Friday 13th August

Got up early this am, could not sleep, thinking of dressings so I thought I would just watch and listen to the sounds of South Sudan. At about 6am still very dark, the first cock crows over in the father’s compound. The flutter of the hens as they do a crash land from their roosts in the trees. Dawn starts to break. Streaks of pink fill the sky as I peep over the tukal (thatched hut) towards the bougainvillea. The ringed doves now start their soft calls along with the hornbill which is quite harsh for this time in the morning.

The compound slowly awakes. I can hear the sisters starting to stir getting ready to go to mass in the small chapel just over the fence. The first children have arrived at the water pump and the clatter starts as the pump stirs in to action.

At 6-45am a clanging sound as someone hits a large piece of metal against the rim of a car wheel hanging in the tree outside. This is to remind people that mass commences in half an hour (South Sudan's way of calling to prayer a bit different to that in the North!). As no one has watches here this is quite handy. Your alarm clock.

This is the best time to see the small birds. A family of red cardinals fly overhead and land in the frangipani next to my room, The male is just so red as the name suggests. The day has begun.