Once in the air we fly over Germany, Austria, Bosnia-Herzegovina, the Adriatic, and the barren wastes of Egypt. By then it is too dark to see past the French student between me and the window. He's headed to Nairobi to do a finance internship "at a startup," he tells me in a heavy French accent. He is "verrrreee ex-cited." Not as excited as me.
On the other side, pinning me in the middle seat so I have to eat dinner like a chicken with immovable wings, is a social anthropologist from Norway who has done extensive aid work in the fairly newly created South Sudan. He's a fascinating guy and a great source on all things East African. About the only question he has no answer to is "What do you think it is about the human condition that creates all this conflict and misery -- tribalism, western nationalistic imperialism, genocide of fellow Africans etc.?"
"It is very complicated," he says. We are interrupted.
When the conversation begins again, he steers it in a different direction. I never circle back around, fearful of seeming too zealous (he knows I'm on a mission trip). I have built rapport with this former professor over a few hours and have really come to like him. I have raised the question, but not provided, even tentatively, what I know to be the answer. Lord, why am I sometimes do bold? And at other times so timid? Father, would you not hold my sin against this man.
We land, more sleep-deprived than ever, but glad to (eventually) be reunited with all our boxes. They end up on one of the ministry's WW II era trucks (Nazi actually) for the two day drive to Lodwar. The rest of us board a small bus to stay at a religious center. I Instant Message with Doreen on Skype for a few minutes then turn out the light around 1am. We're up at 3:10 am to leave for the airport at 4am. Lodwar. Here we come.
