Missing

I have been missing... I know... This is because we have had no power in our compound for almost a month now! No solar power, no generators, no batteries- they all died at once! It was definitely time for me to get out of Sudan in order to be able to communicate with the outside world. I may or may not be going back to Sudan, but I have many more stories and photos of my time that are on their way so stay tuned. (I've added a photo of a peace celebration in Napac/ Kimatong that I went to until I can post my other stories)

But for now it was time for me to leave Sudan.

Here are the top five reasons (aside from lack of electricity) why it was time for a break:

1. Hearing land-mines being detonated doesn't make me jump out of my skin anymore. This not yet the case with gunshots. Upon hearing gunshots last week (these were celebration gunshots), I was the only one to cover my head with my hands and squeal - the Sudanese didn't even flinch. (not one of my finest moments)

2. I was served termites fried with onions for supper one night in Torit. It looks remarkably like brown rice on first glance which almost caused me to mistakenly take a big spoonful... Thank goodness I saw that it had a head and legs!

3. I was starting to forget what a hot shower, flush toilets, and paved roads were like. (all great inventions by the way, should not be taken for granted)

4. The rains have come again and my gumboots are not quite the novelty that they once were when I first got them.

5. The dead dog saga continues.... over 50 local Toposa chiefs showed up at our compound and demanded that we slaughter a white bull for compensation for burying the dog. The rains have come, but I'm sure they will be back and I don't want to be around for it.

Tragedy!

Our puppy died! He was bitten by a snake, poisoned, ate something bad (no one really knows...) On top of losing my favorite thing at the compound his body is now out in the bush somewhere in order to save the rains of Sudan...

He was buried in the backyard (according to Western tradition) and then later was dug up and thrown to the wild (due to local tradition. ) We offended the local culture by putting a dog in the ground! According to the Toposa burying a dog is a crime- if you bury a dog the rains will not come. So to save the rains of Sudan we had to dig up our dog... And now today it's raining and I wish it weren't. A tragedy in so many ways. He was only 5 months old and already had a broken tail and was hit by a car before this happened.
May you rest in peace!