Mission Accomplished

On November 12, 2023 Sila posted a photo of himself, on the airport tarmac wearing a patterned green shirt, back in Canada. Sila left Juba on November 9th after almost 3 weeks in South Sudan. Now, he’s back to his home in London, Ontario.

“My mission to South Sudan Juba was accomplished. Thank you to my friends and mentors for all your support and because [of] you the purpose my mission was successful. Now, I [have done] my part, would you do your part? I’m looking forward to future engagement. I’m doing good and I loved the place — South Sudan, Juba.”

Sila set out for Juba to bring the perspectives of Mabaan to the people making decisions about the country. Through years of steady relationship building he has gained access to leaders in South Sudan who don’t always get to hear the authentic voices of Mabaan living in Maban County. His work in Juba was about presenting a different perspective to those who have the ability to change the way that Maban County is managed. To share his views he set out to work with the political system, but also to challenge people in the system to listen differently than usual.

So, what does it mean to have accomplished his mission?

Based on what I’ve heard, it means that he stuck to the process: met with the people that he wanted to meet, listened as much as he spoke, learned as much as he taught, and shared his perspectives with confidence and humility.

It doesn’t mean that he changed the world in a few weeks, but he’s returning home proud of his actions.

He boarded his flight to Canada knowing that he was going to miss an important meeting that grew out of his work in Juba. The date of this meeting is yet to be determined, but if it goes ahead it has the potential to give Mabaan a chance to be heard in a new way. In a perfect world, Sila would have waited for this meeting to happen before returning home, but this time he accepted the limitations of his trip, and returned to Canada.

Last night Sila and I spoke for an hour, while he waited to pickup his oldest son from karate. I heard about the specifics of his meetings and about the possibilities for the future. I do my best to follow the implications of each story, but in truth I’m always thinking about my friend, wondering how he’s balancing his (at least) two worlds, and wishing for both worlds to understand what he’s doing. I asked him how reconciles the time away from his family in Canada with the work that he is called to do in South Sudan:

“We understand that it isn’t only about us, it’s about the broader community.”

Earlier this week he said something that builds on this broad view of the human family:

“Our work is not just about sustaining Mabaan; it is the sustainability of South Sudanese people.”

I hear what he’s saying and know that he sees the deep connections between all human people. I see them too, but that doesn’t entirely calm me down. I worry about what it could mean to see the world in such an interconnected way; to love others as you love those closest to you. It can be hard to explain the choices that you make when you see people outside of the nuclear family as your siblings, your family. The work that I do with Sila brings me face to face with the tension between love for what we might think of as “your own” and the real power of love for all.

Earlier in the week, Sila described the humility of his vision for what is possible if Mabaan are supported:

“The students we support were very excited as they learned about my arrival in South Sudan. One of them called me and told me that he is working outside of Maban County…Currently, two students we supported in Juba and Uganda are doing exams and without support these students would not have reached this stage.”

What I take from this reflection is that when we take care of Mabaan, they have as much ability as anyone else to do good in the broader community. This work isn’t about lifting Mabaan above others, it’s about recognizing that they too have the capacity to contribute to a stronger South Sudan.

There is much more to share about Sila’s trip to South Sudan and I’ll make sure to keep writing, but for now, I’m happy to write, “Sila made it back home, to one of his homes, safely.”

This article is written by Adam Fearnall, a member of the Worga Foundation Executive, executive coach, writer, and personal advisor to Sila Joshua.