This video will give you a pretty good idea of what Malakal was like. The homes. The street, the children and the mamas and babas (mom and dad in Arabic). The boys delivering water from the Nile using donkey carts, the minimal trash, the businesses.

During my short 7 days in Malakal, I learned about tribal conflict, the significance of greeting one another, of saving water and electricity, the value of learning even a few phrases of someone’s mother tongue, and most importantly, gained my own view of Sudan, apart from media or whatever 3rd, 4th, or 9th degree of separation information that someone hands me. Some of these things I already knew, but learned them differently here.

1. Language.

My bro and sister-in-law had been studying Sudanese Arabic for a number of months once I had arrived, so I asked around and got some phrases that could be used a lot and with many different people. With the phrases listed below, I was able to have a conversation for about a minute with kids, parents, shop keepers, mostly anyone. My spelling will look ridiculous because I have written them phenetically in case any of you would like to visit Sudan one day and need some English-Sudanese Arabic words to take with you! Also, don’t worry, if you come and need to just speak English, you won’t have to seek anyone out, they will find you to practice what they know!

• Shukran – thank you
• Ma Salama – with peace/good bye, basically, ‘go with peace’
• Salam Aleakum – Hello, a greeting, translated: Peace to you
• Aleakum a salam – The response Salam Aleakum, translated: To you, Peace
• Kev: What’s up?
• Kwaysa: I’m good, can also be a question: Kwaysa? – (are you) good?
• Tamam? – (I’m) good.
• Ismuk muhnu? – What’s your name?
• Iss mee _____ – My name is ____
• Suke – Market
• Chi – Tea
• La – No
• Yala – Scram!
• Iowa – yes, or shortened to just ‘I’
• Mumkin – possible, maybe
• In tee shatru – You are clever.
• Surrah – picture, softly roll the R

2. Group ownership prevents begging

Most of the families in Malakal and across Sudan share their income, food, clothing, homes, and so on with anyone that is related to them at all. Sometimes the earnings of one man or woman will go to supporting 30-40 people! Can you imagine the pressure!  They are a people so willing to share for those who need it, who take care of their own. And since there is such tremendous trust to care for one another and take people in so easily, this yeilds a lack of begging in the community. I was so shocked. Malakal is about as big city as Sudan gets, but I still expected mothers with children holding out their hand, and kids all over tugging on my pants, but this did not happen at all!

The only incident was my last day with my brother. A small boy, probably 10 or so, came up and asked for money, but he quickly left and most likely just asked us because he was bored due to the 7 day holiday of work and school to encourage people to go register to vote.

This country is yet another example of tremendous hospitality. These people give what they have not to give. But my favorite part about it, is that it is not what they give you when you come to visit, but that they give at all. It is the hospitality that is important; so it might be coffee and cookies one day and maybe watered down juice another, and yet a feast on a later day. I hope this is something that I instill in my family one day. Everyone is welcome all of the time. I don’t have to be prepared and there aren’t expectations for what I can give. We will pull things together and no matter what we are doing, stop for the guests (hopefully in my wrap around screened in porch) and visit for a while. How nice is that!

And my hope is that my guests don’t call, don’t text or email. But just come and knock.

(more to come in one more Sudan post)

UN Delivery of goods to a neighboring school. It was crazy how many UN workers and trucks were everywhere in this town.

An old building from when the British ruled the area. Notice the neighing horse and worker guy.

This photo is telling. So British. All of the straight-ish trees lining either side of the road. In its day, this must have been quite a beautiful road.

THE NILE RIVERRRRRRRRR!!!

I liked this, because it was a very clear picture of the road that the British built when they were in Malakal. The brick lined paved roads must have been beautiful along the Nile. Now they are basically ruins, with bridges falling apart and barely these bricks popping out of the dirt.

My bro and I sat to grab some local food. Basically bread and beans. I'll have to ask again what it is called.

Some beautiful girls that stopped by the house a few times. The one in the pink dress was definitely the leader of the group. None of the other girls would ever respond or make a decision without her.

My niece, Avery, and me on the doorstep of my brother's home. We hung out here a lot watching the chickens. Good times.

These trucks are used like semi trucks in Sudan. I thought they were circus trucks the way they are decorated!

Hello!  As you can see, my new website still has quite a bit of work to be done, but with some severely early 90’s dial up speed internet, one can only do so much!

Mombasa has been great, I am making a video of this rad guy named Tuli tomorrow, so I will post when we get back to Nairobi and have some decent internet. Pictures to come as well, of course. The Indian Ocean is beautiful. Super clean from what I can see.

I was sick as a dog one day, I though my head was going to explode. But after that one day, and some general chilling and soaking up some feel-good A/C, I am back to full health. My bro’s copy of the first season of Jericho got me through the day. Awesome show! Big Negative it didn’t make it past its first season.

Reef walking and adventure stories with the Kenyans and British all around to come as well as a ‘reflections on sudan’ post. Major things that I learned from the Sudanese. Thanks for checking!

About a week ago now, there was a little boy that caught a couple fish in a village called Ganal (pronounced Canal) not far from Malakal, Sudan. Excited to be able to sell them and provide some earnings for his family, he sought after some buyers. Much to his dismay, two groups of people desired the few cents that would be the tax from the sale of his fish. It just so happens that these two groups were members of warring tribes called the Dinka and Shulluk. This disagreement blew up into large and significant fighting that was quickly communciated to our base in Malakal from some missionaries living in a neighboring village.

Immediately, we stopped and prayed about the warring. Then Taylor, Allison, and I discussed what this meant. As the conversation developed, my stomach dropped deeper and deeper into my gut and fear was overtaking me. These two tribes have been revenge fighting for generations. So as soon as someone gets word in Malakal, a short phone call away, that these tribes are fighting, similar clashing can begin in an instant in our city. This happened last February and after hearing how dramatic that was, I feared mortars, bombs flying over our compound, landing a block away and laying on the floor to avoid stray bullets.

As I was talking to my brother, my imagination started getting control of me.

All I could see in my head were people crashing through our gate with machetes, with crazed looks and burrowing through our house, finding us hiding in a corner. I was scared. I thought I was about to be in the middle of an African massacre. Since I was seeing it all play out in my head, I was also experiencing the emotions I would be having if it were really happening. Sometimes being able to conjure up emotions and experiences using just my imagination can be a good and useful tool, but at this time, I still don’t have control over it – so in extreme situations like this, I became paralyzed.

We had enough water stored up to be safe, but my brother wanted to go out and buy some dry goods, since all the shops would be shut down while the fighting was going on. The thought of going out in town mortified me not knowing what would happen over the next hours. I had to trust God. I had to believe in His plan for my life in all of this. That was the only option.

So my brother and I, after some time to chill down, went on with our plans for the day. That evening the fighting had subsided and nothing had broken out in Malakal, where we were. We found out that the Dinka had raided the Shulluk tribe a few weeks earlier and had killed some people. So ever since, the Dinka had been living in fear of retaliation, which was to be expected. The Shulluk had been sending letters telling them of an impending attack, so this was their chance – the tax of the little boy’s fish was their opportunity to begin the fight.

My family and I were safe at the end of the day, but needless to say, I have never come so close to seeing death in my very near future. Nothing about this fight was good, but it made the tribal wars and desperate combating a reality. I could have easily come back to the states saying “eh, Africa isn’t as bad as everyone says it is. I was there 7 weeks and never heard or saw any hostility.” But after experiencing the close call that I did, I know it is real. I know it is scary and something that these people live with everyday. And, the weirdest part of all of it is that I knew people from each tribe living in Malakal. They were good people, who worked hard, who loved their families, and who were kind and generous to me. But because this revenge is so many generations old, somehow they can flip this rage switch to go attack relative strangers.

Now. That’s scary.

It was my 3rd day in Malakal, Sudan on Monday and I think I truly experienced a day in the life.

Woke up and had some eggs and freshly baked bread from a Dukan across the street. Then I went with my sister in law and another girl, Stephanie, that lives in the same compound as us to visit some women from Darfur. It was very interesting to be in their home and spend time learning who they were. We had to wear sleeves that covered our elbows and scarfs that covered our hair.  My 2 yr old niece came, too, and played really well with the little boy that was there with the women. It is special thing to see a little white baby girl (culturally ranked above even grown Sudanese men) serving a little Sudanese boy coffee and sharing food and toys with him. It was one of those days that will be impossible to forget.

Unfortunately this was the day I was super sick. At one point I was just walking hunched over because of such bad stomach pain. I was nervous it was Giardia, but it passed in a day (thank goodness). Note to self, if you are feeling ill, do not walk across town, stay put and don’t move.

This is on the street right outside the compound where I am staying. You can see the army in the back. In Sudan there are no street names. People just say "on the road going to the airport" or "on the road back from the SUK (market)"

Still on the same street. Super cute children on their way to the school behind our compound. I was a dukan (little corner market) where sometimes the children come to buy their lunch.

Avery and Allison at the Dukan

A beautiful women at the Dukan. I was a fan of her bright necklace!

Same street again. These donkey carts are all over Malakal. Used at F350s in the states.

Women are incredibly talented with carrying stuff on their heads. The water jugs are the most amazing to watch.

My adorable niece!

Allison and I on our way to visit some Muslim women from Darfur. Elbows, Ankles, and Hair must all be covered.

This is Regina. She is the lady that helps Allison with laundry and cleaning around the house.

Avery and the boy enjoyed playing with my sunglasses. No one really uses those here.

Love this shot, doesn't it look like Avery is breakdancing!?

Allison, Avery and Stephanie with the Darfur women.

The area of Malakal where the women live. Behind one of the gates, is a group of homes entire families share. And if one family moves away, some other random relative will move in. Everything is group owned.

These group of girls followed Allison and Me to the market. SO sweet. I think Avery was the point of interest. Most of the time they think she is a doll since they haven't ever seen a little white baby. Actually, Avery is the only white child in all of Malakal.

A beautiful (guhmeela) Sudanese girl.

Howdy my friends. I have a quick question for you – I have been doing this blog for a while now and would like your suggestions on how to improve it or encouragement to keep on doing something you like. Comment here or email me at allikay@gmail.com

Thanks!

Today was great in Malakal. I met a ton more people, went to an Arabic church, into town for food, hung out with the family and just enjoyed the day.  The church was great, tons of singing – videos to come when I have a better internet connection.  The whole church would sing, then there were opportunities for groups of people representing each of the tribes to come forward and sing… which meant all the white people got a turn.  So the six of us, my brother, sister in law, Avery, and 2 other missionaries on the property headed to front and did our best rendition of O Come Let Us Adore Him.  It was a hit, at least I think it was.  Though – following the AMAZING music from the tribes, we might have looked quite silly.

After church everyone files out and shakes every person’s hand. When you get to the end of the line, you join it and start shaking everyone else’s hand. I like that.  Personally greeting everyone, even the teeniest kids. It was fun.

Here are some pictures from the day. Soon I hope to have some of the “Suk,” the local market in the city.

My new friends on Loki. Lea was the one that took care of me there before I headed to Sudan.

My first experience sleeping in a mosquito net.

My favorite picture yet. At the Loki police station

I wanted to climb these mountains!!!

Avery loves her bottles of water!

The face killed me!

The church choir.

A super pic by Allison, my sister in law. Taylor enhanced it. It was amazing to watch this little boy, probably no older than 2 being completely content for 2 hours during the service. And, he was sitting directly in the sun shortly after this picture and was dripped in sweat. This people are far different from any I have known before.

Some of the kids from church.

Allison and me in our formal Laos for church. The women are very specific about these laos. Apparently mine was tied incorrectly so a super kind woman came and untied and fixed it for me. She was so gracious about it. Looks like something you just throw on so you don't have to care about what you are wearing, but it is quite the opposite. The shirt underneath MUST match and the skirt as well.