Suddenly Relocated

Exactly one month ago, in mid-March as the Coronavirus was spreading all over the world, we were stocking up on food in Juba and preparing to 'shelter-in-place' and work from home for awhile. We knew that given the very limited medical facilities in South Sudan, we had to make every effort not to get exposed to this new and virulent virus.

wearing our masks as we went through the New York airport

Saturday morning, March 21, we received a message from the leadership of Presbyterian World Mission, requesting that all mission personnel return to the U.S. if possible. That same morning, we learned that there was a government directive in South Sudan closing all schools for at least 30 days, which would include Nile Theological College. Given both those factors, we realized that it was best for us to act quickly in responding to this request, although it was an abrupt change in direction from the perspective we had had that week.  Within a few hours we had booked flights to return to the U.S. and spoken with our colleagues in South Sudan to share these sudden plans. We left Sunday, the following day, flying through Addis Ababa, Istanbul, and New York before landing in Chicago. We learned later that the airport in Juba was closed indefinitely the following day to protect South Sudan from incoming travelers who might be infected.

Most of the flights on the board were cancelled from Istanbul

It took us a few days to emotionally reconcile ourselves to being away from home and in this strange environment of lockdown in the U.S. We find ourselves praying more for our hurting world, especially since we now find ourselves in the the midst of the country most affected by it. We are trying to stay in touch with colleagues in South Sudan, doing what we can to support our church partners as they walk through this crisis. We are also using the extra time to do some research, writing, and projects that had been on the 'back burner'. In our spare time, we are watching spring unfold in the Midwest - a glorious reminder that God is sovereign and the author of life. We join you in praying for an end to this pandemic, and hope that we can return to South Sudan soon!