The journey has finally begun! I safely arrived in Juba, South Sudan on Monday after long day of travel. The trip was anything but perfect. On my flight from Detroit to Washington D.C. at 5:45 AM, my seat was right next to the flight attendant’s station, which meant loud noises and bright lights, and led to little sleep (I only slept for a couple hours the night before). On the main flight from DC to Addis Abba, Ethiopia, my TV/entertainment system didn’t work, orange juice was spilt on my lap, and I barely got any sleep during the 13.5 hours. On the final leg from Ethiopia to South Sudan, I was finally able to sleep. However, out bags did not arrive at first, only to come dripping wet and four hours later. Despite all these minor inconveniences that usually would have taken a toll on me, I could do nothing but shake my head and smile with how inconsequential they were compared the happiness that consumed me.
After waiting a few hours for our bags at the Juba Airport (which consisted of one room with a waiting area outside) we met up with Fr. Ferrington, the Salesian we have been in contact with here. He took us for a bite to eat, and we eventually located our bags and made our way to the Salesian compound (I have updated the map on my homepage with the exact coordinates if you want to zoom in and take a look). We crossed over the White Nile and headed down a bumpy dirt road into the village of Gumbo, with smiles and waves greeting us along the way. After settling in, we went to Mass, followed by Rosary and dinner.
Once dinner was finish, we all went to bed, exhausted from the 30+ hours of travel. As I lay awake sweating from the heat and with a mosquito net above my bed, I could once again do nothing but smile, recognizing the many blessings God has bestowed on me and anticipating the journey ahead.
After waiting a few hours for our bags at the Juba Airport (which consisted of one room with a waiting area outside) we met up with Fr. Ferrington, the Salesian we have been in contact with here. He took us for a bite to eat, and we eventually located our bags and made our way to the Salesian compound (I have updated the map on my homepage with the exact coordinates if you want to zoom in and take a look). We crossed over the White Nile and headed down a bumpy dirt road into the village of Gumbo, with smiles and waves greeting us along the way. After settling in, we went to Mass, followed by Rosary and dinner.
Once dinner was finish, we all went to bed, exhausted from the 30+ hours of travel. As I lay awake sweating from the heat and with a mosquito net above my bed, I could once again do nothing but smile, recognizing the many blessings God has bestowed on me and anticipating the journey ahead.
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