Newsletter online .. for my english-speaking friends!

Dear friends,
First of all welcome to my blog if this is the first time for you to have a look of it! I decided to put my newsletter on the web so it is easier to access and you can have a chance to see some pictures as well. i know you will struggle to try to understand something from the posts in italian .. sorry i can send you an overview in english if you are very keen of and let me know..

ok, here I am once again writing to you all.. (after long time!)
I will try to give you a brief update on this mission in South Sudan.
I apologize if you did not hear from me so long.. Writing is not my passion but I hope I can still improve in this and share more with you in the future!

My start in South Sudan
I had a very intense time since I arrived in mid February and joined the team here. Since the very moment I left Italy for South Sudan I was aware of getting involved in a challenging medical program in a remote area, but of course being on the spot is another thing.. I needed a bit of time to get settled again and be fully involved in the medical program, but I must say that after some years of moving around in Africa, I start to get used to face lots of changes, challenges, traveling, extreme wheatear, live in new places with a bit of security issues related, what else.. oh yes, eat weird food and deal with quite unique peoples sometime.. but also it is so nice get to know local people, other Christians and live among them.. All this is part of the work I am doing.. so I still enjoy every part of it!

North- South experience
Well, after having spent one full year in the northern part of Sudan, in the Nuba mountains, and also some months in Darfur, I am having now a chance to work and explore the southern part, so now I have a full picture of the Sudan. Here God surrounded me again with fantastic Medair people to live and work with!
I must say that I am really grateful to God for the possibility I am having once again to be involved and work with such a great Christian organization. We are carrying God’s work in reaching the forgotten in the most unreachable places, giving our small contribution in bringing relief to the suffering and neglected, the poorest and vulnerable, and overall we can share every day God’s love and bring hope to the Sudanese peoples.

My working place
Medair opened in February a base in Melut town in the Upper Nile state, with the aim to start a Primary health care program for the people of this area, through the opening of 4 Primary Health Care Units in key villages and one Primary Health Care Center in Melut Town.
My job consist in supervising and organizing the work in the health centre in Melut, and of course encourage, train and support the local staff. We have more then 10 local health staff which are doing an outstanding job giving assistance to more than 300 patient per week. On the top of this, we have a nutrition program for malnourished children, a vaccination program and training for local midwifes (or TBA, traditional birth attendant).
We plan to start other two vertical program in the next months, with the opening of tuberculosis and Kala- Azar clinic alongside the PHCC, but this will be implemented happen after our new health center is completed. At the moment we are still giving health care in big tents. Thanks to God construction had began and in few months we will have a nice team house, a nice office and a proper clinic, made with bricks!

Team life
Our team is quite a big international team and has got a good number of Kenyans, which is great. God is indeed blessing and enriching us when we have devotion and worship time together. It is nice to see how God is at work in everyone and realize He is the reason why we are all there.

Local church
There are few churches in Melut town and I am attending one of these, where the service is translated in English alongside Dinka and Arabic! I have a good contact with one of the pastors and we want to do something in the future in some villages around.

General Situation in the area
There is a delicate situation in Sudan at the moment. In the peace agreement signed by north and south sometime ago there were lots of conditions, deadlines for both the parties to respect. The 9th of July 2007 is quite an important date: the soldiers of the northen part (SAF, Sudan armed forces) will have to leave from the south part, and as well the SPLA ( Sudan People Liberation Army) have to move and leave the northern part. This seems is not happening so far and situation at the moment is a bit tense. Please pray that Peace will prevail and continue for Sudan.

Prayer points:
- Pray for the leaders of these nation, both from north and southern part, and for this delicate situation in these days. Also for security of our team on the ground. In Melut there is a huge presence of soldiers from both parties and we need God’s protection and guide in getting right decisions for the team.

- Pray for local church, that can be strengthened, can grow and be bold bring the Word of God in the villages around not reached yet.

- Thank God for the good health he is granting me and pray that he would continue to keep me safe and healthy, so that I will be able to carry out the job he has given me to do in South Sudan.
- Please pray for my team in Melut. Unity in the team is a pillar and we want to preserve and strengthen it.

- Please pray that the construction of the health centre and of the team house goes smooth and can be finished soon.


Thanks to you all for support and prayers!

A big hug
Nico