Quick disclaimer: I am no expert on the matters of Sudan, but I have tried to be as thorough and honest as possible in my answers!
Where is Sudan?
Surprisingly, I have been asked this question many, many times. Frankly, if you had asked me this just a mere 3 months ago I probably would have responded by saying, “Isn’t that in Africa?” That’s about as much as I knew. Sudan is in Africa, and it is actually the largest country in Africa. I’ve included a map of Africa with Sudan highlighted (courtesy of Nations Online)…
What made you decide to go to Sudan of all places on Earth?
Just two months ago, I was not planning on going anywhere this year, except maybe to Boston on a mini-vacation with Nicole and Ryan. That was until I read What is the What by Dave Eggers, a biographical narrative of Valentino Achak Deng’s life as one of thousands of boys called the Lost Boys of Sudan. I absolutely fell in love with Valentino’s story and began researching his foundation and ways that I could help Sudan in the rebuilding process. It was through my research that I found opportunities to serve in Sudan…and I absolutely could not resist the need to go and serve these people who have lost so much, but who have so much hope for the future. In short, I fell in love with the people and their stories of survival and hope!
What will you be doing in Sudan?
I will be serving with a team of 8-10 volunteers/missionaries in southern Sudan. We will minister to the Sudanese through prayer, Bible stories, and testimonials. We will also serve their physical needs through medicine, well-drilling, and education. I am very excited about meeting the Sudanese teachers and pupils, and spending some time in their classrooms. I will also be taking a trillion pictures to document every single person I encounter and each moment that I spend there!!!
Is Sudan safe? I have heard so much about Darfur and militia groups.
This is the most common question that I get from family members, and there really is no simple answer. Sudan recently ended a 21-year civil war and there continues to be some conflict in the Darfur region of the country, but I will not be close to Darfur. In general, Sudan is not the safest place I could go in the world…by a long shot! If you were to review the U.S. Dept. of State’s travel warnings, you would think that I am basically walking into a death trap. Aside from the wild animals and spitting cobras, disease, and famine in the country, there is still a lot of political turmoil and the country continues to spin towards instability as the January 2011 elections near. There is a rebel milita called the Lord’s Resistance Army, which targets Americans, on the border with Uganda, and the government of Sudan in Khartoum (capitol city of northern Sudan) is not exactly welcoming us with open arms. However, with all of that said, we will be in southern Sudan and the area is fairly stable. I am going knowing all of this, but also knowing that I have God on my side…and that trumps all!
Does Aid Sudan have an evacuation plan? What will you do if you get hurt or if war breaks out again?
This was the number one question asked by my father-in-law, Dan, who recently served in Djibouti and Somali (countries very near Sudan). As a military man, he wanted a plan of action! The plan, in short, is that if Nimule becomes unstable or violent before we arrive, we will simply go to a different village. If, while we are there, the situation becomes unstable or war does break out, our team leader will contact the charter company (who will be flying us into and out of Sudan) via satellite phone and they will reroute ANY flight nearby to come get us immediately. If we should need medical treatment, we will be evacuated to Nairobi, Kenya where there is a modern hospital.
Are you scared?
Again, the answer to this question is not straightforward. I would say yes and no. I am not scared when I think of going, but I know that as the time nears I will probably become increasingly nervous. I have never traveled overseas, I have never been to Africa, and I will be doing it alone. I love my husband and I want to grow old and gray with him. I don’t want to die at a mere 25 years old, nor do I want to be kidnapped or victimized in some way. However, I feel confident that the organization knows what they are doing, and most importantly, God knows what He is doing. I trust the situation that I am walking into, but if the worst should happen, I will die knowing that I went to work with people who deserve a chance and that I followed what God has laid on my heart!
I did get a few other questions that were awesome, but they are quite deep and I will need some time to really ponder them before I can answer. PLEASE continue to ask questions through your emails and even when you see me. I love to talk about Sudan, as those of you around me already know, so if you want additional information or have other random thoughts, PLEASE drop me a line!!
