Poem by Nunas Dawa

Nunas is one of our teenage girls at Harvesters. She is my sweet friend and I have high hopes for her future as a New Sudan leader. I pray that she becomes a voice for her culture's women. She is truly a unique and gifted young lady.

She wrote the following poem in honor of Women's Day.


A Dream:

I have a dream. I have a dream that one day this nation will be governed by girls and women. It will be governed by girls and women in the spirit of love and unity.

I have a dream. I have a dream that the women and girls of this nation will be judged by their brains and their contributions to our country. Not by the quantity of dowry they can bring to their homes or by the number of offspring they can produce.

I have a dream. I have a dream that my father and my little brother will not hate and discriminate my little sister just because she is a girl. But, they will love and take care of her. They will love and take care of her by educating her for the sake of this country's prosperity.

Yes, my little sister, please make my dream come true.

Yesu Ni Wango

Today I joined the children in watching a DVD of Watoto Children's Choir, a group of Ugandan orphans who have toured the world singing their songs of praise. It is a beautiful and fun DVD and the kids LOVE it. But, we didn't just watch the concert...of course we HAD to sing and dance along as well!

OUR children's choir singing on Good Friday....

Reading glasses!

My mom sent (via Joseph) 7 pairs of reading glasses, each nicely packaged in a cute, matching case .

Within 30 minutes I had found 7 happy recipients for these glasses. Everyone was so pleased by their new eyewear. And, the loved the fancy flighlight at the end of each case.

Today at church, I noticed several women wearing the glasses while reading from their songbooks and bibles.

Thanks mom!

Mama Tabitha
Mama Faith and Mama Gabriel

Village Bible Study

Joseph led a village cell group in a Bible study on faith.

The attendants read the passages aloud in Bari and the Joseph read them in English.

The kids met in another home for a kids study with our older orphans. Helen is reading a book to the eager children.

Joseph in Sudan

Joseph and me out and about in Yei

You have to eat Ethiopian food with your hand....but not your left hand (or your "poo hand" as Joseph says)

Joseph and his shadows.

Charles kicking a field goal

The boys LOVED American football...and Joseph!


Duku has a new friend in Joseph.

More Nairobi...

Nairobi has a coffee shop chain called Java House. It is amazing! I had an ice cream sundae and an iced coffee. Joseph had chocolate cake. Yum.

baboon and her baby...so cute!

baboon whisperer...

Zebra...and a giraffe between the trees

more zebs

Under African Skies...

Murchison Falls, Uganda- Safari

Murchison Falls...on the White Nile

Rainbow at the top of the Falls.

Joseph and the elephante

This could be Harriot the Hippo...the hippo who visited my tent late one night with her hippo baby. If not, Harriot looks JUST like this hippo.

Lion cub having a morning nap...
Giraffes facing off...the dark giraffe got more hits in and definitely won the fight.

Another baby lion cubbie

Zanzibar, Tanzania

Joseph and me in Stone Town

I got all henna'd up by a local woman at my resort.

I could stay here forever...
This small wooden boat took us to swim with the dolphins.

I look like a local Zanzibari woman (the island is predominately Muslim)....not intentionally, but because the sun was blistering hot. My neck and shoulders were blistered by day 3.

we took a dhow similar to this when we went snorkeling at an area called "The Fish Tank".

After a long, oh-so-hard day of beach sittin', Joseph and I enjoyed a coke.

Paradise.
A narrow street in Stone Town.

Two nights in Nairobi

Zebra grazing.

Nairobi National Park...giraffe at sunrise.

Another giraffe in Nairobi
Joseph and me leaving Kenya.

Uganda Travels

I actually found Tex-Mex in Jinja, Uganda! Very authentic and very delicious.

Joseph's arrival to Kampala, Uganda! I spent the previous day in the spa-- pedicure, hair and massage (one hour massage for about $9). Then I saw a chick flick at the theater. Perfect day!
I love Krest Bitter Lemon...it could be my favorite part of traveling to Uganda (they don't sell in it Sudan...or the States). This picture was taken at an Italian restaurant in Kampala. My first pizza in a LONG time.

Joseph and I in Uganda...we took a matatu to Murchison. This was some town a long the way.