Freedom!!

Independence! Today is the Ugandan independence day. We're only a few miles from the border so it was a big day in Yei. There's also a large group of Ugandans that works for Samaritan's Purse on this project in South Sudan. (The area is so poor and war-torn for so long that any sort of skilled labor is nonexistent, thus Ugandan and Kenyan workers fill most all skill positions). Anyhow, Yei had an all day celebration commemorating the occasion, capped by a highly competitive, once a year soccer match between the New (S) Sudan and Ugandan teams. A Ugandan friend, Andrew, who turns out was the primary striker for the Ugandan team, invited me...I couldn't miss this! My first real adventure in town was unforgettable! I was dropped off by a 4-wheeler (quad) into Freedom Square (the center of town) where there is a regulation soccer field...ok maybe not regulation. The field was all murram (like a mix between gravel and clay), no grass at all, bumps and ruts comprised the terrain (mostly from washout and vehicles) with between 5-7,000 Sudanese surrounding the playing area. It was nuts!! The feeling was intense walking into downtown, looking for my Ugandan friends as the only westerner among thousands of natives...needless to say, I didn't find them, they found me..HA.
6'4 with a bright red jacket with the words "EVERYONE LOOK AT ME!!" written across my chest. Actually, in 15 minutes I felt perfectly fine. Anyhow, back to whats important...the game was incredible, the energy was electric. A few minutes in I was hooked....OK, I'll publicly admit it...I now like soccer. Now, I feel much better. Uganda dominated the first half but only led 1-0 at intermission. Second half was all New Sudan. They scored an incredible goal following an acrobatic bicycle kick pass that sent the place bananas. 3 minutes later Sudan scored another improbable goal...but...offsides! Now, the place really went wild; people flooded the field, a dog was running around nipping at people, guns were going off (OK, not really any guns) but you get the point....bonkers is the only word to do the atmosphere justice. Well, the game ended in a 1 all tie, which was probably the best result for civility. Andrew played very well although not too many scoring chances. Left just in time to get back before dark, probably a good call on such a night....Anyhow, miss u all. Keep Praying HARD! Love me.