Ben Tshin

Although I’m updating this blog more frequently than my newsletter I’m grabbing this update from the newsletter instead of paraphrasing it again.

Hi! Greetings from Africa!
I hope you are coping well with the recent snowstorms in Toronto. Here in Kenya, it’s the opposite problem: sun, heat and more sun. The daily high regularly reaches +35C, but I’ve been drinking plenty of water to adapt with the heat and the intense sun.

At the moment I am waiting in Lokichoggio in northern Kenya. Situated 30km from the Sudan border, Loki was established by the UN in the 1989 to serve as a logistical pit stop for humanitarian assistance to Sudan under Operation Lifeline Sudan (OLS). UNICEF, the World Food Program (WFP) and 40-other NGOs, including Medair, have offices here to support operations in South Sudan. As a result, a small town has sprung up around the airport and the UN compound.

Conditions in Loki are quite good. It’s much nicer than the expectations to which I signed up. There is a pretty good canteen with decent food, fresh fruit and vegetables. I’ve been told to stock up now before I head into Sudan where the food may come from tins. Unfortunately it’s a bit of a ghost town since 95% of NGOs have relocated into South Sudan after the CPA peace agreement was signed ending the war in 2004. The compound is littered with empty buildings of NGOs like Save the Children, Oxfam, etc. Altogether, I wouldn’t mind spending considerable time here, if only I had something to do.

Four weeks since leaving home I’ve been delayed once in Switzerland and once again here in Lokichoggio. Myself and another fresh colleague were hoping to get into Sudan as soon as possible. However, our second round of briefings have been postponed and put off and I’ve already seen different staff come through Lokichoggio on their way to Sudan. It is quite frustrating to be waiting here with nothing much to do.

Excitingly, I will finally be flying out to Malakal with MAF this coming Tuesday. I’m looking forward to seeing the real Sudan, instead of the veneer of Lokichoggio. The down side is that there is also no work to be done there either. My project is waiting for donor funding before we can go ahead with any work.

Please keep these things in your thoughts and prayers:

• an end to violence in Kenya which is weighing heavily on the Kenyan staff
• successful and quick donor funding for the WatSan project
• my faithfulness and fruitfulness amidst delays and boredom

in His service,
Ben

Bad news, although not entirely depending on the perspective. If you’re guessing I should either be on a flight to Nairobi or already in Nairobi.

I’ve been waylaid in Switzerland for an additional week. The situation in Kenya is still very uncertain with the opposition planning to hold rallies against the government on Wednesday through Friday.  I received the notification to postpone barely 28 hours before my flight was to depart Geneva. It was definitely a surprise although I knew there was a possibility of change since the situation in Kenya has been brewing since December.

I’m getting a bit restless in Switzerland. I’ve already seen most parts of Geneva and also Lausanne. Museums have been visited, vistas absorbed, delicacies enjoyed and every last thing done. It’s definitely frustrating to be stuck here when there is work waiting for me in Sudan. But I think this is another aspect of God’s timing and His plan. I’m learning to deal with this impatience and frustration.

So tomorrow I will be heading back to Lausanne, to the Medair HQ. I’ll start looking into WatSan (Water & Sanitation) books and information to start my professional preparation. Also, it’ll be easier to spend my extra week at HQ and absorb by osmosis from everyone around me.

As prayer points, please pray for:

• the situation in Kenya
• my managing frustrations and disappointments
• my other team members who are laying low in Nairobi