Introduction- and Background Information

Greetings all,
My name is George Cole-Duvall, I just graduated Valley High School, in West Des Moines Iowa, in May 2011. My parents are both Episcopal Ministers, The Rev. Mary Duvall and The Rev. Milton Cole. At a Church Convention my father met Father Samuel Peni, upon seeing him my father noticed that his suit wasn't tailored and he was standing alone. So my father, The Rev. Milton Cole went up and introduced himself. My father learned that Mr Peni was from the Sudan, and was in the United States to finish up his Seminary program, thus a relationship was born. Last year in March Father Samuel Peni became the Bishop of Nzara and my father went to his consecration in Sudan, Africa.

Bishop Peni presenting certificates naming The Rev Mary Duvall and The Rev Milton Cole Canons of the Cathedral in Nzara

I applied and got accepted at the University Of Northern Iowa, but I wasn't sure if I was quite ready for college. After conversing with my parents many times about this up coming college year, my father suggested that I go study with Bishop Samuel Peni in Sudan. 
A referendum took place in Southern Sudan from the 9th to the 15th of January 2011 on whether the region should remain a part of Sudan or become independent. The referendum was one of the consequences of the 2005 Naivasha Agreement between the Khartoum central government and the Sudan Peoples's Liberation Army Movement. On  February 7th 2011, the referendum commission published the final results, with 98.83% voting in favor of independence. This independence will take effect this summer on July 9th 2011. 
After learning this, my father and I went to the University of Northern Iowa, and presented the head of the Study Abroad Program with this idea of me spending my first year of college in Southern Sudan, and be there for the birth of the new country Southern Sudan. My major is Political Science so what better place to be at this time than the Sudan. The directors of the Study Abroad Program, Dr. Cornish and Dr. Meredith were nothing but eager to help and assist me as I embark on this journey, and for that my family and I are very grateful.
Throughout the years, for each of my birthdays, starting at age 16, I asked for people to make donations to the Sudan for Samuel Peni and his community in-lieu of receiving presents. I raised a little over $4,000.

Bicycles purchased in Sudan from the
money raised by the "Bike-Run-Stroll"

After my father's return from the Sudan, in March of 2010. He told us about the consecration, how wonderful it was, but also that priests from all over Sudan came, and most of them walked. Some walked as far as 105miles. So my parents and I hosted a "Bike-Run-Stroll" at Raccoon River Park, in West Des Moines Iowa. The turn out was great and we raised $1,234 to get bikes for the priest in the Sudan so they can travel more efficiently. Each bike had a front basket and came with a flat tire repair kit.  


At Valley High School our jazz band, directed by Joe Turner and David Kobberdalh, entered the Essentially Ellington Competition. This is a nationwide competition in which each entering band must record and submit the performance of 3 Duke Ellington Charts. Over 110 bands entered and our jazz band, the Valley Jazz Orchestra was selected as 1 of 16 finalist. We made our way to New York on May 11th, and performed on Saturday May 14th 2011 with Wynton Marsalis as one of our judges.
It was essential that I finish my high school career before the trip to New York, so i can fly out of New York and make my way to Africa. I was able to finish high school 3 weeks early, and gave up walking across the stage at graduation in order to be in Southern Sudan.
In Southern Sudan it costs $35 to educate a child for a year and with all the money I have help to raise I have been able to educate over 170 kids in the Sudan.
Durring my time in the Sudan I will be documenting life, my experiences, the emerging new country, and anything else of interest, as well as learning Arabic. I will also be acting as a teaching assistant, and help teach English to the students that I helped raise money to educate. English that will be the dominate language of Southern Sudan as of July 9th 2011. I will be teaching trumpet, piano, and guitar there as well. I am bringing 2 trumpets, a guitar and a keyboard. I plan on leaving 1 of my trumpets there as well as the keyboard and guitar for the community to use. It will also be my job to bring music to the Cathedral there, and act as the Youth Missioner of the Episcopal Diocese of Nzara.
I am very much looking forward to this experience and further updating everyone about my experience!