A Trip of a Lifetime! A Brief Introduction

Before I delve into a brief introduction of my trip to Sudan I wanted to thank everyone for following and participating in this blog. I hope to provide an educational and unique perspective on Sudanese culture, politics, and history through these posts.

From Boston to Khartoum--not an every day trip as you can imagine. I will be traveling with my wife, who is founder and director of Sudan Reach Women's Foundation, her two brothers and beautiful mother.

My itinerary includes:
- An overnight 6.5 hr flight to London on British Airways, followed by several hours of waiting time between flights to Beirut, Lebanon. Praying all goes well from now until Sunday, given the current tensions in the area.

Then off to Khartoum!

Goals and Expectations:

This trip can be measured as "vacation" only by the time I'll be taking off from work. Sure, I'll participate in family events, weddings, religious ceremonies, and historic detours but I can't lose site of my purpose.

Sudan is a land of contrast. While Khartoum, the nation's capital, may show signs of development, progress and extreme wealth nearby villages and towns are strikingly dissimilar with extreme poverty, disease, and lack of infrastructure.

It is in these areas my heart will be put to the test. I cannot dare prepare for the emotional and spiritual challenge that I will encounter on this trip.

A basic introduction to my trip. (I'll post details of each event along the way.)

First stop, Khartoum, the capital. We will be staying in a town called Alamarat, one of the oldest neighborhoods in Khartoum—an active, bustling, mix of homes businesses, foreign organizations, and some of the best restaurants.

We will visit historic Omdurman, where we have family. The largest city in Sudan where you can find the home of the legendary Mahdi, Sudanese military leader who inspired his people to victory against the British. Historic sites there: National Museum, the tomb of the Mahdi, and exquisite, exotic markets. Also in Omdurman we will be attending a family wedding. We will spend time in Bahri, North of Khartoum where we also have family. Known for its famous Souk Bahri or “Bahri Markets” and the incredible Saad Gishra, one of the largest, most exciting, bazaars in the country.

We will visit the Island of Tutti. Tutti is the place where the White Nile and Blue Nile merge. There is a small village in Tuti. People say see you can actually see the difference in color where the blue and white Nile meet! The Nile: River cruises, dining, etc. Mugran…hilarious amusement park. Some of the best restaurants on the country are along this strip of land. Also the beautiful Grand hotel and the super moderm Elfatih towers, a newly opened luxury hotel with excellent dining.

In Meroe we will be visiting a most enchanting city to see the ancient (and original) pyramids. A site that’s largely undiscovered and simply breathtaking. And hopefully get to ride camels there too!

The Sudan-Reach Women's Foundation: We will oversee the construction of the feeding station in the town of Haj Yousef--a very impoverished area. Will also visit the Mygoma orphanage, the Sajanna orphanage and several girls school. In Tutti, we will visit with and meet Darfurian families who will be the recipients of much needed aid supplies and donations.