Sudan Crisis

“We’ve just arrived in Southern Sudan, and despite having been to nearly 150 countries (including some in Africa several times), I’ve never seen such a land of contrasts.  Its truly like visiting another world.  The Sudanese are friendly people and have many unique customs that are completely new to me.  For instance, they have a very unique greeting where men place their right hands on each others left shoulder and lean forward to say hello and then shake hands.  I did this to Gatbel’s uncle and he really got a kick out of my observing this custom.  When we sat down near the Nile river, a group of Sudanese were enjoying a pot of coffee and while it is ground, roasted and prepared fresh, the most peculiar custom is to have incense burning at your table while enjoying it.  As I observed their party intently, I realized that I was being observed even more!  I had guessed the blonde-haired,  blue eyes, Dr. Joan would have gotten the most attention of our party, but it wasn’t so.  There have been several Sudanese that have stared at me for minutes, in fact, one man during the coffee ritual stared at me the whole time.  I was told by Gatbel that it was because I was unique in being an asian so tall.  I kind of think its because we’re like the rainbow:  African American, Caucasian and Asian, two men and one lady, both young and old.   Solidarity!

Some of my assumptions have been dispelled here as well.  I figured that since Gatbel was Sudanese that those around him would be bending over backwards to help out.  While its true that his family have been fiercely loyal in helping both he and us, there is also surprising indifference and in some cases mild prejudice.  This is due to tribalism according to Gatbel.  While you may be Sudanese, you might not be of someone’s specific tribe.  While we were sorting out our visas, they gave us world class treament, and expedited us through the process.  However at the very end in the official’s office, Gatbel pleaded to no avail that he be spared the visa cost, being a native.  ”You are an American, you are no longer a Sudanese citizen since you’ve been naturalized.  Even the fact we were medical volunteers didn’t phase them either, they wanted $450 US for the 3 of us to come help the massacre victims.  While in customs, one of the officers held a 50lb box of medication just “because” and we will have to return with the local governmental authorities to break his hold on our supplies.  Sometimes to get past all the beaurocracy, corruption, and predjudice, you simply have to come and help yourself personally, rather than sending money since there is no guarantee that your money will go to its intended purpose unless you have a comitted and honest nation on the ground overseeing things.  This is where Gatbel has been invaluable,  he is thrifty and efficient (he shopped around and got our passport photos for 50 cents each and done in 5 minutes) and most of all, as far as principle goes, he is as firm as a rock.

Yet even he isn’t able to hide the fact that our group is from the states, and that people try to take advantage of us for money.  We thought we did quite well at $70/night for two twin beds in Ethiopia, but things changed in Southern Sudan.  We got a small 10×10 room built with mobile-home type materials with a bathroom without hot water nor towels nor shampoo/conditioner with dial up speed internet all for $130 US *a night.*  Keep in mind the average laborer is earning $15 *a month* here!  The extreme poverty sometimes weans people from their inherent ties to country and culture.  Poverty sometimes drives people to beg as well, however all of the 1/2 dozen beggars we saw so far had clear disabilities and none of them were obese.   Blindness was the most common, followed by missing limbs, and then mental illness.  However I wasn’t prepared to have a man slowly strolling down the street in broad daylight, completely naked!  He didn’t seem rushed or embarrassed at all, and to my chagrin neither was anyone else on the street near him!  Gatbel commented that this was a manifestation of mental illness.  Given our 90 degree, 100% humidity weather, I must confess that there was a significant part of me that envied him somewhat.

Please pray that customs releases our equipment and *finds* my largest bag of equipment (67lbs) as well as my missing camera so I can show you more pics!

Thanks for all your continual prayers and support of our work through the Islita foundation.

Tim Riesenberger, MD, MPH, FACEP
Field Physician for The Islita Foundation

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