January Trip -- Part 2 -- Family

This is one of three blogs in a series, sharing highlights of my trip to South Sudan in January 2018. The series includes Part 1: Fortune, Part 2: Family, and Part 3: Future. Thank you for sharing this journey with me!  ~JacobThe second important group of people I met was my own family. When I was a small boy, I had shared with my brother and cousins a dream I had experienced.  I saw myself in a white collar, standing before my people as a spiritual leader. My cousins didn't like my dream.  They thought I should join the military or go into politics. No one in our family has ever been a pastor, they said.  Even at my ordination, some were still objecting. So, how would they now receive me?Jacob's youngest sister, Angeth (2nd from left), and his step-mother (3rd from left)I thank God to report that my whole family welcomed me back to our home village.  They roasted goats and had a feast in my honor. Best of all, they all expressed support for my plan: to build a school, or many schools, in our area and to lead our people in spiritual renewal.L to R: my cousins, a professor at the University of Juba, an Army General, myself, and another Army GeneralMy step brother, Bair Atem Ayiei, is now a chief of our village, Jalle-Juet.  I spent time with him and also with my younger cousins, nieces, and nephews. This reminded me that the young people will be the leaders of our community and our country in the near future. This knowledge motivates me to continue our project, and build a school that will educate the leaders of tomorrow.Jacob's brother, Biar, chief of Jalle-Juet village (seated in 1st chair on right); Jacob is seated in chair 2nd from right.In my next post, Part 3 of this series, I look to the Future and the children who are the future of our country, South Sudan. This is the current mission of Africa Sunrise Communities -- to build a school on land we recently acquired, and to help develop the next generation of leaders in our community. Part 1 of this series, Fortune, describes how far we have come to date.To learn more about my journey as a Lost Boy, read my book,  The Lost is Found; my story of being a Lost Boy from Sudan, coming to the USA and going home again. (Details and reviews on Amazon at https://tinyurl.com/ybk2tdwc.) ________________________________________________________________You can also follow these posts on Facebook and on Twitter (@africa_sunrise).

_ArticleApril EberhartAngeth, Biar, children, family, jacob, jonglei