Journey of Joy: My Two Months as Mama Ellen at Harvesters Orphanage in Terekeka, South Sudan

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© 2012 Ellen Wicker Cummings. All Rights Reserved.

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Published by AuthorHouse 11/07/2012

ISBN: 978-1-4772-7513-9 (sc)

978-1-4772-7514-6 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2012918217

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Acknowledgement 

As my passion for the people of South Sudan has deepened and travel time in that country increased, my husband, Ned, and my children, Rebecca and Frederick, have been my strongest supporters.  I am grateful for the confidence they have shown in me as I have followed this call on my life — for their approval — because I know it hasn’t been easy.  I love and appreciate them more than I can say!

Carin Cowell spent countless hours editing e-mails, photos, and the manuscript itself, bringing to each aspect of this project her usual excellence in creativity and attention to detail. She is one of the most generous people I know, always willing to give of her time and talents whenever called upon to do so. Carin is amazingly gifted, and I am grateful for her input.

Thank you to my friends at Harvesters Reaching the Nations, for allowing me to experience life as you know it! My life has been forever changed!

To family members and friends who followed my journey — Thank you for your company, prayers, and for encouraging me to publish this journal.  My love to each one of you!

Blessings!

Preface 

Imagine the sight of a Mississippi-born, genteel Southern woman straddling the seat of a motorbike, blazing a trail through the African bush. With the sun shining down and her young driver dodging potholes in the dirt, she was on a mission. Nothing was going to keep her from getting to an orphanage on the outskirts of town. She had carried letters and small treats all the way from the United States of America and was determined to place the special items into the small hands of the orphaned boys and girls. The accomplishment of her mission was validated by the children’s smiling faces and laughter shortly after her successful arrival.

I met Ellen Wicker Cummings in Sudan in 2009 before the South seceded from its northern counterpart. In the years since, it has become common to witness Ellen’s acts of goodwill. She gives freely and generously to others. What is uncommon is the location in which she has chosen to spread her goodwill.

The Republic of South Sudan is not a place for the faint of heart. Becoming the world’s newest country on July 9, 2011, South Sudan is struggling to overcome years of warfare, plagued by disease, illiteracy, extreme poverty, and tribalism. International reports indicate that a girl is much more likely to die in child birth than she is to graduate from high school.

Resilient and hopeful, the people of South Sudan anticipate the creation of government services to benefit their communities. Developing basic infrastructure takes time. Hospitals and schools need to be established, sustainable agricultural practices need to be implemented, and roads need to be constructed. The years ahead will take herculean efforts to improve living conditions.

Ellen and others like her from the international community are taking steps to fill gaps. People helping people, building relationships, offering care, are initial steps in the process. In the pages ahead, you will discover one woman’s journey to help the children. In the process of becoming Mama Ellen, she has trudged across unknown territory, eaten food directly from the land, and moved far beyond her comfort zone. She has done that and more with strength and grace becoming of a well-mannered lady from Mississippi.

Let her inspire you as she has inspired me.

Anita Ayers Henderlight

Yei, South Sudan 2012

Dedication

To Philip Nyumba

Thank you for your support and encouragement

and for accompanying me on this journey!

"Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this:

to look after orphans and widows in their distress.

James 1:27

Contents

Acknowledgement 

Preface 

Day 1 – March 2, 2012 

Day 2 – March 3, 2012 

Day 3 - March 4, 2012 

Day 4 - March 5, 2012 

Day 5 - March 6, 2012 

Day 6 - March 7, 2012 

Day 7 - March 8, 2012 

Day 8 - March 9, 2012 

Day 9 - March 10, 2012 

Day 10 - March 11, 2012 

Day 11 - March 12, 2012 

Day 12 - March 13, 2012 

Day 13 - March 14, 2012 

Day 14 - March 15, 2012 

Day 15 - March 16, 2012 

Day 16 - March 17, 2012 

Day 17 - March 18, 2012 

Day 18 - March 19, 2012 

Day 19 - March 20, 2012 

Day 20 - March 21, 2012 

Day 21 - March 22, 2012 

Day 22 - March 23, 2012 

Day 23 - March 24, 2012 

Day 24 - March 25, 2012 

Day 25 - March 26, 2012 

Day 26 - March 27, 2012 

Day 27 - March 28, 2012 

Day 28 - March 29, 2012 

Day 29 - March 30, 2012 

Day 30 - March 31, 2012 

Day 31 - April 1, 2012 

Day 32 - April 2, 2012 

Day 33 - April 3, 2012 

Day 34 - April 4, 2012 

Day 35 - April 5, 2012 

Day 36 - April 6, 2012 

Day 37 - April 7, 2012 

Day 38 - April 8, 2012 

Day 39 - April 9, 2012 

Day 40 - April 10, 2012 

Day 41 - April 11, 2012 

Day 42 - April 12, 2012 

Day 43 - April 13, 2012 

Day 44 - April 14, 2012 

Day 45 - April 15, 2012 

Day 46 - April 16, 2012 

Day 47 - April 17, 2012 

Day 48 - April 18, 2012 

Day 49 - April 19, 2012 

Day 50 - April 20, 2012 

Day 51 - April 21, 2012 

Day 52 - April 22, 2012 

Day 53 - April 23, 2012 

Day 54 - April 24, 2012 

Day 55 - April 25, 2012 

Day 56 - April 26, 2012 

Day 57 - April 27, 2012 

Day 58 - April 28, 2012 

Day 59 - April 29, 2012 

Day 60 - April 30, 2012 

Day 61 - May 1, 2012 

Day 62 - May 2, 2012 

Day 63 - May 3, 2012 

Day 64 - May 4, 2012 

Day 65 - May 5, 2012 

HOME - May 6, 2012 

Day 1 – March 2, 2012 

There is stress involved in preparing for any journey, but when a journey will take one to the other side of the world for two months, in the most remote area imaginable, there is an added element of stress. When my hair dresser, Linda Powell Ives, was shampooing my hair yesterday morning, she took time to massage my scalp, remarking that it didn’t move at all — she felt like she was massaging the head of a mannequin! I knew I was tense, but really—

Ned and I were on time, and the drive to Dulles was uneventful - no problems getting three heavy bags checked. One was 15 pounds overweight, and I had been sweating this as it was also the third bag, and I knew I would have to pay extra. The fee was $275, and I had allowed $300 — not bad. I was relieved to be that far along. Thanks for all the prayers for the baggage issue!

I said good-bye to my husband and snaked my way through a long line to security. Again — no problems — and boarded a train to the gates, which are in a separate building behind the terminal. The monitor indicated my flight would board at gate A16, so I took the train to A, only to find the gate had been changed to C5. I back-tracked to the train and negotiated escalators, long corridors, more escalators and long corridors. C5 was boarding, so I got in line. There was no record of my reservation, even though I was holding boarding passes. Wrong gate, lady — Go back to A.

Which gate? Nobody knew. I stopped at an information desk where workers tried to send me back to C5. When I got to the A train, I discovered, to my horror, that I did not have my passport!

Back I raced along corridors and up and down escalators to C5 and was told Hal had my passport and was on his way to A to find me — but no one knew which gate! Once again, I frantically traversed the now familiar escalators and hallways, aware the time was rapidly dwindling. As I was going down one set of escalators, I saw Hal across the way going up. He shouted that I should go to A14 and find my passport, which I did. With passport, thankfully, back in hand and tremendously relieved, I finally boarded — dead last. Wonder what my scalp felt like after all this?

I lost my favorite neck pillow somewhere along the way but was at last able to sit down and breathe. Definitely got my weight-bearing and aerobic exercise the previous hour!

I worked on the Beth Moore study of James until dinner was served. There was a choice of pasta or roast beef. That’s not much to go on, but I chose pasta, which turned out to be more like my Granny’s dumplings than the pasta Ned serves at home. It was tasty, but something green would have been a welcome addition. Complimentary wine was a nice touch; and, believe me — wine was much appreciated after the events of the previous hours!

It was a short night — I dozed off and on for a couple of hours before the cabin lights came on and breakfast was served. I don’t normally drink coffee, but I knew I would need the caffeine jolt to get going this morning. There was a texture-less white muffin with two blueberries — I counted — and a carton of yogurt, which exploded all over me when opened — Whew! — It’s got to get better from here! And where was the breakfast cheese and chocolate I enjoyed last fall?

On a more positive note, the sunrise was spectacular, and I am feeling more alert and chipper than I have any right to feel. It was a smooth flight and landing, and I am glad to be in Amsterdam for a few hours. It’s 7:30 a.m. — 1:30 a.m. on the U.S. East Coast. Next stop — Nairobi!

Day 2 – March 3, 2012 

It stands to reason that an airport would change in three years, and Amsterdam has grown exponentially! It is now a huge, sprawling complex — modern in every sense of the word, but in need of a way to move passengers quickly among gates in the near future. One location had not changed,