Traveling from Juba to Pajok

      Before leaving the U.S. for South Sudan, the director for the group, Don Humphrey, expressed concern as to the condition of the road from Juba, the capital of South Sudan to Pajok, near the border with Uganda. While it is a major road from the capital of South Sudan going into Uganda, the road is in dreadful condition. Even when it is dry the road is difficult to navigate. But, add rain and mud and the road can easily become impassable.

         We are to the halfway point in the 90 mile journey when the rains start coming down heavily. It comes just at the time we are about to get off a tarmac road and make the remainder of the trip on a dirt back road. In moments the mud becomes evident, and as we continue the trip our progress slows, and the mud and water grows deeper.

             The last 28 miles of the trip takes us 8 hours. At each drip, and every massive sinkhole and puddle, we question if we are going to sink in and not get out. A little after dark we make it to Pajok. As with the road we are faced with very remote conditions, and we have had to bring our water and flood with us from the U. S. and from Juba. It is the beginning of a week of work and evaluation of a series of new programs being carried out in this new nation.