IN THE END

Regrets? Some.

1. I was never able to whip a goat. But maybe they don't deserve to whipped after all they are goats and why would you want to whip one, instead I ate them. Lots of goat meat in this kowaja's (no idea how to spell that word... it means white person or foreigner) belly.

2. Never bought a donkey, and oh my god I should have. They are the worst treated animals here in Sudan. Hell, is coming back to Earth as a Sudanese donkey. I won't go into any details.

3. Wish I had spent more time out working on patrols instead of in the office, that really is not for me. This would be other than the poor donkeys my biggest regret. I have always known that I like being out in the field so to speak doing the hands on instead of in the office doing the paperwork.

Things I am grateful for:

1. So many, the people I met, the adventure, the entire experience. The run, especially the outcome truly amazing. And just so everyone is up to date, the money is going to feed the kids but they have to go to school to get the meal and we are also going to provide sporting and recreational activities at the school which will hopefully keep them interested in school and also benefit not just the most needy but a much larger group as in all the kids in the school.

2. Family

3. Home

4. Canada

5. Love

ka alasse ( i think? spelling?...)

GOODBYE ABYEI!!!

On December 13th we finallly boarded the chopper for the last time to depart Abyei. The night prior was pretty quiet, though on the friday our colleagues held a going away party for us which was a lot of fun. Two of the Dutch UNPOL's orginized it so we had our introduction to a number of Dutch drinking games like spijkepooper and cokhoper (spelling), or something like that. Here are some photos..... silly Dutch. In spijkepooper you try to get a nail that is attached to you into a can or a bottle. The other one is basically eating a cookie hanging from a string while you are blingfolded.

So the 13th December we finally said our goodbyes and saw the last of Abyei, Sudan that we would see for quite sometime. I have to say it has been an awesome experience for me. Awesome because of the people you meet and work with who bring their own special way of looking at the world and at policing to the job and regardless or because of those differences you manage to laugh your butt off... together.

Awesome because of the challenges that you face in dealing with those people and with the people you are there to help. Challenges like trying to explain community based policing theories to someone who has spent 90 percent of his adult life as a rebel soldier in a brutal war that is not only ethnically based but inter-tribal, meaning village on village. A war that lasted many decades, intermitently for almost 50 years.

Awesome because of the frustration you feel when you need thirteen stamps from thirteen different offices on one document so you can travel to Khartoum for a course and to go home.
Awesome because of the extreme environment you exist in when you are in Sudan, going from searing temperatures, to mud that would hold fast the largest trucks, to nights so cool that you need to put on a fleece and then back to the heat. A land that around Abyei at least is so flat rivers curl back on themselves for miles and miles then just end in the middle of nowhere.

Awesome because of the kids, they kept it real for me. Heart-breakingly real, but real nonetheless, which one needs when you are faced with such an alien environment.

And awesome because regardless of that alien environment people throughout this world have so much in common, one thing which I particulary like is that we all love to laugh and it doesn't matter if you are from Uruguay, Abyei, Ghana or Canada, everyone laughs at this one

Two cannibals are eating a clown and one looks at the other and says, "does this taste funny to you?" (thank you Splinter)
Do not read too much into that.

So to, Deon, Wayne, Jon, Peiter and Grant ( from Australia ), Mohammed, Ahmed, Ragy, and Samir ( from Egypt ), Edward, James, Alex and Joseph ( from Ghana ), Suresh and Mahendra ( from Indian ), Soud, Malek, Faisal, Saad, Osama, and Nesar ( from Jordan ), Roy and Bartho ( from Namibia), Bishwa and Anand ( from Nepal ), Michel, Jacobus, Matthieu and Michel ( from The Netherlands ), Robinson and Etsu ( from Nigeria ), Shah and Sattar ( from Pakistan ), Attila, Mehmet, Meshut and Hasan ( from Turkey ), Christopher ( from Uganda ) Yony and Luis ( from Uruguay ), Francis and Roy ( from Zambia ), Bright and Truman ( from Zimbabwea) and to my country mate, and friend Wanda, thank you for all for your support and letting me represent you for a short, crucial period of time, but most important thank you for making me laugh and laughing with me.

To the Abyei UNMO's your support and enthusiam for sport and the job you do is exceptional. To the TCC's the Zambian, Indian, and Kenyan deployments thank you for keeping us safe.

To the Indian Signals thank you for worrying about us when we are late to report in or more than likely forgot to.

To all the civilians, Head of Office, Civil Affairs, Resident Co-ordinator Office, UNDSS, Human Rights, RRR, DDR, CITS, GSS, Transport and everyone else who spent so much of their time in Abyei and working extremely long hours, thank you for all your assistance and making my time in Abyei such a positive one.

Most importantly to my family, my wife, the love of my live, to my princess, and my two best buddies, thank you for joining me on this mission, you weren't physically here with me but you were most definitely a huge part of it, a bigger part than you probably wanted to be, and for the sacrifice and hard work and time spent without me, thank you for the last nine months. I love you all more than you can ever know.

I originally thought I wanted the next picture, the last picture in the blog, to be a sunset but I think this one is more appropriate, this is the last sunrise I saw in Abyei but the first one for the rest of my life, the start of a new chapter in my life, and I hope and pray a new and better chapter in the lives of all those I leave behind in Abyei. God Bless.

THE RUN OF A LIFETIME!!! posted by Kirk's wife- Heather

HE DID IT!!! After a gruelling 34 km in the desert sun and sand, Kirk da Silva of Collingwood, Ontario, Canada completed his goal of running a marathon to raise money for the orphaned kids in Abyei region in Sudan, Africa. Through sheer determination and commitment to the cause he was able to complete the entire run despite re-injuring his IT band 45 minutes into the run. With the expertise and support of Kirk's friend and colleague Wanda (fellow Canadian officer), he was able to endure the pain of his knee and complete his goal....all 34 kms. He couldn't have done it without your support Wanda. Kirk also wishes to thank all those who contributed to the run day support. Although it was not the time he wanted- we know Kirk gave it his all and we sure are proud of your accomplishments Kirk. You have lead the way to make it possible for so many of us to contribute to the lives of those children that need and deserve the money you were able to raise. Kirk also wishes to thank everyone at home and abroad who made all this possible through your support and generous donations but mostly we wish to offer you our......Congratulations on your Once In a Lifetime Run Kirk~!

Getting ready to start the run early in the morning to try and get lot's of distance covered before the rising of the hot sun. Kirk's support team.

Going it alone.....

Bringing it home

Still standing

Thanks to all members of Kirk's support team.

Going to hit the showers back at Camp.

THE BIG RUN IS HERE

OK it is here....Kirk's big run is happening at 11:00pm our time and 6am local time on Friday. Kirk is absolutely pumped and ready. He told me today that he was going to sleep in his running clothes so he is ready as soon as he gets up. I hope he is able to sleep. Kirk was home for a week and he trained hard. For those who know our area he ran just about to Meaford from our house. He got a runners injury on his IT band during his next big run but with the help of some skilled therapists he should be in top shape for running tonight. Join me and our family in wishing Kirk the best on his run and send him all your positive thoughts. Kirk will have all the numbers at the end of the week as there are still some donations coming in (let us know if you still want to make a donation- it may not be too late). We can't wire it as their are no banks in Abyei. And thank you for all of the people that have helped to make this little idea a reality. I wish we all could be there to cheer Kirk on. It will be quite a show to see as Kirk has a support/security force going with him. Strong Legs Kirk!!! We'll be cheering you on in our thoughts!!! Stay tuned for pictures and updates.......

RUN FOR THE HOMELESS UPDATE

Thank you for all the support and encouragement that Kirk has been receiving. Kirk cannot get on his blog right now as the UN has put on restrictions to the internet so he asked if I could provide an update for him. Kirk is training very hard right now in the hot Sudanese sun for the big run (34 km) on December 1, 2009. We are very proud of him and wish we could be there to cheer him on. 34 Km's is a long way and the sun and the sand are only some of the obstacles. I was sharing with our kids tonight at dinner about the significance of how even small amounts of money can help children that do not have parents to care or provide for them. They have decided to find ways to raise money around the house and even donate their paper route money. Our kids are 5, 4 and 2 years old. If you have always wanted to help in some way to make a difference in Africa but didn't know how- we would love for you to join Kirk in his fundraising run. Stay tuned on the blog as Kirk or I will update as to how his training is going. Sincerely, Heather (and kids) on behalf of Kirk.

RUN TO ASSIST HOMELESS CHILDREN IN ABYEI AREA

Children as is usually the case in all conflicts make up a large cross section of the victims and that is no different here in Abyei. Many homeless children are orphaned because of the war and some are as a result of hardships in the aftermath of the war. The homeless children now living in the Abyei and Agok areas are estimated to be approximately 280. They spend there time begging and at night some of them are given shelter in the market of Abyei by the local police who have a post there. These children have no access to health care because they have to pay a fee to use the public health system, they do not go to school and there is no established social assistance in the area.

I would like to ask for your help in raising funds to assist the homeless children in Abyei Area. On December 1st 2009 I will run from Abyei to Agok, a distance of 34 kms and I am looking for sponsors to sponsor me per kilometer. The money collected will be placed in trust with the local catholic church in Abyei and with the Order of Mother St. Theresa an organization the has been in the area for approximately 8 years. (there are no banks in the town) and used to help set up a network of assistance for these children.

If anyone is interested in sponsoring/donating please let me know through my email address and I can put you on the list. For those of you who know where to find them, my wife and people at work in Orillia also have sponsor forms, FYI. Thank you in advance.

By the way, I have never run this far before, I do a bit a running and have been involved in track and field back in high school but just so everyone knows this is going to be quite the challenge for me. I am confident though that come 01Dec09 the first 34 kms I put on my new pair of running shoes will be in the red dust of Sudan. (I might be looking for a new pair of lungs after lol)

Third and Last Time

I got back to Sudan after a rainy and sick two weeks at home but don't get me wrong, it was great being there. Got to help out on the new paper route the kids are doing, some skating, I need lessons more than Camden does, and just being there was all good.

when I left I had to get all bundled up in Canada it was only about 10 degrees so I had a big sweatshirt on and when I got to Khartoum I thought for sure I would be sweating buckets but it was actually nice and cool there, oh about high 20's at 6 pm. It is usually still in the high 30's and you can feel the heat radiating from.... well, everything.

A very non-eventful flight back didn't loose any bags which I happen to have filled with food for the next two months so that's a good thing. I made back to Abyei after to usual day and a half in Khartoum. So I am back in the office.... boring, boring, boring. So I have a plan to fix.... run a marathon, here in Abyei (No I am not on crack but wish I were, it is going to hurt). Well almost a marathon. Checkout the next post to see exactly what I am talking about.