South Sudan Journal, Parts 1 & 2 (of 29)

South Sudan Journal

With

Medecins Sans Frontieres
(Doctors Without Borders)



By

Steve Dennis

September, 2003 to September, 2004
Message #1 September 23, 2003


Hello Mom and Dad and All.

I am in Nairobi now, receiving my final briefings before heading north, first to Loki­chokkio, then to Lankien, (South Sudan).

Brief summary of past and present: I am heading to South Sudan, to work with Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF, or Doctors Without Borders) as a Logistician. The purpose for the project I am working on, Lankien, is to treat the major diseases in the area (Jonglea and Eastern Upper Nile), namely Kala Azar (KA) and Tuberculosis (TB). Further, for severely malnourished people, there is a feeding centre. I am on a 9-month contract here. This is my second time out, working with MSF. I like them; for more on who they are, what they do and where, refer to www.msf.org

In April, I finished in Sri Lanka, concluding with the MSF project closure in Mallavi Hospital. After a quick visit home, I did an emergency water and sanitation course in the UK (two week course by the experts, for MSF), then did some travel in Scotland and with Christina in Germany. Early July I was back in Canada for a very nice vacation and visit with family and friends. Through that time, I was in contact with MSF about my next mission. The project in Sudan was brought up a couple of times, and the more I found out about it, the more I was interested in it. By mid August, I had agreed to take the position of Logistician in Lankien, South Sudan... and the ball started rolling.

Now the recent past:

There was a distinct change in life after the confirmation that I was going to South Sudan. Maps were consulted, news reports of Sudan were all the sudden very interesting, and much reading was done.

My flight to Amsterdam was on the 5th of Sept. I wanted to have a couple more weeks with Christina before going south. I am working again with the Holland section of MSF, so all my more important briefings are at that office in Amsterdam.

After a couple of weeks with Christina in Germany, I was back to Amsterdam and again, talk of Sudan consumed my many thoughts. The briefings went well, and finally I was ready, again to "go to Sudan." My mind was filled with many answers, but like religion, the more answers you have, the more questions you have, and the less you feel you know. I think, just like discussing the afterlife, one has to go there for some time and experience it, to really become an authority.

So, early Saturday the 20th, I headed to the airport and let KLM take me south. (KLM really do a good job.) It was a day flight, and the skies were clear. We passed Frankfurt, then the Alps came into view, like ripples in a model scene of Europe. Then came the Med Sea, and the movie! After the movie, I looked out, and there was sand, lots of it, everywhere, and nothing else.
Soon after, was still sand, and more sand, and even after that more sand. The next movie came, and afterwards, more sand still. The on-flight screens show the position of the plane on a map (KLM is great!) We entered Sudan, and at one point, we flew over some clouds. Based on the map, we were over the approximate area of Lankien, my project location. That sounded right, they were still in the rainy season.

Wow, we flew right over the project location. I was sipping a cold beer, watching the animated movie Finding Nemo, just after a nice meal. I bet if we crashed there, and the movie still ran, the people on the ground would have surely thought we were from another world, which, suspended 10,000m above them, at that point, I truly was. I won­der if they would walk out of their tukels (mud-walled huts) clad in beads and little else, holding a spear, just finished their grain meal (the same as the day before, and the day before that) and watch the unusual line being drawn in the sky and wunder what that is. For those who haven't seen it yet, refer to "The God's Must be Crazy" for more thoughts on that.

I landed in Nairobi with my game face on. Unusual place, heard lots of stories, and must be on my toes to differentiate fact from fiction. The customs went well, no problems. The visa desk was good too, even with a little test by the lady who "forgot" to give me my change of $10 US. Welcome to Nairobi.

I arrived at the guesthouse, and within 15 minutes I along with three other expats and a national staff escort we went out for some food and entertainment. Great night out, and a good intro to Nairobi. Nairobi is nice. Everyone says, "hello," or "Good day," as you pass in the street. I still laugh at the advice people have told the air, (in my presence), back home "we have to teach those people in Africa how to live properly, and civilized." When was the last time someone said, "hello," to me in Toronto?

My briefings have gone well. I have a good background to the politics, and struggles (both militarily and medically) that the people in Sudan have been going through. As for the project, yes I know the basics of the layouts, the activities, the problems, the good parts, the frustrations, the common stolen items, and the types of flies that frequent the latrines. But like religion, for everything I know, I realize I don’t know even more.

I have a feeling of sailing into a fogbank. The water ahead is unclear. I can call the team on the radio, and hear everything is well, but I cannot see ahead more than a little. Under my feet I feel a sturdy ship, MSF. MSF has flown me across oceans and to far off places and back, without problems. Every time I arrive there are drivers waiting, and people expecting me. I credit good organization to this coincidence. And it is not only in pick­ing up expats at the airport, they are also consistently good at how they do what they do, and consistent with security policies and procedures. For these reasons, I am comforted, and confident I am in good hands, as I head north to Lokichokkio, then into Sudan.

Well, today turned into yesterday as I return to finish this email after another night out. Now Today I head to Loki. One more briefing here, then a flight, and three more days of briefings in Loki, before I fly to Lankien for... briefings. Right now I am reading a 20-page document about the influence of oil exploration and drilling, and it's influence in the war, in South Sudan. Last night was an assortment of readings, including "Violence, Health and Access to Aid, in Western Upper Nile." Very specific, and applicable stuff.

The direction that the projects head in are decided by those factors, oil, the conflict, the politics of the tribes and clan and governments and commanders that have switched sides, etc. Fortunately the people making those decisions have been in, or involved in South Sudan for the last 10 years +, and know this stuff like their own family politics, or better. I have just scratched the surface, the child that has heard of a God, and asked, "what is God?" or "Why is there a conflict in Sudan?" There are simple answers, and longer ones. I think after 9 months, I will know the basics.

Well, that's it about how I feel now.
The stuff I know about the project is that it is very basic. The mud huts (called tukels) which last about 1 to 1.5 years, there is a fridge, but that is for vaccines not beer, the electrical system is basic (solar panels to batteries to radios and computers, that's it.), the food is canned, but fresh food in every 10 days or so, the clinic is next to the living com­pound, patients don't take the Sunday off, flies are common, staff are starting to steal a lot, food goes bad quickly, it is hot, etc. etc. I also know that this project is very signifi­cant in the results it produces. Kala Azar has claimed approximately 100,000 deaths in the area over a couple of decades, and epidemics are likely, if cases are not treated early, before the population with the disease grows. This intervention is important that way and many others.

Personally, it is a chance again to thank the forces that have given me all I have. As well, from my first trip south to Guatemala, my eyes have started to open to how others live in our world. I have stepped outside my life in Toronto, and now I want to look around the corner too. I sometimes don't like what I see, and often I am disgusted, but I prefer to see, than not.

My expectations for this mission are that it will be difficult at times, and frustrating at others. However, this may be my most insightful look yet. (Funny way of doing it, trav­eling half around the world to look inside.)

That is all for now. I will try to write often, for I have heard from many of you that you appreciate these emails. I am keeping these as open and honest as I can, since you are friends and family I trust and love, or friends of, and just as welcome to my thoughts.

Cheers everyone,

Steve

P.S. Also I can receive emails at the project. Please only send them in a few weeks, once I have settled there.

The email address I can receive at is: msfh-ssudan-kilo1@amsterdam.msf.org

The same email rules apply there. No photos, no attachments, cut off the previous emails, and put my name in the subject line. These restrictions are because the email is downloaded from an expensive satellite, and shared with everyone.

The address to send packages is the Amsterdam office. The address and labeling are as follows:

Steve Dennis (South Sudan)
c/o MSF Holland
Plantage Middenlaan 14,
P.O. Box. 10014
1001 EA Amsterdam
The Netherlands

Since it will be carried into Kenya from the next expat in, it will take some time, and it should be under 1 Kilo. Further, it may be opened, so please no sharp items (airplane.)

It would be nice to hear from people once or twice, or so; or if you produce a music CD, book, etc I would love to have a copy.


Message #2 September 27, 2003

Hi Mom and Dad.

I arrived today in Lankien. Everything is well. It was a little unsure if I could get here today. The airstrip was still wet this morning, but the plane had to go to other locations first. With a little help from the community, enough of the water was removed, and the strip dried, and we landed safely.

Lankien is a very interesting place. As suspected, this is much further away (in time and space) from Canada than Sri Lanka. We flew out of Loki at 0630, and after 5 minutes, there was a whole lot of nothing, followed by more nothing. There is nothing out here.

The mud huts in Sri Lanka had concrete floors and nice roofs, these are a little... less like that. Quite spartan, but livable.

The clinics that we run are very big, almost as big as the hospitals in Sri Lanka, however, the patient numbers are much larger, and everything is made out of mud and grass. It is really quite interesting, and I can see many many challenges coming up. I haven't found out about how pictures are perceived here, but I hope to get some good ones to you next time I am out in Loki. (~2months). It is really a bit different.

Well, it is late, everyone is going to bed, and I will too. The temperature has dropped to approx 32 degrees, and I think I can sleep. I am now remembering the heat I found in Sri Lanka. I forgot that I don't particularly like that, but I think I'll stay.

Good night, cheers,

Steve