Jonty: On Sunday 24 March 2013, Su and Peter Riddell in Oxford hosted a Safari Dinner in aid of Initiatives of Change's South Sudan project. If you’ve been to the Initiatives of Change (IofC) house in Oxford, you’ll know that if Su stations a course on each floor you’d need nothing short of a Duke of Edinburgh Bronze award to get your fill. This was our Safari, and it attracted a good thirty-something other dinner tourists alongside Leanne and myself. As it turned out, the event became a bit of a ‘journey of reconciliation’ for us too.
This was Leanne’s first IofC social event, and I’d just happened to have moved into the Oxford house basement, where I’ll be living for some time. We were also joined by a fresh bunch of other IofC first-timers.
Leanne: Not only was it my first and a somewhat unconventional style of IofC fellowship, it was also my debut as a photographer: I’d just purchased a brand new camera for my up-and-coming trip to Israel and Palestine with the British Arab Exchanges (BAX). ‘Say cheese!’ doesn’t always go down well as a first time greeting. But people warmed as two gentlemen involved with IofC – John Bond and Jim Baynard Smith – managed to both inform and energise the guests introducing the South Sudan initiative. This made my mission a little easier.
Each plate wielding arm, chattering mouth and warm embrace of young and old alike became animated with anticipation for the South Sudan Initiative. Serving, being served, informing and being informed, eating together, philisophising and sharing stories, the evening drew on in the spirit of friendship. We felt welcome.
Jonty: We raised £300 on the night, but more importantly we built enthusiasm for the project and its aim of equipping South Sudanese citizens to play a full part in building their new-born country. The Safari gave me greater resolution to daily cross the extra distance from ‘outsider’ to citizen, to build my home here in Oxford.
We were reminded that home is where you build family. In a much more dramatic way, South Sudanese must learn to trust others again, bring life to wounded relationships and somehow cast new friendship out of nothing but bitter memory. Though the conference there has been postponed, the training initiative for citizens began tonight within us.
Leanne: We were happy that we got to share in the same spirit in which the South Sudan government initiated the journey of healing with IofC. A big, warm thank you to Su Riddell, her team and everyone who helped.
Leanne Messham and Jonty Herman
English