Who Said Night is for Sleeping

First I want to tell you about the night.  As I said yesterday, it is very hot.  The night did not cool down for the first time since I arrived.  My cot is back outside.  During the night, several things happened.  First I was woken up by a guy yelling and pounding on something.  Unsure what.  It was almost like he was chanting.  Where is that guard I was thinking to my self.  He was right across the compound from me.  Then a little while later Jon Jok came outside and was throwing rocks.  What are you doing? I asked.  He said there was an animal around and he was trying to get it out of here.  What????  I said I thought it was a drunk man.  No, didn't you see the animal?  He was crying like a human.  Yeesh, crazy land.  It was probably a jackel.

Back to sleep, a couple of hours later the wind woke me up.  Rut row, storm coming.  The wind was fierce, lightning, long low rumble of thunder lasting longer than any I have ever heard at home.  I ran over to see if Aaron was inside, as I know he sleeps out like I do.  He was already in .  I found out later that he went in early because the light of the moon kept him awake.  Jon Jok came out and told me I had to go inside.  He helped me.  Then it only rained for a few seconds but the wind and the lightning continued.  The sky was cloud covered and with the moon behind it there was a feel of a gray dawn.  But is was 3:00 am and the grayness just continued through the night until the sun rose.  I don't think anyone got a good nights sleep.

I decided yesterday that I would cook breakfast.  Joy Mueller use to make this delicious baked oatmeal.  I went on line and found a recipe that we had all the ingredients, or at least I could fudge it.  I got up early and started putting it together.  Mary the cook came and I showed her what I was doing.  Then I said she had to figure out how to bake it since I did not know how to bake it over a fire.  She makes incredible bread, so I thought she could bake this like her bread.  I suggested that, she just looked at me, hard stare.  Hmmm, whats that mean.  She came back to me 10 minutes later, the top was all burned.  I had her take off some of the coals, and put the pot on it to try to cook the inside of the oatmeal.  It only kinda worked.  Aaron was a trooper and said it was great.  (I think he is a typical young man and eats anything)  So breakfast was a bust.  Good thing we ate a lot last night.

Aaron and I went to church.  We went to the Pentacostal Church.  Many of the staff go there.  It is in a large mud building with large limbs of trees rubbed smooth to make the upright supports. It is as big as the nave at St. Paul's.  The roof, as is the syle, goes down to about four feet from the ground.  You have to duck to get inside the door.  The walls are smooth mud and they are about 5 feet tall.  The  roof does not rest on the top of the wall.  Instead, there is a space,  with some netting.  This lets air into the building.  The netting helps prevent birds and mosquitoes from getting in though there are a number of birds that fly around but seem to be able to get out through the door.

When they sing their hymns, they dance.  Their instruments are drums.  The women dance by jumping straight up and down, flinging their arms as they go up and withdrawing them as they come down.  No wonder they are do skinny.  Great aerobics.  The men, particularly this old guy named Johnson, do a back and forth hop onto each foot.  Now I thought this was traditional.  But the sermon today was imitating Christ.  We do by his example.  And one of the examples the Pastor gave was how Johnson has this funky little dance hop and all the young boys imitate him.  So I guess this is "doing the Johnson".  All the little girls jump up and down like the women.  There are so many kids there.  They are just darling.  All dressed up.  They run around and dance.  So many of them hang on my chair, staring at me.  One boy stood by me and I put my hand on this arm, as so many mothers do, running my fingers softly on this forearm.  When I stopped, he grabbed my hand and placed it back on his arm.  He had on a red shirt that said "Obama" on the front.

The day is hot.  There is a level of humidity we have not had before.  You can't move without breaking out in a sweat.  I think our cool weather is gone.  I am glad it is Sunday and I only have to clean my underwear.
Will write later.

This afternoon I was going around checking things, as there will be some people arriving tomorrow.  I went to the large tukel where they will be staying.  I was not paying any attention, approached the door and heard something and there was a big ol' snake.  I turned and ran one way, it turned and ran the other way.  I have not moved that fast since I got here.  Gosh I hate snakes.

Aaron and I went to downtown Werkok.  Thriving local metropolis.  We were sitting there drinking luke warm pop (cooler than our water) and there at "Lake Werkok" was the most beautiful bald eagle flying in.  This is the first one I have ever seen,  I did not have my camera with me.  We walked over there and he was in a tree, then would take off and soar.  Landed on the water once, quick drink then back to the sky.  He was magnificent.  Gosh I had to come to Sudan to see my first bald eagle.  What a great day.
C