Parades in Yei, South Sudan

                                             Parade #1

This parade of Yei community residents took place on the road just outside of our orphanage grounds.  You can see the barbed wire perimeter fence of the orphanage.  As we came to understand, the celebrants were from a local church group celebrating the promise of Jesus Christ in their lives.  Drums, singing, cheering - it was wonderful!

                                Parade #2
Saturday, departing day, about 8:00 a.m. It started with some of the girls in this picture.  A knock on our guest quarters, as we

packed, and the first 2 arrived. The others followed. Hugs and words of love and support.

Little did we know, the parade was just beginning.

Emmanuel



"Thank you for coming."  "Thank you for coming back."  "Will you come back again?" "Have a safe journey."  "We will pray for you."

"We will pray for your family?" "You are a blessing to us."  We heard from the kids. Yes, THEY will pray for US!

Chris with Anna, one of the kids she has really connected with.

 

 

Somewhere in a group of hugs, we exchanged' "ana hibu ita".

(I love you. Pardon the spelling.) "Sucran", (thank you).  We encouraged each - in Jesus, in school, in life.

 

Kwaja (white man) with Morris and Ruta, 2 siblings we sponsor.

It continued: Angillo, Aaron, Job, Moses, Victoria, Helen, Ruta, Morris, Anna, Timothy.  Ruta cleaned the windows of the Range Rover and made sure Chris had her passport in a secure location.

James Bond (don't ask - another story. He likes the name.)

 

Jellis and Peace, sisters, were there for the farewell.

It seemed like slow motion, going on and on.



(The doctors and their families, employees, missionaries also stopped by - people from S. Sudan, Canada, Australia, Colorado, Kenya, Malaysia, Wisconsin, Uganda - brothers and sisters in Christ we came to know and now call friends.  They all stopped by.)

 

But, it was the kids.  They are etched in our hearts and souls.  They are strength, hope, perseverance.  Not a day goes by ...

Pastor Pooshani, missionary from Malaysia, with a group of kids.

Some gave us notes - all on the team got some from different kids we connected with.  Thanking us, praying for us, notes of joy. Notes signed off with "your son" or "your daughter".

 

 

It was 50 minutes of "safe journey" and good byes, unlike I have experienced or expected.  Etched forever in our hearts and souls, this was a check on the ability to stay composed.  As we got into the vehicle for the ride to the airport, I stared out the passenger window after waving goodbye, thankful for a seat that allowed me to deal with my "eye-watering" problem in privacy.

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The orphans in Yei pray for us.  They have, they are blessed, they are strong.  A strange thing about these missionary trips - the guests reap blessings and a life-change of the depth I could not envision. The orphans, collectively and as you connect with individuals, are a blessing from God to us.

Sucran!