We Came, We Saw, We Grew!

We think, all too often, that we know everything. We think we know what is wrong with others. We think we know how other people should live their lives, after all, our way is the "right" way. When we take the time to know others, however, we quickly learn that there are many "right" ways. We have seen these past weeks that that the pictures we had of the people of Sudan are sorrowfully wrong in many, many ways. Khartoum is a very safe and engaging city. Citizens of Sudan will help you when you need help...they will not walk away and leave you in need. They are very upset that there is a very good chance that their country will be broken in half following the referendum to separate the south from the north on January 9th. They do not sit by and watch as foreigners come and do things to help...they join in and work with you. They hate war. They love their families. They love their communities. They will fight for what they believe is right. You see them smile a lot. Despite an income that would have most Canadians turn up their noses and say "no thanks, I would rather go on employment insurance", most Sudanese will make it work and still maintain their dignity.
At the YMCA schools we visited, both adults and children alike, Sudanese would so anything to get an education in conditions that we would probably walk away from back home. Children sit under modest sun shade on benches in spaces called rooms only because they have 3 walls of mud and bricks. and are excited they have a chance to learn. Teachers of good quality but earning only a modest incentive respond to the enthusiasm of these children and help give them a chance to become providors and leaders in their communities. And they do just that.
At the adult school, young adults and teens will travel for hours each day to reach the YMCA school located on the fourth floor of a downtown office building that turns its elevator off in the middle of the afternoon to conserve electricity. No one complains. Everyone climbs those stairs without railings and in the dark because on the fourth floor is an opportunity. They get there and they are smiling. They work hard. They too are becoming providors and leaders in their communities - some of those communities are over 20 kilometers away.
As all this happens, the YMCA choir sings of joy and thanks. And they share their music with all who might be interested. In all of this thre is no concern whether one is a Christian or a Muslim, a male or a female, a wealthy or poor person. They are all part of the Sudanese community and who can say that this is not right. There are many "right" ways to live our lives.
So at the end of the day, who learns from who? Who enlightens the lives of others? Who changes the lives of others? We learned. We were enlightened. We were changed. We are the benefactors of this partnership.
And thus ends the visit of the four westerners who travelled afar. But it is only the visit that has ended. The learnings, enlightenments and changes in our lives will continue. We came, we saw, we grew.