One of my favorite people we got to know in Yei is Baraka. I adore his children. Grace, his eldest daughter at eight years old, stole my heart. I regret not getting to know his wife a bit more (who just had another child just the other day!), but seems as if it's one of those things that needed a bit more time. But we did get to know Baraka pretty well, as he was our driver for everywhere we went...which means atleast four hours a day together on a very bumpy, or dancy (whichever way you want to look at it) red dirt road. We'd all each lunch together, and help teach about the water systems together. Baraka became apart of our 'water team'. Here we are testing some water from a bore hole commonly used in Goli, a small town in Yei County. Baraka is telling us where the next bore hole to test is.
Baraka speaks excellent English, which helped us get to know him better, and gave him the opportunity to get to know us. He has an amazing sense of Humor and by Day 2 started to sling jokes and get smartelic with us...and us with him. I loved joking back and forth with Baraka, for some reason, it was a good trade.
When we were at the hospital in Goli we went invited the teachers down the road if they would like to learn about the water systems too (we decided to set some up at the school in Goli as well). In Sudan, there is a siesta time for the hottest part of the day, so school's take a break from 12-2. It was nearing towards 2pm and the teaches needed to get back to the school asap...so Baraka and i offered to let the teachers take our seats in the van (and let Sarah drive) and we would ride the teacher's bikes back for them. They were alright with this...and i was excited. I got to ride a bike, in the bush, in southern Sudan...with a destination. All the bikes in Yei are very large...so Baraka had to give me a bit of a push...which immediately brought laughter to us all.
So Baraka and I enjoyed our little bike ride from the Hospital to the school in Goli...
If you don't mind a few more minutes, i encourage you to read Baraka's story he told us the evening he invited us over (me paraphrasing it...):
I am 33ish and I come from a very large family, as my father had multiple wives. I am the first child of my father’s first wife. Because of this, when my mother died when I was three years old, I had to ignore going to school and step up to help my family. At the age of five I took on the skills of cleaning, cooking, fetching water, starting and sewing a garden, and looked after my younger siblings. At 16 I was married. Not too long after the wedding, Me and my wife had to flee to Congo because of the war. In 1997, I returned alone to Yei. Since me and Bishop Elias Tiban were the only two on the property we formed a very tight bond. Bishop, a Christian and former SPLA officer began teaching me about the Lord. Through this friendship, I learned English (very well) and helped Bishop develop the land that our homes, the EPC Yei church and the pastors now live on. My family moved back in May of 2003, as I now had a very nice home prepared for them. Not too long after their return my oldest daughter died of Malaria. She was only five years old.
But these people continue to push on! They do have three very beautiful, loving kids: David 12, Grace 8 and Isaac 2….and the new little one. Every morning Baraka and his wife spend the morning tending to their very large garden (which he calls small) together. He then spends the entire afternoon at work, as a driver for the EPC Yei church. He returns home each evening with receiving and giving hugs, showing much affection for the children that he is blessed with (which is uncommon for a father to show such affection to their children in their culture). Baraka is different. He holds on to the Lord’s joy, peace and love. He was one of my many teachers in Sudan.
I am 33ish and I come from a very large family, as my father had multiple wives. I am the first child of my father’s first wife. Because of this, when my mother died when I was three years old, I had to ignore going to school and step up to help my family. At the age of five I took on the skills of cleaning, cooking, fetching water, starting and sewing a garden, and looked after my younger siblings. At 16 I was married. Not too long after the wedding, Me and my wife had to flee to Congo because of the war. In 1997, I returned alone to Yei. Since me and Bishop Elias Tiban were the only two on the property we formed a very tight bond. Bishop, a Christian and former SPLA officer began teaching me about the Lord. Through this friendship, I learned English (very well) and helped Bishop develop the land that our homes, the EPC Yei church and the pastors now live on. My family moved back in May of 2003, as I now had a very nice home prepared for them. Not too long after their return my oldest daughter died of Malaria. She was only five years old.
But these people continue to push on! They do have three very beautiful, loving kids: David 12, Grace 8 and Isaac 2….and the new little one. Every morning Baraka and his wife spend the morning tending to their very large garden (which he calls small) together. He then spends the entire afternoon at work, as a driver for the EPC Yei church. He returns home each evening with receiving and giving hugs, showing much affection for the children that he is blessed with (which is uncommon for a father to show such affection to their children in their culture). Baraka is different. He holds on to the Lord’s joy, peace and love. He was one of my many teachers in Sudan.
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