When I was in college, there were always a few people who straggled in after classes had officially started. Usually they were on vacation with their families or high school friends. Occasionally they were sick. They always made it back before a big dent in the syllabus had been made.
At the college, a big contingent of students reported back over the weekend, after having missed two full weeks of class. This was rough on their church history professor, who has already completely covered Martin Luther. The British interim administrator has been known to complain about people's timing being the most difficult challenge in running the college.
In morning prayers, everybody gave their greetings and their excuses. No last minute vacations per se, but the list did put their tardiness in perspective. Most of the recent crop are Zande, from Western Equatoria, on the border with Uganda. Northern Uganda, the source of the notorious Lord's Resistance Army rebel group. One student was late because he was getting his family settled in a new city that was safe from the LRA. Another was ambushed on his way to school a couple weeks ago. Five fellow travelers died, and the survivors had to wait to get a new car and an armed escort. A couple others were sick or had sick children. One's sister died on the day he was supposed to return. And last but not least, not one but two students had their tukuls eaten by ants and had to build another so their families would have a place to stay.
Our administrator didn't miss a beat. He congratulated the students on leaving peace and security behind them and heartily welcomed them back to school, with a reminder that their goal would always be to leave behind such peace wherever they went.
Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. - John 14:27
Photo courtesy antbase.org,
http://antbase.org/ants/africa/lepisiota/lepisiota_nsp_sudan_jm074_species_2/lepisiota_nsp_sudan_jm_074_2.htm
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