Just a drop towards Long-term Development

April 10 – Bor, South Sudan

The journey to Jalle is long. One 11 hour flight over the atlantic pond to Egypt, a six hours flight into South Sudan, a 35 minute puddle jumper to Bor and then a 2 hour car ride to the site. I left Bethlehem 3 days ago and we’re still not there yet.

Coming back here is encouraging. We are able to connect with leaders and friends of the organization. We’re able to see the progress the area has made since the last visit and make new connections for the future.

But time here is also overwhelming. The need is so great and I’m quick to question our method to do things right rather than fast only to face different forms of challenges. The stakes get even higher and the feel of failure becomes more terrifying.

It’s also easy to compare our team and mission to others doing incredible work out here. We do not focus on life threatening issues such as food or illness as many local NGOs do. We’re not disarming land mines or sleeping in tents to do peace work. We’re offering services of climate design many would see as unnecessary and extra.

We’re just one drop of water to quench a desperate thirst.

But we’re still a drop.

We met with the parliament representative for our project’s region. He told us south Sudan is like a baby country now just learning how to govern itself. Just like a child, it cannot develop on its own but needs the help of others to teach and mentor it in its growth. The South Sudanese are grateful for the help of so many nations and NGOs worKing in this area. But they don’t want to sustain themselves on milk forever and are eager to begin feeding and providing for themselves. And we all believe education is a large part of making that happen.