We are Known by the Mark we Leave. . .

"What are you doing, mister?"

"I'm painting the door to make it look good"

"Why?"

"Someone important is coming"

"Who?"

"You!"

It may have lost a bit in the translation, but such was the jist of the discussion a volunteer at the Gabarona YMCA school had with a young student trying to sneak a look at the improvements being made by a group of volunteers from Gabarona (across the Nile from Khartoum on the outskirts of Omdurman). The volunteers were from the community who just wanted to help the four of us and Dr. Wageeh William, President of the Khartoum YMCA on a day when the 370 youthful students were on a holiday. This has definately been a highlight of the first several hours of our Khartoum visit and we are anxious to return on Tuesday when we will be joined by some key officials from CIDA and, of course, 370 kids. The school, believed to be one of only 3 in an area of over 100,000 persons displaced from Darfur, the Nubian Mountains in the north, and the war-torn south. The children were more than excited as they congregated outside the school gate laughing and impressed with their images on the screens of our digital cameras.

After a smooth entry into Sudan and registration at the hotel, we had a brief opportunity to enjoy a meal ane then join a group of YMCA board members, volunteers, CIDA officials and Canadian Embassy staff at the home of Dr. Wageeh as we were warmly welcomed back into the extended YMCA family in Khartoum. Delightful music by the YMCA choir and instrumental presentations by Dr. Wageeh's three children set an amazing tone of acceptance and working together to help solve issues they are dealing with in their community.

We were fortunate to pay a visit to the home of Cirisio Soka, an artist who carves amazing pieces of ebony from the raw product as part of Dr, Wageeh's business. In the photo above you can see one of the pieces as he holds it for us to photograph.

Today we began to experience what the Y does extremely well - engaging the community to make a better community for everyone. Today we had a vivid demonstration of how the perfection of the mark on the wall identifying the YMCA program is nowhere as important as the mark it leaves in the lives of the people it engages.

Stay tuned for the significance of dates in the Nile.