Here are some new pictures from my new home. Also, my post from this weekend is below. I wanted to let you know just how expensive it is to eat in Juba. This is $18.00 worth of food from the local supermarket. The Smuckers peanut butter and jelly was $8.00 by itself. I am waiting for my possessions that were shipped to arrive so I can start cooking.    

A few nights ago I was having dinner with a government official and we were discussing the state of his political party and the future of South Sudan. We were discussing his background and where he was during the civil war. He told of how he was forced into the army at 13 and how his village was razed to the ground. I was fascinated by his perseverance and his optimism for… Read More

Photography in Juba (and South Sudan) is not viewed the same as it is viewed in other parts of the world (especially along the National Mall in Washington, D.C.). While taking photos with permission is permissible, the government frowns upon taking pictures of government institutions but it is hard to determine government buildings from non-government buildings. So, in an effort not to have my camera taken from me, I have decided to… Read More

I often pray for patience…patience to see things through to fruition or patience with tourist who often overwhelm Washington, DC’s subways and sidewalks or patience with friends and family members. I truly believe that God teaches us patience through various experiences in our lives – maybe it’s being stuck in traffic or queuing  in a very long and slow moving line OR living in a culture where the social norms are drastically different… Read More

Well today is my 34th Birthday and today also marks the end of my first work week in Juba.  I don’t think I would have imagined that I would spend my 34th birthday sitting along the River Nile in Africa’s youngest republic (actually, the world’s newest nation). I live at a camp along the River Nile called AFEX. It is one of several AFEX camps in Juba where a lot of expats… Read More

Going into this new adventure, I was expecting the worst. I had never been to Juba (or South Sudan) and was only able to form my opinion by chatting with others. While the city and country has a long way to go towards infrastructure and development, Juba has a unique quality about it. If you have traveled in East Africa before, you will find many similarities. I told my driver today that… Read More

I arrived in Juba, South Sudan on Monday afternoon after an overnight layover in Dubai. The hotel in Dubai was located inside the terminal before you exit through Customs and Immigration. So sadly, I never left the airport but I got to roam the airport and shop at all the Duty Free shops! Here is a view of Dubai from high in the Sky…the second of the man made Palm Tree Islands…. Read More