Last week I was able to talk to my coordinators, Phil and Linda Byler, on the phone (the pictures from the last post are the ones they sent me of Ikotos, via email). Right now they are in California visiting their family to see the birth of their grandaughter. So, because they are in country for a bit, I was able to ask them some questions to prepare me for my year in Sudan.
One of the things I really wanted to know was more about the people who live there, in Ikotos. Phil told me that the young adults in their mid-twenties, who have spent almost their entire life in refugee or IDP camps, are apathetic towards life. They have no hope or desire. Because I am in my mid-twenties, this pulled me. Also, this is personal to me because my Grandmother was forced to leave her home in Guatemala during WWII and move to Germany. After the war she worked and lived on an IDP camp in Munich, where she met my grandfather, who was a former 73 pound 6' tall POW, come MP for the UNRRA and political refugee. My mom then was born on that IDP camp and when she was about 15 months old they moved to the U.S. My grandmother, who passed away recently, lived the rest of her life pessimistic and apathetic to the world. So, I now know one of my part-time missions will be to get to know the people my age there and learn their stories and somehow bring hope into their lives. I can't imagine what they have been through, nor can I try to pretend I understand, but their hopes and their drive for life should not be lost to this war.
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3 comments:
Hi Megan,
My name is Lino Paul and I am from Ikotos County, Torit.My parent, sisters and brothers live in Torit. I now Live in Boise, Idaho with my Wife and Four (4) children. I am a graduate from University of Phoenix with Criminal Justice degree. I now Work for the State of Idaho as a Law enforcement Officer. I was searching the internet to see if there was any kind of mission in Ikotos County and that is how I got to your web. I want to say that Thank You very much for helping the people of Ikotos. This place is probably one of the poorest place in all of Sudan as you have seen. By the way I like your "Tuukle." Are you still in Ikotos or you are now back in USA? I am working on a project that I would like to take to Ikotos.
Thanks
Lino.
megan, my name is kimberly kimball,i do not no a lot about ikotos county nor many other countries that are deprived of basics needs such as food and water,i am although learning, simply because i live in a country that in many way's even the poorest of people couldn't grasp the concept of what these people of third world country's go threw to simply stay alive and eat.i personally have had the freedom to chose my own path in life and in doing that i have made many mistakes and wrong choices, i do how ever also have the freedom to make amends with out fear for my life .i want to learn more about what it is i can do to help even if its just a prayer or acknowledgment that these people do exists, this is happening to them and they wont be forgotten nor ignored .i live in boise, id. and i count my blessing simply because i have running water and a safe place to sleep. i admire you, you will leave this word a better place than you found it, thank you. kimberly kay kimball.
Hello to Lino and to Kimberly. I'm just reading these comments. Sorry they are so late. :(
I no longer live in Ikotos, however I pray for my friends there every day. I encourage prayers for Southern Sudan. They have seen a lot of war, and many people have turned to alcohol in the place of sanity, work, motherhood, fatherhood, etc.
Thank you for your comments!
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