Cruising the Highways and Byways - Part One: To Garia

More like byways in this case. It's high time that I got out of Mundri and saw a bit of the rest of South Sudan. And this fall I started off with a trip to Garia - along with teammates Michael, Christine, Caleb, visitor Dough, and Sudanese hose Suleiman (a teacher in our local Secondary School).  Our purpose: to visit the home village of Suleiman where his community of local farmers has organized itself into a farming cooperative that is showing rave results. I was super excited - to see what they were growing, how they were working together, what they were accomplishing, and how it was helping their community. And I was not to be disappointed.

First on the line-up was the 30 mile trek to Garia - one that took 2 hours by car on a tiny path that only we in S. Sudan could call a road. The jolting was a rousing education in aeronautics as Michael navigated the rocks, mud, man-eating holes, and green crusted swamp pits. That, along with stimulating conversation, jiving ipod tunes, and the relatively untouched bush of S. Sudan flashing all around us, made for a most enjoyable trip.

Upon our arrival, we were welcomed most heartily. The farmers were ready and waiting. We gathered in a circle to introduce ourselves and then discuss the nature of the visit. They served us delicious kerekede (hibiscus) tea and boiled cassava, and before we knew it, we were off traipsing down little farm paths to check out their amazing fields of cassava, maize, and ground nuts.

Members of the cooperative are required to farm four feddans (close to 4 acres) of personal land, and then come together to farm for the cooperative. Funds generated from the cooperative land are used to pay for treatment or drugs for anyone in the community who falls ill, to pay for the hosting of visitors and other community events, and any other such needs that come up. I was totally thrilled and impressed. As Michael had preached not long before, God intends for us to work hard so that we have something to share. This is exactly what the people of Garia are doing - coming together to provide for themselves, and to have something to give in order to be a blessing to those around them.

After only one year of organizing the project and getting digging, many farmers were able to buy zinc roofs for their houses (a highly coveted commodity as it lasts longer than grass thatch). They had more than enough food for themselves and their families. Despite the challenges of water (the bore holes are approximately 1.5 kilometers from their office and work sites), and the horrible road that makes it difficult to transport goods to market where they can be sold, the farmers were already seeing visible improvements in their lives and community.

In a place where countless non governmental organizations and big aid have come to conduct workshops to help South Sudanese develop themselves, there has been very little true observable change and development. But this rag tag community has taken stock of its resources (highly fertile land) and started to use them for its benefit. What these people have accomplished as they put their heads together and refused to wait for the government to come improve things for them, is truly commendable. 

As we tour a larger scale farm in Garia, Michael demonstrates how to enjoy the sweet, succulent core of certain grasses to Christine. She wasn't so impressed. :)

While touring the farm, I kept seeing these. Any guesses? They looked like quill pens, some the length of my arm from my fingertips to my elbow. I finally asked someone what they were . . .  What prize should I give to blog reader that guesses correctly??