He had committed to help those affected by the government’s genocide in this beautiful but turbulent land. It lay along the Lol River in a setting so breathtaking that it rivaled man’s thoughts of paradise. Despite the danger, Paul was bringing much-needed aid to the village of Warkou in the province of Bahr al-Ghazal. Sometimes Feed the World (FTW) had permission from the government in Khartoum to deliver provisions to the starving masses caught in the civil war strife, but not today. Paul did not intend to lose his Mitsubishi MU-2-a twin-engine turboprop aircraft, the missionary cream of the crop-to any Muslim bent on destroying or confiscating food and medical supplies targeted for the needy civilians. He was the intruder, the only one who had not dwelt among the southern Sudanese for centuries. The mystery and splendor lured him in, like an intoxicating spell that refused to let him go. The sensation greeted him every time he flew over Sudan. Birds scattered in a rush of flapping wings, rising above the tall grass into a cloud and soaring gracefully across the sky until they found another spot to roost.
Herds of gazelle, antelope, and zebra, along with an occasional lion, dotted the plain-some finding shelter from the scorching sun beneath a lone tree while others raced aimlessly about. He could see for miles across the vast southern Sudan. Captivated by the lush earth below him, he scanned the area for signs of government soldiers who might have his plane in their sights. Paul Farid drew in a breath and held it, the magnificence of the unfolding springtime terrain filling his senses. WARKOU, ALONG THE LOL RIVER IN SOUTHERN SUDAN
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