Final adventures of Caroline Lamb

Friday 26^th September – Final adventures of Caroline Lamb!!

All quiet at the Bishop’s house without him or any team but the staff are so friendly and helpful –and there is a lot to do so I am not lonely at all.

It has been so good to have a few more days this visit, Joseph was able to join the staff meetings on Wednesday and take some management training as he and I can do business on other days.  These extra days allow me time to talk through many things and to chat with people without rushing such as having supper last night with Jacob and Mirjan – such lovely gentle people.

Yesterday we were only able to give one of the computers to the schools as it was a  public holiday and today as well, so Joseph and Golda can go and do this for the local school – Romoggi.  The computers have been provided by St James’ Primary School in Devizes.

Today Joseph and I worked on some job descriptions and contracts and other documents.  We had lunch and I had invited Victor Bahati as he is a new member of staff doing the radio; and Cress is supporting his youngest daughter Mercy and has helped his wife with her pig business.

After lunch we had our first Cress South Sudan Board meeting with Elly Kajaminyo the new Diocesan Projects Co ordinator. This board will oversee Cress work led by Joseph as we can only get here at the moment once a year.  The meeting went well and felt really positive.

Then a cup of tea to revive me and I saw Simon my youngest son had sent a video message to Joseph on WhatsApp so decided to wait half an hour while it downloaded before leaving for Joseph’s house.  Golda and I were going there for a meal followed by a discussion with the team going on the exchange visit to Northern Uganda with Send A Cow.  We ate some delicious food of chips, fried chicken, tomato salad and lots and lots of avocados.  Then we all explained at length the reasons for the visit to the 5 farmers going and talked through their family arrangements – they are due to go mid November.  I hope they will have a really good time as they do not get many opportunities to travel.

Then time to go – David Amoli is driving with me in the front and Golda and Mary Aciga in the back and we travel for about 20 minutes towards the orphanage where Golda lives.  As we travel down a particularly bumpy road the front right wheel goes into a deep hole and we are completely stuck!  It transpires that the people on the right hand side had dug some deep holes about a wheel size and then covered them with grass so they could not be seen.  This was supposed to stop people driving into their cassava.  It works we are well and truly stuck!

So we all get out – there is one good bit of news it is a nearly full moon and we can see a bit.  A neighbour comes out with the African digging tool – David sets to and tries to enlarge the hole with no success – this happens several times.  A woman comes out and lends another digging tool with a longer handle – we all push – people appear out of no where – and we are still stuck.  Golda then says she is really near the orphanage and will get some children – it is actually about a mile through long grass and there is no one around – she is such a brave girl;  she wakes up some youngsters and they come with her running – more to push a total of 25 now– still no success.  David rings the other driver Edward to get help but he has lent his motorcycle and cannot come.  A young boys walks past in the dark and it turns out he is one of the  diocesan drivers so he tries to help and Golda says run to the orphanage and get the lorry, so he runs off and about 10 minutes later the oldest lorry you have ever seen appears.  They connect up with an old chain and out comes the jeep- phew! TIA – this is Africa.  The children then leap into the open back truck and have a ride back to the orphanage – we drive and drop Golda back – and make our way back to the Bishop’s house.

So this was a new adventure to add to the list of unusual events happening in South Sudan – it does make it fun as you never quite know what might happen!

And I have a trip to Liwolo again on Sunday !! Who knows what will happen!

Caroline Lamb
Cress CEO and Founder