journal entries: my first trip (2007)

--May 4^th--

I woke up on my last day in Nairobi in slow serenity. Exotic birds were chirping; I got a cup of African coffee and stood on the back porch to soak up the morning. Some of the other SP workers and I had a Bible study about 8:00 and after that I retreated to my room to do some reading. Before long, jetlag set in and I knocked out. Just after I fell asleep, a loud knock woke me up and I was surprised to see that it was 1:00 in the afternoon. Mark, the guy who was showing me around and explaining my job to me, took me to a coffee shop for lunch. We talked about what to expect in Sudan and sipped our Kenyan tea. Afterwards we decided to stop by an outdoor market to get some cheap sunglasses and a quick Kenyan experience that I will never forget.

I have been on Canal Street in New York City a few times and experienced the street vendors bombarding me with counterfeit goods and trying to squeeze every tourist dollar I had to offer, but these guys in Nairobi put those guys in NYC to shame. When we got to the market we told a few people we just wanted sunglasses and within ten seconds a few men were there with racks full. People were crowded around us trying to shake our hands and direct us to their shops. They were so eager to sell or trade anything. It’s a good thing Mark was there to lead or those people would have gotten everything but my underwear. I tried to be polite and shake everyone’s hand and look at their stuff. But, I learned from Mark, they don’t really want to be your friend as much as they just want you to buy their stuff, so you just have to say NO. We stood and bartered for a while. It was fun at first but after about ten minutes I just wanted to go to Wal-mart where prices were set, and honest. Mark did most of the bartering and I only spoke a few times. That was dumb. I should have kept my mouth shut. If they sense any weakness, any amount of sympathy for them, or any amount of desire for the product, they’ve got you. You have to act like you don’t need it and start at a ridiculously low price. Mark told me I went up too fast on my price and showed how much I wanted them. I couldn’t help it they were nice, fake sunglasses. I’ll be ready for them next time, but I pity the next loving American who walks blindly into that ruthless world.

Later, we met some girls that Mark knows and when I told them of my trip they said, “Wow! Two months. You sure are jumping into the action for your first time in Africa.” That has been a typical response. Everyone looks at Mark and smiles like there’s some inside joke about Sudan. “You’re definitely in for an adventure,” they say. I hope they are right. I have learned that things can get messy very quickly in Sudan. It is important that I am patient with people, especially ones with guns. Needless to say, I’m doing a lot of praying tonight. I leave tomorrow at 8:00 in the morning. I am not afraid. After learning more about the Church Reconstruction Project, I am excited to have a major role. I am ready for the challenge of my job and the country of Sudan. But every now and then I get this feeling in my stomach; it’s the same feeling I get when I'm jumping off a waterfall in Boone; when I’ve leaned a little too far over the edge and there is no going back; the thought comes to my mind, “What are you doing, Billy?” And then I close my eyes, hold my breath, and jump.

journal entries: my first trip (2007)

--May 2^nd 2007--

I am here, not yet in Sudan, but here, walking through the straight hallways of Concourse-A of the Charlotte airport. I left goodbye tears on my family’s shoulders, went through the security checkpoint, and gave one final wave before turning towards Gate-6. I can’t help but smile as joy grows in my soul, replacing my teary eyes with fiery eyes. With each stride my grin widens and I think to myself, “This is it. Here I go!!!”

--May 3^rd 2007--

Long waits in the airports and even longer flights have worn me out. It’s 10:15 in the night here in my little guest room at the Samaritan’s Purse compound in Nairobi; I’m so tired I can hardly see straight to write.

Flying into Nairobi wasn’t exactly the African experience I was expecting. I don’t know really what I was expecting. I guess I thought that maybe there would be baboons in the trees, or men with spears walking around the airport. But, I soon realized I didn't need bug spray or even hiking boots. It was much like the airport I left in the states. I looked around and saw some other white people, who must have had the same expectancies of arriving in Africa, dressed head-to-toe in safari gear and equipped with every accessory needed for jungle survival. They lacked only a machete, which I can imagine they had packed in their underneath luggage, just in case. Nairobi was like any Big City U.S.A, but with a wild, lawless undertone. Though there were sky scrapers, highways and billboards, there appeared to be no traffic laws regarding speed, staying in your lane, or staying on the road for that matter. Note to self: when walking down the sidewalk in Nairobi, watch for oncoming taxis. Pedestrians don’t have the right of way so they seemed to be running for their lives rather than crossing the road. I remember riding in the taxi thinking, “I know I’m in Africa, the people speak in a funny Swahili accent, and I’m driving really fast on the wrong side of the road, but I feel like I’m driving through downtown Winston-Salem. Where are the monkeys!?! Where is the real Africa!?!” Then we passed a group of policemen strapped with AK-47s and straps of bullets...not quite Winston-Salem.

I am going to spend two months in Sudan serving as a right-hand man to an engineer named Peter. Peter is Kenyan, which is exciting for me because I want to practice my Swahili. So far all I know is “hakuna matata,” which means, “there are no problems,” and “asante sana squashed banana,” which means, “thank you very much squashed banana.” I learned those from the Lion King. But honestly, Swahili or no Swahili I am just excited to be working in Sudan. Everyone I have met so far, when told I am going to spend two months in Sudan, just chuckles and says, “Well you sure are in for an adventure.” I just smile and hope that they are right.

Adventure is here. It is in the African’s tongue that rolls the native language fast and rhythmic; it is in the coffee-table artifacts lying around my room that hold the history of Africa; it is in the pictures on the walls of the Masai warriors and Turkana chiefs. And if you look past the skyscrapers, out over the horizon, follow the sound of the tribal drums, and find a land that no man owns, you can see the beautiful wild revealing its dangerous romances; it is too much for any young man to resist. I can’t wait for the toughness of it all. Two more days and I’ll be there--witnessing the sweet love of Christ contrasted by the ruggedness of His creation.

MORE TO COME!!

journal entries: my first trip (2007)

i am going to periodically post journal entries from my first trip to sudan (2007). i hope you enjoy these stories.

INTRODUCTION

When I was a kid, though most would say I still am, a missionary came to my church to show some slides. Honestly, I was bored out of my mind. I sat and thought, “How do these people live, especially their kids, with no T.V.s and no Nintendos. These kids must hate their lives. They don't even have football at their foreign schools!!" Then I fell asleep on the pew...sorry mom. I had heard my preacher say once that when he was a kid he said that he would never be a preacher. I made sure that night God didn’t hear me say that I would never be a missionary, because I didn’t want Him asking me to be one. But deep down inside I said it, and i meant it..."never." That night I felt a gut fear come over me that God was smiling at my stubborn promise. What if I was asked to do the one job I never wanted to do? Naturally I pushed that fear out of mind and ran off in other directions hoping it would just go away. But as time went on I couldn’t ignore the calling—the burning passion I had for people of other colors, cultures, and languages. Now, looking back, I see that the directions I chose to run were God’s way of preparing me for the one job I now pursue with all my heart. Although I think we are all missionaries in our different fields, God has sent me to the uttermost. Now, I have slides and stories of my own, and I hope some kid will sit there saying, “There is no way I could do that,” because that’s just the humble, fearful heart God will mold.

There are many reasons to fear Sudan, but I have learned that fear is sometimes necessary to truly rely on God. Moses was afraid; Nehemiah was afraid; Ananias was afraid; fear is just a part of accepting and doing this work. But that majestic moment when God reveals a glimpse of His glory through a child smiling, a man helping his brother, a moment of true Jesus-love, all fear is hushed by God’s promise of joy and life abundant.

My first encounter with the wonderful Sudanese was filled with many moments of fear and joy. These are the recorded stories of two months spent in Southern Sudan. Though it was a short time spent, I believe it was just the beginning of something my mind cannot yet grasp.

MORE COMING SOON

Up and Rolling

praise GOD. our trip was tremendous. the people of wadupe are drinking clean water and are ready to start working on their school. we have a new website....whythewoods.com....and are continuously updating it with pictures and information. right now i am working hard to raise enough money to return to sudan in may to begin the teacher training program and the school reconstruction program. check out the website to learn more!!!!!!! much Love

GOD is Greater

billy

laughing at us

to all who are praying...thank you so much. our group is doing great out here in wadupe. we are all healthy and strong. everyday is filled with a mixture of the unbearable bush life and the sweet chunks of love that make it all worth it. laughter is the greatest expression. it has become a common theme out here. we laugh at them, they laugh at us, and we all laugh at thomas (our video guy, and the team cut-up). we taught pastor rufus how to say, "what's up" and give a nice chest bump. we also put him in a hammock for the first time...he looked like a little kid grinning and wide eyed. and the kids are loving the frisbee we brought. but, life out here is not all play. we are working hard everyday to build our house, which should be finished by midweek, and we are about to start the hygiene classes and well drilling. whoohoo.

if you throw inexperienced americans into the african bush life is bound to stretch it's boundries and take new shape. when we outreach our own capabilities through the power of the HOLY SPIRIT we find that the process often hurts. stretching always hurts. but, the process is the reward when in the end we find we are stronger and better people.

the other day the team was building our shower. i was away doing some work in yei. it was a simple structure, just a small concrete slab, and a winding halway of teak poles and black plastic sheets to keep out curious eyes. but the process stretched us for sure. the africans are often puzzled by us americans. they couldn't figure why we would want a hallway, and a room for showering. "it is too big," they complained. but i had left specific instructions and wanted the shower to be completed that day, so the team followed the drawing. while they were building, several of the village men watched and laughed at the guys working. not a funny kind of laugh, but a, "you stupid americans, this will never work," kind of laugh. they even tried taking the tools and doing the way they thought it should be. this has happened on several occasions. like, hoeing the ground, slashing the grass, chopping wood, squaring a building, they seem to know how to do it better. it is frustrating...we came to help them, and now they are laughing at us and not letting us do anything...we are capable, we are smart, and having a village laughing at you while you try your best is certainly a blow to your pride. when i returned and heard about the incident, i got so frustrated. why don't they just let us build stuff how we want it. we came here with great drawings and plans but they keep undermining us. after a long walk, i realized that we were begining to lose our sense of purpose. our purpose every day is not to construct a base or drill a well. those jobs are the medium we use to connect with the people. our purpose is them. those men who are laughing at us, those men who hurt our pride when they take the shovel from our hands to show us how to do it better. JESUS says to love even your enemy. i would hardly consider anyone from this village an enemy, even when they are frustrating and annoying. so we must remember our purpose. it is not the job we are doing that matters, but the people...GOD's children. let our jobs connect us with them, but never let our jobs divide us, or become our chief purpose. i told the team, "maybe that is why we are here. to be laughed at. to give them a sense of pride, to lose our sense of pride. to let them be better than us. for once in their life, they get to be better than an 'american.'" and so they laugh...it is a beautiful sound.

thank you all for your support. the well drilling rigs are coming tomorrow, and two wells will be dug in wadupe within the next two weeks. praise GOD, wadupe will never be the same. much Love

GOD is Greater

billy

chuck norris is running across the border

i walked into sudan yesterday...literally.

a lot has happened this past year. we are now an official non profit, praise GOD. i finished my football career, and got myself a little closer to graduation. and in a few days six more group members will join me in africa, to drill a well, and love on some people in wadupe.

it has been an exciting journey for me thus far. i traveled from tuesday till sunday, when i finally crossed the sudan border...on foot. it was a glorious entrance. i was filthy from six days of dirty buses and dirty hotels. my hair was starting to dread, my feet were covered in red dust, and my clothes...well i was wearing the same thing when i left tuesday. after checking in on the uganda side, i grabbed my bag and started the short walk into sudan. my ride was waiting on the other side. i smiled so big as i read the big, welcome to southern sudan, sign. i felt free, relaxed, and excited; like i was home. then i saw lightning. and the bottom fell out. i had two choices. i could run for the car, which was about 300 yds away or run for cover, like all the other people were doing. i decided to run for the car because i didn't want it to leave me stranded. i ran down the road, with no jacket, trying to keep my pants pulled up (my belt was in my other bag), and my laptop dry. everyone was laughing at me as i struggled on the muddy road. i heard them saying, mzungu, kowaja, yesu, chuck norris. which means whiteman(swahili), whiteman(juba arabic), and Jesus...apparently i look like Him and chuck norris to these kids. either way, seeing billy/chuck norris/Jesus running down the muddy road like an idiot was quite a show. i was dripping wet, drenched, and about 100 ft from the car when a soldier grabbed me. he told me to come out of the rain. i pointed to my car and said no, im just going there. but he was adamant about me following him. so i went into an office filled with bewildered soldiers wandering why i was running across the border in the rain. i told them i didn't want my car to leave me. they just laughed and asked to see my paperwork. thankfully the rain stopped and my ride waited. so now i am here in yei. i leave for wadupe tomorrow!! i hear they have built me a house. talk about good hosts. pray for our group as they join me this week. pray for the next two months that GOD will be glorified and the people of sudan will feel loved. much Love

GOD is Greater