wanted to be free from the North, so they rebelled. The rebellion was quashed in a few months. The rebellion broke out again in the early or mid-1960's. Martha had to leave about 1963 and all missionaries by 1965. Most of the Christians, including Daniel, went to Uganda during the war. Some went to further their education. Many Sudanese villagers were not helping either side, but were shot at by both sides. Sometimes a village would be surrounded by the North in search of rebels. Villages were often burned and suspicious looking people shot. The war was never really won, it just came to a stalemate. Daniel says even now, the North exercises much power over the South. For example, more Northern students are sent to the USA, England and Germany. The teachers at Juba are from the North. Orders for the school at Juba come from Khartoum. To go to school, even in Juba, one must pass Arabic.
Some children with bloated stomachs were just picking mulberries in the yard. Through the window, they saw me stand up, so they scurried off. I consider the mulberries to be "ours", but don't feel quite right about chasing the children away. In the Bible, the Israelites were instructed that the gleanings were to be left for the poor.
I wrote letters to my family today.
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