Inspiration......

I meant to add these photos in my last post but I was short on time.  As you can see things are very simple for the people and for the UNAMID personnel that work in this mission.  The one thing I can say about the people of Darfur is that no matter how hard their living conditions are and the experiences they have been through they manage to have a smile on their faces.

Awhile back one of the Canadian Police Advisors from UNMIS (United Nations Mission in Sudan) wrote about his experiences in South Sudan.  He titled his letter  "I shall not pass this way again" which is a line from an inspiration poem that he found.  He mentioned that this poem reminds us to do the best we can with the time that we have:

"I expect to pass through this world but once.  Any good thing, therefore,

that I can do or any kindness I can show to any fellow

human being let me do it now.  Let me not defer nor neglect it, for I shall not pass this way again."

Stephen Grellet, 1773-1855

 

A village just outside El Fasher.  You can see how they construct their homes which they call Tukuls.

 

While I was in Zalingei my friend Ron from South Africa had us over to his tent for dinner.  As you can see from the picture you have to improvise when it comes to cooking.



While I was on patrol in Zalingei we came across a water pump where all the women and children were standing around with their empty water jugs.  We stopped to speak with the women and found out that the pump was dry and there was no water for them to collect.  This was very difficult to see and how helpless I felt not being able to help them.



The Zalingei IDP Camp hospital.  There were many women and children patiently waiting for

medication and treatment. 



Interacting with the children in the Zalingei IDP Camp



Our Nigerian Formed Police Unit's APC. This is only one of the vehicles that is used

 to escort us while on patrol.



Hassahissa IDP Camp (Zalingei).  We came across 14 widows who had just lost their husbands after being attacked by the rebel faction movements in Darfur.  The women had to flee their village with their children and have relocated into this IDP camp.  They have been without food and water as they are still waiting to be registered with the World Food Program.

This is my friend Shakila from Rwanda.  She is showing me her living quarters in the Zalingei Team Site.  There are no air conditioners and what you don't see in this picture are the girls that are laying on the floor of the tent trying to keep cool as it is so hot in the tent.  There is no privacy and no where to put any of your belongings. 

Women and children heading out to collect firewood.

 

I came across this little fella while I was patrolling the Zalingei IDP camps.  He cannot be more than 5 years of age carrying about 8-10 litres of water back to his home which is many kilometres away.