It has been 2 days since I wrote an update, I write this update from Juba, I want to thank God for allowing me to arrive here to the capital, my first time since the celebration and declaration of independence.

So far the trip has been going very well, Praise be to God.

 The last time I wrote I was in Gulu, I wake up the following day, Saturday morning and drove towards the Sudan Uganda Road, as I started I was thinking to myself now my trip got slowed down from 120 Km to 60 km an hour, that’s because of the road, it was rougher than the tarmac road from Kampala because it’s dirt  road and full of pot hole I manage to make it to the border in 1 hour and 30 minutes, now I thought to myself I wish if I drove the whole way the pervious night but I was warned it’s rough road and it’s almost dark, that’s why I have stayed the night in Gulu.

There were many trucks waiting to be cleared at the border, the line was long of heavy trucks and fuel tankers, now because I was small car I managed to get to the front of the line, again it’s because I was an ambulance!!  The Uganda Authority personnel wasn’t happy with that but he was satisfied when I agreed to park the car on the side of the road and wait for my turn to be cleared to cross the border.

I thought it was slow but later when I cross to Sudan side I had to sleep the night, that how slower the guys in my home country, I only missed one signature by 3 minutes, that I have to spent the night, my clearance agent was at the door when the Sudan Revenue border director needed to sign my clearance papers for the car to be released, this was due to Saturday was a half day.  The ambulance was under restriction till it cleared, so I couldn’t drive it in Nimule border town.

 I am so glad I waited for the exemption from the ministry of finance otherwise I would have paid at least 37% of the value of the ambulance. The process at Nyimule needs clearing agent, there are about more than 8 offices need papers works, tax and process fees to be paid, forms, stamps and signatures to be collected. I was glad they have clearance agents.

A custom officer inspected the ambulance, then the papers were sent for verification and then to calculations office to work out the taxes, then they showed me the figure that it was going to be more than 16000 USD.  I was gladly happy to show my exemption letter from the ministry of finance, with a huge sigh of relief. Praise God for the exemption!!

That night I spent in Nimule I was able to watch soccer, Chelsea played Norwich City and I enjoyed the match. The place was packed with men old and young, for sure it was a lively crowd, they ere in there part of the stadium, screaming, yelling and arguing among themselves. Africa has a love thing towards the English premiership league. It finished 3:1 to Chelsea

It was raining the following morning, I woke up excited and very rested, ready to finish the simple procedures and start my journey to Juba.  When it rains means simply no work, when the rain stop then people get out of their homes and come to their offices. So I was delayed by a half day, before I started my journey. 

Immediately leaving out the town you climb a hill, to my surprise I didn’t expect a tarmac road until I hit Juba town, but I was on a tarmac road.  I was glad and also a bit sad,  my most fun trips in Sudan was on rough roads. I was looking forward to the challenge now instead  it’s easy boring drive, well I think I spoke too soon because after one hour on the road the road really started to get muddy but not as rough as I expected.  For my disappointment it wasn’t for long either, I ran into another tarmac road, and so on tarmac  run to tarmac to tarmac……. until I got to Juba .  It good road in general, so my journey from Nimule to Juba lasted 2 1/2 hours only.

I’m staying in the Episcopal church of Sudan guest house in Juba town, and yesterday I worked on getting Agum’s adoption and some other business before getting to the last leg of my journey, which I leave today.

I thank God for sending Joseph, one of our staff from Tonj, to Juba by bus so we would drive together back to Tonj.  He arrived after spending one night in the bush after the bus he was using got stuck in the mud. I told him that what I was looking for, I am now excited, that’s the Sudan I know!!

Tonight we hope to make it to Yirol, and tomorrow we should be in Tonj.

Thanks for praying.

Sabet

 

 

Sabet just called he said he arrived at the Uganda/Sudan border at a town called Nimule.  There’s no internet and he had to leave the ambulance at the border and walk.  The border clearance was closed when he arrived at 4 pm, so he will sleep the night and drive to Juba tomorrow. Pray for favor with officials.

While in Kampala I avoided the crazy traffic of downtown and took advantage of the opportunity to see Abraham, one of our Ugandan staff working on construction in Tonj.  He has been in Uganda visiting his family and working on sending a truck of building supplies to Tonj.  We worked together to find the right truck.  The day was restful as well.  I was able to buy some spare parts for equiement in Tonj and some supplies to take with me to Tonj.

The highlight of the day was the Bible study that Bob (AID SUDAN) and his wife Suzy took me too.  It was a really interesting deep discussion; it was so good to be fellowshipping with missionaries in Kampala and see a bit of their social support here.  I was blessed by that and I made some new friends too.

Before leaving this morning I had more meetings regarding the truck of supplies to Tonj.  As I continued my trip I had to go through town and the traffic was so crazy I almost got scraped by a truck, thank God nothing happened and I was able to make it alive from that.  I was very tempted to use the siren to make a way, the fact I didn’t have a registration plate stopped me!!

I started my journey late from Kampala due to the meetings, and I drove north towards the border.  The second I was out of the city I was able to do a 4 hour trip before dark and now I stopped at Gulu.  I’ll continue the journey early in the morning crossing the Uganda/Sudan border and hopefully arriving in Juba before nightfall.  I would appreciate your prayers that everything goes smoothly with paperwork and safety.

I am glad to find the only internet cafe in town that serves food and free internet so I was able to speak with Suzy and the kids on Skype (love Skype) and write this blog.

Pray also for Suzy, we have been apart for a month and being alone with the kids has also not been easy.  Looking forward to seeing them all again hopefully by Tuesday.

Hi all,

I wanted to thank you for praying, it was so good to see your messages and prayers for me, thank you!

Now I am in Kampala taking care of few things before I head into my journey, I am looking forward to the rest of the trip.

So Kuel and I left early in the morning yesterday from Nakuru, it was so easy to see the difference between Nakuru and Nairobi, there were no cars, made me feel like it’s a Sunday.  Nairobi is always so crowded even at that early hour of morning it could be busy.

Before 10 am we were in Eldoret, there we stopped to top up the fuel and use some of the kenyan shillings before we got to the border and crossed to the Ugandan side.

We reached the border around 12 noon time and clearing the Kenyan side was smooth and fast. There Kuel had to go back on the bus to Nairobi.

The Ugandan side was a bit interesting, it took about 3 hours to clear with Ugandan Revenue Authority, so it was good for me to lay at the grassy area they had and have a nap while waiting for the paperworks to be cleared. I had to say the Ugandan side was organized, clean and very green compared to the Kenyan side.

When all the papers were ready I didn’t want to waste any more time and decided to leave at once.  There was another checking point for goods that are in transit that everyone has to stop and get their papers stamped.  I went there thinking it was going to be a simple procedure, it turned out to be a problem, there was an issue with the paperwork and they wanted to send me back again.  I wasn’t really OK with that waiting again for a few more hours.  The clearance agent was kind enough to come down where the checking point was and talk to the officer and I think he had to pay them money in order to let the ambulance go, I wasn’t involved with that but this is the reality of  how things work here in Africa.

After leaving the border area I just cruised the Ugandan highway till I got to my favorite place in that route, a stop where they sell barbecued chicken on sticks!!  It’s always packed with cars and definately was a highlight, the barbecued chicken is so good, tasty and simple, just salt and barbecue.  Four of those whet down like nothing happened.  Yum!

Now when I got to Kampala I was glad that I got delayed, it was 8 pm and the outskirts of Kampala was hectic with traffic.  I was wondering what it would have been like if I’d arrived around 5 pm!! The Lord was good, I was able to go through it and even downtown without any husstle at all.

Early in the trip a friend from AID SUDAN contacted Suzy when he knew from the blog I was going to drive through Kampala and he invited me to stay with them before proceeding with the trip.  Man the Lord is good to provide me with such wonderful accommodation and with a person I know, so I spent the night with Bob and his family.  I tell you, I was so exhausted I was out solid during the night and next thing it was 7 am!

I am taking care of some business today in Kampala, and in the morning the journey continues…….

love to all

Sabet