Small Victories, Simple Pleasures

There were a few unexpected blessings this past week. The first occurred when I went to the vehicle registration office on Wednesday. I went to ask for a letter to allow me to register the Land Cruiser (the "Mary Mobile"), that arrived this past May, at the motor vehicle office in Juba, Central Equatoria State, because there had not been licence plates available for Eastern Equatoria State (of which Torit is the capital) for five months. I was concerned about being able to take the vehicle into Uganda to welcome the mission team which will arrive there in January. To my surprise, the officers told me the new plates had arrived the day before! So, we registered the vehicle then and there. I am now proud to be driving a duly registered vehicle with plate numbers EE 003A. Apparently the Mary Mobile was the third to receive new plates.


Last September my Communion and Liberation friends in Nairobi gave me an espresso pot and coffee as a farewell gift before leaving for Sudan. Unfortunately because almost everyone here cooks with charcoal, the pot and coffee lay dormant for an entire year. When I was in the US in September, Fr. Richard Roemer, CFR, told me about a camping stove that he uses when he does his annual solitude retreat at a state park in New York. Not only does it use special camping fuel, but it can run on unleaded gasoline as well - and there's unleaded gas available in Sudan! I picked one up at Campmor in New Jersey (life in Sudan has made me much more aware of camping equipment) and brought it with me. Last week I had my first cup of brewed coffee here - and it was good!


I had the pleasure of making the beautiful trip to Katire again yesterday, driving up into the mountains through the enchanting teak forests. I was amazed to discover that since the previous Sunday a new bridge had been almost completely constructed and installed over the first small ravine along the journey.


I return to Katire tomorrow for Baptisms and First Holy Communions. It's their patronal feast day, St. Martin De Porres. We'll be showing a video about his life. I hope to post photos from the event later this week.