Ben Tshin

It’s the same old, same old. I feel as if I’ve been here before. And I have, but in slightly different circumstances.

Here’s the new news since my R&R: Two weeks have passed. And that’s all. Since returning to the field, nothing new has happened. There has been very little work for SWAT, so I’ve spent the last two weeks in Malakal sitting on my hands. And when not sitting on my hands, I’ve probably read all the news I could read. In most other circumstances, and in most other jobs, a two week break would very much appreciated. But add a three week R&R and the current two weeks, and it’s been five weeks since I’ve done real WatSan work.

I know there are perfectly good reasons for the delay in work, but I’m restless. I’m starting to have some of the same feelings I did late last year waiting for responses from various agencies. Perhaps the eight months of unemployment prepared me for this. But even with preparation, the boredom is almost overwhelming. Ironically, I’ve even become the resident computer fix-it guru. What I tried to run away from came and found me on the other side of the world!

So hopefully I’m flying out of here tomorrow. A change of scenery and maybe a little more work to do. Otherwise, it’ll be a long way until my next R&R at the end of June.

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