Unfinished Business

In a few hours, Kim, Helen and Nancy will be leaving Sudan to return to Northern Ontario and their respective YMCA's. The visit has been full and it has been memorable for a host of reasons. Meetings with community members, YMCA members, YMCA Board members, staff, students, CIDA officials and embassy officials have filled hours of time but have also provided information and plans for the future.

But, we are not finished yet. There is still one full day of activity and meetings to go and a lot of unfinished business to try to wrap up. We have visited programs of the Khartoum YMCA and have tried t learn more about the Sudanese culture and the city of Khartoum.

Today we met with the Board of the YMCA and learned a great deal about the Khartoum association and its operation. (Picture above). It is a vibrant and growing association that has overcome a myriad of obstacles over the years to become stronger and more effective. The meeting place was Khartoum's newest hotel (picture above right) shaped to resemble the sails of a large boat.

While driving through Khartoum's famous fruit and vegetable market, we saw much of the older Khartoum - unfinished buildings and amazing outdoor stall after stall of fresh fruit and vegetables.

We finished the day with a relaxing evening with Rejean Halle and his wife at the Coptic Club in Khartoum. Rejean is an official with the Canadian Embassy and has recently started a two year stint in Khartoum. Tomorrow we move away from the policy and administration side of the YMCA and move back to the programs.

Stay tuned for more.