Hector & John arrived on their motorbike mid July having travelled for three days. They left Chukudum and didn't have a registration plate for the motorbike, which is sort of ok out in the hills, but travelling to Yei would be just asking for trouble. So Hector and John ride from Chukudum to Torit and go to the registration office, but they didn't have enough money. Amazingly the official allowed them to take the registration without paying full money. This just can't happen in South Sudan, except our God is a God of miracles, God of the possible. They stayed overnight with a pastor and the Church fely they had to take up an offering for Hector & John and the gift collected was the exact amount that they were short for the registration, so they went and paid the balance and they officer gave them a refund enough to fill their 16-litre tank.
Off they went on day 2 to Juba, the capital city of South Sudan. I can't remember how it happened, but someone filled their tank with petrol for the journey to Yei. Whilst with us they got a call from Chukudum base to hurry back as the food was finished and they had nothing to feed their 31 children. That was a problem as we at Iris Children's Village were also out of funds. Fortnately we had visitors who paid base fees that allowed us to give Hector sufficient money for food till the end of August. I think I gave them petrol money for the journey back.
Hector had told me that the roads were ok and I should be able to drive to chukudum during August. I intended taking three of the 16-year old boys and do some teaching. John, Emmanuel & Elisha have not done any preaching/teaching before, but they were keen to have a go. Each of them was to prepare one talk with Safari or Justin's help. However it took Hector & John over a week to get from Yei to Chukudum, as the rain had dramatically changed the condition of the roads. Our visit will have to wait for the dry season.
The pictures show Hector & John ready to leave Yei Children's Village on 20th July 2012