Looking
Toward Sudan
30 January 2004
Recent news from peace talks among the Government of Sudan and the Sudanese
People’s Liberation Army (SPLA) suggest that progress is being made. The
civil war in Sudan that has lasted, off and on, for over 20 years has
claimed the lives of millions of people, wrecked the country’s economy, and
created one of the largest refugee and internally displaced people movements
in the world. With tremendous outside political pressure and diplomacy from
the U.S., Britain, and other European countries, the warring factions have
taken steps toward giving the south some political autonomy, crafted an
agreement on how to share the rich oil fields mostly in southern areas of
Sudan, and brought the hope of peace closer than it has been in years. Such
news should also cause Christians around the world to pray for a new
opportunity to enter southern Sudan to begin mission work, bring relief, and
help the embattled Christians who have suffered through one of the greatest
persecutions of modern times.
The Mbale Mission Team (Uganda) feels God has been leading them to
facilitate some kind of mission outreach into southern Sudan for almost two
years. Contacts were initially developed through Voice of the Martyrs
missionaries (Al Hamilton and Mike Smith) working in Nimule, Sudan. Their
brief stay in Sudan gave us important Sudanese contacts living in that area.
Through some limited financial support, the Mbale Mission Team (MMT) was
able to host seven Sudanese men for several week-long Bible courses during
2003. These times of fellowship allowed MMT to build friendships, trust, and
a general knowledge of the need and opportunities awaiting mission work in
southern Sudan.
Some initial news of this beginning outreach to Sudan reached the States in
October of 2002. An effort to build interest and financial assistance for a
Sudan mission has borne some fruit. First, Sam Shewmaker, a long time
missionary and current professor to Harding University, visited Nimule,
Sudan in July 2003 along with three student interns interested in missions.
They brought back pictures, reports, and information vital to spreading the
word about Sudan.
Shawn Tyler’s recent visit to America also yielded fruit for Sudan. During
the United for Uganda meeting held at Quaker Avenue Church of Christ in
Lubbock, Texas, Sam Shewmaker gave a brief report on Sudan using powerpoint
and video. He reports a tremendous opportunity for mission work including
the government’s willingness to give us 5 acres of land and a large building
in which we can hold Bible courses. Local officials in Nimule have requested
us to begin an English class and to return as quickly as possible. Sam
returned to Harding University seeking to raise funds for specific projects
in Nimule. A goal of raising support for using Kenyan evangelists to begin
initial mission work was established. Shawn reports that during his furlough
an anonymous supporter has pledged to give $500 a month toward the goal of
seeing the mission work get started with Kenyan evangelists. The Denbigh
church has agreed to add another $200 each month to give us a base fund of
$700 a month for beginning missions. Added to this, individuals have
contributed more funds to help with survey trips, immigration paperwork,
benevolence, and mission projects. We begin 2004 with $11,000 dollars in
startup funds plus $700 a month for mission support.
Through much prayer and counsel, the Mbale Mission Team seeks to
accomplish the following activities between January and July 2004:
-
We plan to interview and select two Kenyan evangelists during our January
27-31 Bible course (advanced discussions have already taken place). If these
interviews go well, we will ask them to begin preparation by seeking Kenya
passports and developing local church prayer support. We will send out
another Sudan email introducing these men to you and try to provide some
background information for your prayer support.
-
We have already invited seven Sudanese men to Mbale in February for a
week-long Bible course. During that time, we will plan a survey trip to
Nimule and discuss how we should begin the work in Nimule.
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We hope to do a survey trip in late March or early April (with the Kenyan
evangelists if possible) to confirm opportunities for mission work and to
establish support for the reception of the first mission workers. During
this time we hope to develop a plan of action for the Kenyan evangelists
once they arrive. We will need to receive Sudanese government approval for
the trip and make arrangements through Mission Aviation Fellowship (MAF) in
Entebbe (both are prayer points).
-
We hope to send the two Kenyan evangelists to Nimule by May to begin
in-depth field research, preach and evangelize, develop contacts, establish
a mission compound and Bible school structure, mobilize interested
Christians, and start English classes for government officials.
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We are tentatively planning a second survey trip and a three-day Bible
course for interested Sudanese Christian leaders July 18-24, 2004. Dan McVey
of ACU is currently planning on coming for this trip and teaching the course
(another prayer point).
-
We seek to increase the Sudan email interest list (currently containing over
110 addresses) so that news and prayer points can be quickly disseminated.
Let us quickly state that all of these plans are tentative. The Sudan
government may go slow in approving our travel plans, or the Kenyan
government may be slow in producing passports (both are prayer points). The
Sudanese men coming in February may have some specific insights that will
alter our plans (prayer point). We recognize that some goals need to be
established, but we seek to lay them before God and request his direction
and timing. We would ask for your prayers as these Sudan mission plans
begin. It is our prayer that this will begin a new chapter of mission
outreach for Sudan.
Notes:
Additional contributions may be sent to Quaker Ave. Church of Christ 1701
Quaker Ave. Lubbock Texas 79416. Mark all checks: For Sudan.
If you know of anyone else who would be interested in this list, please
forward their address to me.
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Forming a Team
20 February 2004
Greetings from Mbale, Uganda!
During the last week of January (27-31), we met with Kennedy Obura and David
Bikokwa, both Kenyan evangelists, during our Bible courses at Mbale, Uganda.
I have known both men for several years. We had spoken with them on previous
occasions about the possibility of beginning mission work in Sudan and had
asked them if they were willing to consider moving there to work. We asked
them to pray about it and to speak with their wives, family, and home
churches for counsel about such a move. It wasn't until the Lord established
some funding that we invited Kennedy and David to Mbale to talk about Sudan
again. In our town office, we prayerfully outlined the dreams and plans we
felt God was laying upon the Mbale Mission Team. We described some plans for
the months to come and asked if they were willing to become partners with us
in such a venture. They both said, "Yes!" and smiled broadly. After a long
visit we layed hands upon them, anointed their heads, and prayed for them.
After prayer, we presented them with a cell phone to enhance our
communication with them while they continue to prepare for moving to Sudan.
The phone can receive a Ugandan phone signal just outside of Nimule, Sudan.
So, Kennedy and Daivd will be able to call us on a regular basis or in case
of emergencies. With the purchase of a phone chip in Kenya, we can talk with
them in Kenya while they make plans for Sudan.
A few days later, we met with Kennedy and David in Kitale, Kenya where they
were able to bring their wives and children for the following pictures.
David and Anna Bikokwa along with their two sons.
Kennedy and Mary Obura along with their son.
Prayer Points:
-
Kennedy and David are working on passports for them and their wives. Please
pray they can receive them before the Sudan survey trip April 1-6.
-
Pray for our February 24-28 meeting with eight Sudanese men who will be
attending our Bible course. Our plan is to introduce David and Kennedy to
them and seek their guidance, blessing, and encouragement for the beginning
of a mission work in Nimule.
-
Pray for the survey trip April 1-6.
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Zechariah
Manyok Biar
14 March 2004
Greetings!
I wrote the following account in April 2002. I thought it important to
remind some of you of Zechariah and the losses suffered by so many Sudanese.
Look for Zechariah's picture below.
Many people would be shocked to know that thousands of Christians have been
specifically targeted by Islamic government troops for horrific torture and
death in southern Sudan. Even though Sudan has had a long history of
conflict (1955-1972), this newest war between the mostly Christian south and
Muslim north began in 1983 when the current Islamic regime came to power.
The people of southern Sudan formed the Sudanese People’s Liberation Army (SPLA)
in an effort to protect themselves from the Islamic military aggression of
the Government of Sudan (GOS). Since its birth, the SPLA has been
under-manned and poorly equipped. Often times it has had to resort to
guerrilla tactics because it could not win a face-to-face conflict with the
better trained Sudanese army. Arms were smuggled in from Kenya and Uganda to
help the SPLA. Uganda’s president Museveni has close ties and friendship
with John Garang, the current leader of the SPLA, and therefore, the
government of Uganda has been politically and militarily sympathetic to the
struggle of the SPLA. This friendship has caused problems between the
governments of Uganda and Sudan. For several years, the northern GOS has
sent weapons and support to Joseph Kony, a rebel leader for a group called
“The Lord’s Resistance Army.” This is a huge misnomer, because Kony and his
group reside in southern Sudan and have made numerous raids into northern
Uganda to kill, steal, and capture female children to be sold into slavery
in northern Sudan.
After September 11th, the United States reportedly put private pressure on
the Sudanese government by demanding that they stop aerial bombardment of
SPLA positions in the south. Additionally, the U.S. has recently listed
Jospeh Kony’s rebel group as a terrorist organization. Uganda’s newspaper,
the New Vision, reported several months ago that U.S. forces were in
northern Uganda helping Ugandan troops train in military exercises. Rumor
has it that Joseph Kony is being pinched in southern Sudan by military
operations coordinated by the SPLA, Ugandan Army and U.S. “advisors.” In
connection with these events, Ugandan telecommunications is reportedly
setting up towers in northern Uganda in the face of Sudanese Government
complaints. These towers will allow cell phone usage in much of southern
Sudan – aiding communication among SPLA units. Also, there seems to be
construction going on for a bridge spanning part of the Nile river that
would connect northern Uganda with southern Sudan. Then there is the
not-so-publicized office for the SPLA rebel government in Kampala. This is
the place one needs to visit if one wishes to enter the southern regions of
Sudan controlled by the SPLA.
Current politics, however, is not my main reason for writing this letter. My
real aim is to put a face and name on the many suffering Christians in
southern Sudan. My desire is to make you more aware of their suffering and
to promote more prayer and help for our brothers and sisters in persecution.
Zechariah Manyok Biar is a good example of one of our Sudanese brothers. He
is a young man who was born into the Dinka tribe (the largest tribe in Sudan
with over seven million people) in Juba, Sudan in 1974. He says he does not
know the day or month of his birth – just 1974. Zechariah is a little over
six feet tall and very thin – common of many Sudanese men. He has a ready
smile and warm handshake which often includes a shake with the right hand
while placing his left hand on your right shoulder – a custom among his
people. Because of the war, Zechariah only made it to fourth grade. At the
age of fourteen, Zechariah joined the SPLA. It was while serving in the army
that Zechariah learned English (to go along with his Dinka and Arabic
languages) during medical courses and theological training. Zechariah, who
suffered the loss of one eye while still a child, served as a
chaplain/soldier until 1999. Today, Zechariah is a priest in the Anglican
Church seeking university training in Mukono, Uganda. I have had the
pleasure of meeting Zechariah and visiting with him about his life and
experiences in southern Sudan.
Zechariah tells me he is not married. He says army life and the resistance
has not provided the opportunity of a normal life for him. Also, Zechariah
says he must wait until his older brother marries before he can find a wife.
When I asked how he looked for a wife, he related to me his tribal custom.
It seems that when a young girl is ready for marriage, the community of
young men begin a bidding war. They do this by going to her tukul (compound)
and placing a white flag in a tree. The larger the flag the more offered for
her hand in marriage. The going price for a bride in southern Sudan is 30-40
cows. It is not uncommon to find a tukul with a tree full of white flags.
Zechariah admits to not having done any bidding because he wants to complete
his education (theological training). He insists his older brother’s lack of
a bride is not the real reason for his waiting.
Zechariah’s story is important because it puts a name and face (for me) to
one of the soldiers in the SPLA’s struggle for independence. He concedes
that things were going very badly for the SPLA from 1983 until 1994 when a
turning point came in the battle of Kafwita. The SPLA had mustered together
several armored personnel carriers and a single ancient tank. These precious
pieces were mobilized and advanced to capture the town of Kafwita. As the
SPLA approached town, heavy artillery fire took out most of the personnel
carriers. The advancement stalled completely when the tank broke down and
was unable to move. Under heavy fire and loss, the SPLA soldiers lost heart
and fled the battle – except for one lone soldier who refused to surrender
the tank to the enemy. The oft-repeated account of the battle relates how
this single soldier hunkered down by the tank and held off GOS troops for
two hours – securing the tank. When SPLA soldiers saw the bravery of this one
soldier, they returned to the battle with renewed vigor. They captured
Kafwita and took the offensive against the GOS. To date, the SPLA now
control four of the eighteen regions of Sudan (Equatoria, Upper Nile, Bar el
Ghazal, and Nuba Mountains), and have partial control of Blue Nile. Everyone
living in southern Sudan points to the battle of Kafwita as the turning
point in the fight. The lone soldier has become a hero in southern Sudan. He
is widely known and respected. His name, of course, is Zechariah Manyok Biar
– a one-eyed chaplain with a humble smile and demeanor. Oh, Zechariah
doesn’t talk about the battle. I had to find out about his heroic efforts
from others. Zechariah speaks more passionately about Christ and his fellow
Christians’ struggle for freedom.
What can we do, should we do, to help the Christians in southern Sudan?
The picture below is Zechariah. His eye on the left of the picture was
removed about a year ago and he was given a prosthesis by an expatriot
doctor doing field surgeries.
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Sudan Blessing
25 March 2004
Greetings!
On February 24-28 three Sudanese men attended our Advanced leadership course
in Mbale, Uganda (Zechariah Manyok only visited for a couple of days). As
important as the course was, it was not, for me, the highlight of the week's
activities. That came in a special session when the Sudanese men met David
Bikokwa and Kennedy Obura, the Kenyan evangelists preparing to go to Nimule,
Sudan later this year.
We spent some time introducing ourselves to one another and prayerfully
outlining future mission goals for Nimule, Sudan. Some serious discussion
over plans, goals, and priorities were made thanks to the helpful input by
the Sundanese men.
It was very important that these Sudanese men accept David and Kennedy and
help the mission complete its goals. They will return to Nimule and prepare
for our coming visit in April. It would be extremely difficult to accomplish
anything without their support.
Pictured above: (standing are the Sudanese men) Joseph
Ajok, Joseph Garang, Zechariah Manyok Biar, and Lazarus Chui (Seated in
chairs) Kennedy Obura and David Bikokwa
Another important step in the preparations for Kennedy and David is
obtaining passports for them and their wives. Both families have submitted
forms and fees, and passports for Kennedy and Mary have already been
completed. We rejoice with them in this milestone for moving to Sudan.
What Can You Do?
Many of you have made overseas trips before and have experience in survey
trips. I would like for you to brainstorm this trip for just a minute and
then write back with suggestions of things we should do, look for, ask
about, take pictures of, etc. Think for a minute and ask yourself what you
would like to know about the area and people of Nimule. Write me back so
that I can begin a list of survey questions. Your help will be extremely
important in our making the best use of our time and trip to Nimule. We need
to leave March 31st for the trip, so let me hear from you before then.
Prayer Points:
-
Shawn Tyler and Zechariah Manyok Biar will visit with the Sudanese
Government (south) within the next two weeks about a proposed trip to Nimule
April 1-6. Please pray that this meeting will be successful and that
permission will be granted for the group's trip.
-
The survey trip to Nimule will have several items to accomplish:
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Safe Trip to
Nimule
8 April, 2004
Greetings from Mbale, Uganda!
I wanted everyone to know that we (Ian Shelburne, Dr. Ellen Little, Kennedy
Obura, and myself) flew safely to Nimule, Sudan April 1st and returned
without problems April 6th.
We traveled to Nimule to accomplish the following objectives:
1. To survey Nimule town - we did!
2. To gather information about goods and building supplies available and
their prices - we did!
3. To speak to local government officials about our working in Nimule - we
did!
4. To survey the Bible school building and any other assets that may come to
us - we did!
5. To meet with local church leaders about us doing theological training in
the area - we did!
6. To survey the Nimule hospital - we did!
7. To gather cultural and refugee information - we did!
8. To go and return healthy - spiritually and physically - we did!
I praise the Lord for our safe return. We are loaded with lots of
information, digital pictures, and good news about New Sudan. I will try to
organize this information and begin sending out more detailed reports in the
next few Sudan emails. If you have a specific question for me, write me
back. Otherwise, be expecting more emails about Nimule, Sudan.
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Survey Trip to Nimule, Sudan
1-6 April 2004
The following report was written by Ian Shelburne
15 April 2004
Getting There
Just after breakfast time on April 1 our company--Kennedy Obura, Dr. Ellen
Little, Shawn Tyler and Ian Shelburne--boarded a Missionary Aviation
Fellowship Cessna 206 in Entebbe April 1 and flew north over the Ugandan
countryside. An hour and forty minutes later the plane touched down on the
dirt airstrip just outside Nimule town. At first the only person in sight
was the cheerful soldier in shorts, gumboots and machine gun who greeted us.
Before long, however, a Landcruiser carrying our hospitality committee
emerged from the thornscrub alongside the airstrip. After a short, bouncy
ride into town, our hosts from the ECS (Episcopal Church of Sudan) showed us
the living quarters that volunteers from their congregation had worked hard
to make comfortable for us.
Our first two days in Nimule the weather was oppressively hot, even through
the nights. We were grateful when the occasional rain showers typical of the
equatorial rainy season kicked in and moderated the temperature for the rest
of our stay there. Our hosts treated us royally, bringing water for bathing
twice a day and keeping us well-supplied with food and drink. We couldn’t
help but think about how much easier our circumstances as visitors in Nimule
were, compared with the conditions with which the 12,000 or so internally
displaced people (IDPs) live there.
Nimule Hospital
One of our first excursions after getting settled in Nimule was a visit to
the hospital there. What is now an administration block was built in the
1970s. Another building, now housing the hospital lab, drug stores, and
gynecological/maternity ward, was added in the 1980s. The surgical, medical,
and pediatric wards, as well as a hostel for relatives attending to
patients’ non-medical needs, date from the early 1990s, the time of the main
influx of IDPs into Nimule.
The hospital administrator, Jacob Aguer, gave us a tour of the whole
facility. There were not more than seven or eight patients in the hospital
wards that day, presumably because of the shortage of drugs and other
medical supplies. We walked through the drug storage room and Dr. Ellen took
a general inventory of what they had. Certain categories of drugs were
reasonably well-stocked, such as anti-fungals. There was also a sizable
supply of vitamin supplements. Among the major needs that Ellen identified
were anti-malarials and a variety of basic antibiotics. She made notes of
these and other areas in which external support might improve the hospital’s
ability to deliver treatment to the people around.
Jacob said that the hospital working at full capacity requires an annual
budget of about $250,000. We told him that we are not in a position to
underwrite the operation of the hospital ourselves, but that we would be
willing to make friends in the United States aware of smaller, specific
needs (such as certain kinds of essential drugs). Depending on donor
response, we might be able to channel this kind of assistance to the
hospital from time to time—but no guarantee.
Bible School Opportunity
Our primary objective on this trip was to learn more about the possibility
of helping to plan and provide for solid Biblical training to Sudanese
church leaders. Several years ago a man named David Louden began a teaching
program in Nimule to equip people for Christian ministry. When he died,
family members and others who had supported his work donated funds to
construct a building to facilitate the continuation of what he had begun.
The structure is roughly 70 by 35 feet and sits about one mile outside of
Nimule settlement by road. On three sides the land around it is completely
undeveloped for hundreds of yards.
Al Hamilton, working with Voice of the Martyrs for several months in Nimule,
built relationships with church and community leaders there in preparation
for a resumption of the work of the Bible school. Two years ago he invited
the Mbale mission team to consider providing teachers and curriculum
materials for this work, since we already have an active ministry training
program involving students from several East African nations. Dr. Mike
Smith, who also worked with Voice of the Martyrs in connection with the
Nimule hospital, spent almost a year with us in Mbale and further encouraged
us toward a role in getting regular Bible-teaching going in Nimule again.
Beginning in 2003, a group of seven Sudanese students began attending Bible
courses at our Mbale, Uganda campus. They confirmed both the need for a
Bible-training program in Nimule, and their strong interest in working with
us to facilitate it.
We took this trip to Nimule with a plan in mind of sending two veteran
Kenyan preachers, Kennedy Obura and David Bikokwa, to begin living in Nimule
and preparing the way there for a resumption of a local Bible-training
program for Sudanese church leaders. David and Kennedy both have extensive
Biblical training, as well as a wealth of ministry experience. They have
secured their passports and they have the blessing of their families and
their home churches for this mission. We were impressed with how readily
Kennedy, who accompanied us on this trip, made friends and began learning
about life in Nimule. As a Luo-speaker, he already understands much of two
of the main languages used around Nimule, which will be an enormously
helpful as he and his coworkers integrate into the community.
Two Letters
When we talked with the Magwi County executive director about the
invitations that we had received to help with a Bible school in Nimule, he
agreed for us to make use of the David Louden Memorial Bible School building
for this purpose (this was actually confirmation of approval that the county
commissioner had expressed to Sam Shewmaker during a trip to Nimule last
July). The executive director gave us freedom to say how much land around
the building we would like to have allocated for our use, so we asked for an
area 200 by 200 meters. Before we left Nimule, we received from the
executive director an official letter of permission to use the property for
the Bible School.
We also had a meeting with a representative of the Sudan Relief and
Rehabilitation Commission (SRRC) in Nimule. This is the official channel for
matters relating to visas and immigration in southern Sudan. We wanted to
obtain from the SRRC office in Nimule a letter testifying that they are
aware of our having visited there and of our plans to begin preparations for
operating a Bible School in that community. God blessed us with success in
this also. We received this letter along with the one from the county
executive director the morning of our departure from Nimule.
Two Fish
A key element in our strategy for this trip was to introduce ourselves and
some of our plans to the people and the leaders of the churches and the
community, but to avoid creating unreasonably high expectations in their
minds. We decided that we would rather promise little and do better than
promise much and fail to fulfill expectations. With this in mind, Shawn
adopted and repeated the phrase “two fish” to practically everyone we met.
He said we were in Nimule like the little boy who had only two fish and a
little bread to offer to Jesus. He put them in the Lord’s hands, and it was
God’s power that multiplied the small contribution to meet the needs of
many. We told the Sudanese people frankly that we do not have huge material
resources to offer, just “two fish” that we will place in the hands of Jesus
and see what he does with them.
The Next Step
We returned safely to Mbale April 6, after touching down briefly in the MAF
plane at two other large IDP camps in southern Sudan. Preparations are in
the making for David and Kennedy to come to Mbale for a time of briefing
toward the end of April. We hope to see them on their way to Nimule around
May 1 to spend most of the month there and then come back to Mbale the last
week of May for a course and to meet with us to discuss what they have
learned about living and working in Nimule. Based on their reports, we will
make further decisions about what is next for David and Kennedy in Nimule
and for all of us as partners together in the work there. Pray with us for
wisdom, for the funds that will be needed for development of the Bible
School facility and compound, and for additional personnel to walk with us
through this door that God seems to be opening before us.
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The Accomplishments of our
Nimule Trip
3 May 2004
Greetings!
It has been more than three weeks since we traveled to Nimule, Sudan by
small plane. I am still sorting through all the images and facts gathered
from the trip. Our busy schedule and my two trips to Kenya in April kept me
from writing an update about Nimule. That may be good in the fact that I
have had more time to process the experience.
Ian's report was definitely a good start in informing you about Nimule. I am
sure he and I both could write a lot more about the people, the situation,
and the open doors for evangelism. That may come with time. I have also
asked Dr. Ellen to write something about the trip.
Let me give an update on events here for your prayers, then I will add a
couple of thoughts about Nimule as well.
Today, James Luchivya, our Kenyan partner in missions, is traveling to
Kampala with all the forms, pictures, and paperwork to submit visa
applications for David Bikokwa and Kennedy Obura. I am hoping James can
reach the SRRC office before noon and be told to pick up the visas after
lunch - returning home before dark. James will call Zechariah Manyok, our
Sudanese friend and advisor for Nimule currently studying in Kampala, to see
if Zechariah can go with him to the Sudan office. If James is successful
today, we will call Kennedy and David and ask them to prepare for their trip
to Nimule as soon as possible. We hope to have them in Nimule for a few
weeks to gather additional information and then return to Mbale May 25-29
for study and for counsel on how to proceed. They will then return in June
to begin in earnest the mission work. David and Kennedy's family will not go
with them immediately. We need to develop a compound first before they can
move their families.
Impressions:
Just sitting and thinking for a moment, I would have to say the most
important thing we accomplished was to come away from Nimule with two
letters.
The first was written by the SRRC officer for Magwi County (pictured below)
acknowledging our visit and inviting us to work in Nimule.
This letter will be a good first step in obtaining the long-term work visas
for David and Kennedy. It will also be a test to see if our registration and
mission is considered legitmate for work in Sudan. The second letter came
from the Magwi County officials giving us a 35X70 building and more than 9
acres surrounding it. Below are two pictures - one of the front of the
building and another with Dr. Ellen standing inside. There is a temporary
reed wall behind Ellen to divide the large room into two parts.
This provides us with a piece of ground half a mile from town and from the
airstrip on which we can base ourselves and the work.
Before we left, Zechariah, Ian, myself, Kennedy, and a reverend for the
Episcopal Church of Sudan prayed over the building and land asking God for
his protection, blessing, and future work in southern Sudan.
This report is long enough. Let me write some more in another. Please keep
David and Kennedy in your prayers as they prepare to leave.
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Hospital Report
May 5, 2004
Greetings!
Ian mentioned our hospital visit as the first excursion we made after
arriving in Nimule. Let me give a few pictures of that visit corresponding
with Ian's facts.
What is now an administration block was built in the 1970s (not pictured).
Another building, now housing the hospital lab, drug stores, and
gynecological/maternity ward, was added in the 1980s (see below).
The surgical, medical, and pediatric wards, as well as a hostel for
relatives attending to patients’ non-medical needs, date from the early
1990s, the time of the main influx of IDPs into Nimule. (The surgery room
and wards are pictured below.)
The surgery room has shuttered wooden windows with a large barn-like
entrance. A fairly new generator can supply the hospital with electricity,
but a lack of fuel means emergency night time surgery is probably done with
a flashlight.
The beds in each ward lack the necessary sheets and blankets for patient
care. Being so close to the Nile River the beds are also without protective
mosquito nets that lower chances of patients contracting malaria. Difficult
cases are referred by radio (when it is working) to a larger hospital in
Lokichoggio, Kenya that makes plane pickups. The man pictured below lost
both his hands in a grenade accident and was not expected to live.
The hospital administrator, Jacob Aguer, gave us a tour of the whole
facility. The staff were polite and helpful answering any questions we
posed. Their dedication to do as much as possible for patients with the
little they had was truly admirable.
There were not more than seven or eight patients in the hospital wards when
we visited, presumably because of the shortage of drugs and other medical
supplies. We walked through the drug storage room and Dr. Ellen took a
general inventory of what they had.
Certain categories of drugs were reasonably well-stocked, such as anti-fungals.
There was also a sizable supply of vitamin supplements. Among the major
needs that Ellen identified were anti-malarials and a variety of basic
antibiotics. She made notes of these and other areas in which external
support might improve the hospital’s ability to deliver treatment to the
people around. (Dr. Ellen visits the maternity ward below.)
After the visit, Dr. Ellen sat down with us and provided several ideas on
how we could help with the medical situation in Nimule without spending huge
amounts of money. She suggested we consider some community projects that
would reflect our Christian concern for health issues in Nimule without
taking on something larger than we can handle. She suggested several low
cost activities that I have listed below.
I thought these projects would be an excellent way for you to challenge your
friends or church home to become personally involved in this new Sudan work.
Let me know what you think.
These are based on current prices and subject to change.
Worm Medicine - Buy medicine (Mebendazole) and deworm children
at two nursery schools. Could be done every three months for less than $50
per treatment ($50 could pay for enough medicine to help up to 5,000
people).
Iron and Folic Acid Tablets - Purchase medicine to distribute to
pregnant and nursing mothers in the churches around Nimule. This could be
done one time or every three months. Forty boxes of 1000 pills would cost
about $200.
SEE Ministries - Plan on having George and Diana Franklin conduct
free eyeglasses clinics in Nimule. We could conduct two clinics over a three
day period once a year and work on the logistics for getting the glasses and
Franklins to Nimule. I am sure the Franklins would appreciate any help for
airfare from Entebbe to Nimule (about $260 per person round trip not
including expenses while there).
Mosquito Nets - Purchase 75 nets to cover all the beds at the Nimule
hospital. At a cost of about $7 per net (treated with Permethrine), the
total project would be $525. Other nets could be purchased to distribute to
the widows of local churches.
Anti-Malarial Kits - Buy malaria curative doses containing in a
combination of chloroquin and fansidar. These could be distributed to
specific targeted groups within the community. Each kit would cost less than
50 cents per person.
Iodine Solution (for skin cleaning, wound care, after surgery, and
births) - A 5 liter container of iodine costs about $16. We could
purchase several of these for donation to the hospital.
In the event you are interested in helping with one or more of these
projects. You may send a check to Quaker Ave. Church of Christ, 1701 Quaker
Avenue, Lubbock, Texas 79416. Please mark the check for the specific
ministry you are targeting.
Kennedy and David are getting their papers in order with the SRRC office in
Kampala. They are almost ready to go and begin work in Nimule. I would
expect we could begin one of the projects listed above by July at the
latest. Please pray for us and the guys as they get ready to go.
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Dr.
Ellen Little's Report
Dear Everybody,
I hope you are all doing well, feeling God's blessings in your life. I'm
back in Uganda after a short trip to southern Sudan from April 1st to 6th. I
flew to Nimule, Sudan with Shawn Tyler, Ian Shelburne, and Kennedy Obura.
Shawn and Ian are missionaries in Mbale, Uganda, and Kennedy is a Kenyan
evangelist from Kitale, Kenya, and a long-time friend of Shawn's. We flew to
the Nimule airstrip in a Cessna 206, a six-seater piloted by Mission
Aviation Fellowship. It isn't considered safe to drive in northern Uganda
because of the rebels, so we flew over them instead. I had thought that
Nimule would be a small town, but actually, it is more of a large village.
My first clue, landing on the grass airstrip, was that there were no
buildings. A man wandered out of the bush to meet us, dressed in shorts, a
raggedy t-shirt, and rubber boots, and accessorized by a machine gun. He was
friendly, but didn't speak Swahili, Luganda, or English. And we didn't speak
Arabic or Dinka, or anything else that he did. Our pilot stayed with us on
the airstrip until a vehicle came along a dirt path to meet us, then took
off for another small airstrip in southern Sudan. The vehicle that came to
meet us was owned by an aid organization, but borrowed by our hosts, the
Episcopal Church of Sudan. The leadership of the local Episcopal Church of
Sudan (ECS) took us back to their compound, where they provided mud huts and
every meal for us for the next six days, and generally took care of us very
well. Here are some quick facts I learned about Nimule:
Population: estimated at 20,000, up from
5,000 a few years ago due to a swell in refugee population. Currently most
of the residents are displaced members of the Dinka tribe, whose homeland is
further north, and the Acholi and Madhi tribes, in whose homeland Nimule
rests, have fled further south into Uganda, where they are unfortunately
being picked off by the rebels who terrorize northern Uganda. Many are now
returning to southern Sudan, with the resulting land reshuffle. Never get
involved in a land war in Africa.
Electricity: none, except what may be
provided to individual houses by gas-powered generators or solar panels,
which would be at the compounds of the aid organizations.
Indoor plumbing: none. The Nile River is only a couple of miles away. And
there are some bore holes (wells) in town.
Number of vehicles: 26, of which 25 are
owned by 7 or 8 foreign aid organizations, one is owned by the county
authorities, and none are owned by private citizens.
Number of schools: three primary
schools, one secondary school, all teach in English
Number of paved roads: none
Number of hospitals: one, which is
pretty much defunct due to lack of funding. I brought a suitcase full of
medicines, which we donated to the hospital, mostly antibiotics and anti-malarials.
Telephone service: none, although some
of the aid organizations use short-wave radio
Number of filling stations: well, hard
to say. Technically there are two, but they are mud huts with owners who
bring fuel across the border in jerry cans and sell it to aid organizations.
There are no gas pumps, although southern Sudan is sitting on some pretty
rich oil reserves, so the potential is there.
Postal service: none. The nearest post
office is four hours away in Adjumani, Uganda.
Average height and weight of a Dinka man:
6' 5", 145 lbs. Okay, I made that one up, but it isn't far wrong. The
Dinka are very tall, and very slender, and many of them could not believe
that I am a grown woman. Many of the Dinka women are over six feet, and the
vast majority of the men are. They have some interesting traditional
dentistry that results in missing teeth or buck teeth, and many of the
adults have a v-shaped scar across their foreheads, a tradition that I'm
told is dying out. I didn't see any small children with this scar, which is
supposed to prevent or treat measles. (I recommended vaccination as an
alternative.)
Since independence from Great Britain in 1956, Sudan has almost continual
civil war, the Arab and Muslim north against the Animist or Christian south.
They agreed to a ceasefire several months ago, and terms for peace are being
discussed, with hope for a peaceful future. However, most people living in
Sudan have no memory of peace, and no frame of reference for it. Huge
numbers of people are accustomed to living as refugees, surviving on foreign
aid, and say that their children don't even know how to farm. And farming is
very, very important to virtually every African I know, even those who live
in the city. It was an honor to have the chance to accompany Shawn and Ian,
two seasoned missionaries with almost 50 years of mission experience between
them, and Kennedy, a mature and wise African Christian, to Sudan, and learn
from all of them. During our trip, we managed to survey the hospital, give
some medicines, and make plans for any future medical aid that we might
give. I saw many patients informally in the front yard of the ECS compound,
and treated them with medicines I had brought. The men taught Bible classes
every evening, and Ian preached on Sunday, with translation to Dinka. The
Mbale missionaries had received land and a building on which to build a
Bible school, so we jumped through the legal hoops necessary to acquire the
land. And Kennedy is planning to move himself, his wife, and his children to
Nimule to live as missionaries. Another Kenyan evangelist named David is
planning to join him with his own family. So all in all, we felt that we had
a very successful trip, and a chance to establish churches and mission works
in a place that has seen no churches from our fellowship.
In Christ,
Ellen
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Sudan
Signs Peace Pact
May 30, 2004
The following news item was forwarded to me by Phillip Shero after hearing
that a peace accord was signed in Kenya late Wednesday night May 26, 2004.
Please keep this process in your prayers.
Shawn
Sudan Government, Rebels Sign Peace Pact
By RODRIQUE NGOWI, Associated Press Writer
NAIROBI, Kenya - Mediators consulted with the Sudanese government and
southern rebels Thursday to plan the final phase of talks on ending Africa's
longest-running war, after the adversaries signed agreements that pave the
way for a comprehensive deal.
The warring parties signed three protocols late Wednesday on power-sharing
and the administration of three disputed areas in central Sudan, clearing up
the last remaining political issues needed for a final peace accord.
The signing took place in Naivasha, 60 miles west of the Kenyan capital of
Nairobi. The accord is unrelated to fighting in the Darfur region of western
Sudan, where fighting between the government and rebels have raised fears of
ethnic cleansing.
All that remains for the two sides to work out are procedural matters to end
the 21-year civil conflict, in which more than 2 million people have
perished, mainly through war-induced famine.
"The next step will entail negotiations on the detail of each step of the
transition," chief mediator Lazaro Sumbeiywo told The Associated Press. "I
am going to meet these groups now."
Despite Wednesday's agreement, it could take months to determine if the
diplomatic solution will translate to peace on the ground.
Negotiators are expected to take a short break before returning to talks in
Nairobi to iron out the final issues, including how the accord will be
implemented.
"I hope that by June we would have signed and completed the (final) deal,"
said Sayed el-Khatib, a Sudanese government negotiator. "This is the most
detailed peace agreement that has probably been negotiated in the history of
the world because of the problems we have had, the lack of trust and
prolonged conflict."
El-Khatib said the government hoped the deal with the southern rebels would
help build bridges with the western insurgents.
"Now the (Sudan People's Liberation Army) is going to be part of the
government, that is going to encourage the rebels in Darfur to be less
suspicious of the government when negotiating a settlement to the problem
there," he said. "The southern rebels have had contacts with those in Darfur."
The latest effort to end the southern conflict began in Kenya in 2002 and
the two sides have already agreed on how to share wealth in Africa's largest
country and what to do with their armed forces during a six-year transition
period.
But the talks stalled as the parties wrangled over how to share power in a
transitional government, whether the capital, Khartoum, should be governed
under Islamic law and how Southern Blue Nile, Nuba Mountains and Abyei —
areas in central Sudan — should be administered during the transition.
In Wednesday's protocols, they agreed that the rebels and other southern
groups would have 30 percent of positions in national and state
administrations in the north, while the government and northern groups will
have 70 percent, el-Khatib said.
In southern Sudan, the rebels will have 70 percent of positions and the
government 30 percent, he said.
Sudanese President Omar el-Bashir will remain as head of state during the
interim period, while rebel leader John Garang will become first vice
president, el-Khatib said.
"We have reached the crest of the last hill in our tortuous ascent to the
heights of peace," Garang said after the signing. "There are no more hills
ahead of us."
The two sides have also agreed on their representation in separate
administrations for Southern Blue Nile and the Nuba Mountains, with the
government having 55 percent of the positions and the rebels 45 percent.
Abyei — an oil-rich region the rebels claim is part of the south, but the
government says is in the north — will have special status and be
administered by the presidential office.
Khartoum will be governed under Islamic law, but there will be certain
protections for non-Muslims, el-Khatib said.
The southern conflict broke out in 1983 after the rebels from the mainly
animist and Christian south took up arms against the predominantly Arab and
Muslim north.
The insurgents say they are fighting for better treatment and for
southerners to have the right to choose whether to remain part of Sudan.
Southerners will vote in a referendum at the end of the transition on
whether to secede.
Although often simplified as a religious war, the conflict is fueled by
historical disputes and competition for resources, including major oil
reserves.
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Kennedy and David to Nimule
June 5, 2004
Greetings!
Our plans for sending David Bikokwa and Kennedy Obura to Nimule, Sudan were
delayed for a month since the New Sudan government changed numerous
regulations beginning May 1st. We were asked to sign a memorandum with them
as an NGO that provided guidelines for our work, behavior, and partnership
with the new government before we could obtain work visas for Kennedy and
David. This required us to photocopy all the papers, submit new visa
applications, sign and stamp copies, etc.
The New Sudan government viewed us before as guests coming into Sudan under
the David Louden Memorial Bible School. The new memorandum provided us with
the opportunity to register as a separate entity now known as Sudan Church
of Christ. Visas were issued to Kennedy and David that were good for 6
months (the longest any visas are given at the moment). A picture of them
with their visas is below.
David and Kennedy spent most of May preparing their Kenyan homes for their
move to Sudan. Then they attended our week long Mbale course on marriage and
family taught by Fielden and Janet Allison (30+ year missionary veterans).
Four Sudanese men came down to attend that course as well and helped Kennedy
and David prepare for their trip. After the course ended on May 29th,
Kennedy and David left for Sudan.
I have received a phone call from Kennedy and David saying that they reached
safely. They had to travel a few miles into Uganda to make the phone call
since no phone service exists in Nimule.
They plan on making an initial three week visit to determine available goods
and their prices, visit with local authorities and church leaders, develop a
plan of action for beginning work on our new piece of land, and start
moblizing church leaders for a week long course we want to teach in July.
Both men will return at the end of June to give us counsel on how to proceed
with the work in Nimule.
Prayer Requests:
1. Safety for David and Kennedy in travel and their stay
2. Safe completion of our registration process with the New Sudan government
3. Acceptance and respect from Nimule government and church leaders
4. Direction for how to start the work in Sudan
5. Successful July trip by us and Dan McVey of Abilene, Texas
Return to top
Swords
into Plowshares
June 10, 2004
"In the last days, the mountain of the Lord's temple will be established
as chief among the mountains; it will be raised above the hills, and all
nations will stream to it. Many peoples will come and say, 'Come, let us go
up to the montain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob. He will
teach us his ways, so that we may walk in his paths.' The law will go out
from Zion, the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. He will judge between the
nations and will settle disputes for many peoples.
They will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning
hooks. Nation will not take up sword against nation, nor will they
train for war anymore. Come, O house of Jacob, let us walk in the light of
the Lord" (Isaiah 2:2-5, see also Micah 4:1-5).
As we visited Nimule, Sudan in April I began to look for a souviner I could
purchase that would be unique to Nimule. However, most of the population is
living in refugee camps and subsisting on the meagerest of rations. There is
no tourist industry set up. We eventually found someting not only unique,
but reflective of the spirit and hope of Sudan.
In a war-torn country where the symbols of war are evident everywhere (note
the man's army pants in the picture below), an interesting business has
popped up among some of the soldiers. They have collected the large brass
casings from cannon shells spent in battle and began cutting them into
bracelets for sale.
The soldier/craftsman first measures and stratches the casing to get a
consistent size of bracelet. You can see in the picture below the thickness
of the casing, the etch marks, as well as the green corosion of the brass on
the inside.
Once a piece is cut from the casing, the edges are sanded, its length is
shortened to fit the wrist of the buyer and then it is rubbed with sand to
brighten up the brass almost to the color of gold.
Small simple designs are cut into the flat top surface for beautification. A
small bracelet cost us less than 2 dollars. We (Ian, Dr. Ellen, Kennedy, and
myself) decided to buy a few bracelets and wear them as prayer reminders of
the Sudanese people who have suffered much over the past 19 years of war.
Note Dr. Ellen's bracelet.
While Ian, Dr. Ellen and Kennedy may still wear theirs, my son Noah took my
bracelet and is wearing it in Kenya. I will have to ask Kennedy and David to
bring me back some more bracelets in June.
I thought the bracelets provided a unique perspective of Nimule. Shell
casings being turned into bracelets reminded me of the famous words of
Isaiah quoted above. As Sudan slowly crawls toward peace, it is a wonderful
testimony to see war instruments turned into bracelets. From ugliness to
beauty. From sorrow to joy. From famine to prosperity. From war to peace. It
is a difficult road that many Sudanese have traveled - living as refugess in
Ethiopia, Kenya, and Uganda, but these days many are living with hope that
soon they will be able to return to their homelands and start over, and they
would like to take Jesus with them. We need to help them do just
that.
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Nimule Town
Greetings!
I have spoken about the people, but I have written little about the land
around Nimule and the living conditions of the people. For the most part,
Nimule is dry, hot, and dusty.
Since so many people have fled here from others parts of the country, they
have struggled to build circular mud and waddle houses with grass roofs. The
newers huts have yellow grass that turns dark brown with age and few have
mud decorations on the walls. Doors are often made of stick frames and some
large tin can beaten flat. Hinges are used if they can be found. If not,
pieces of thick rubber from tires are fastened to provide the swinging
movement for opening and closing doors.
When possible, the Dinka people like to set up reed fences around their
homes. Perhaps the most important reason for building fences is security
from thieves. However, a cultural tradition also comes into play. Zechariah
Munyok told us that it was considered impolite to eat your food in plain
view of your neighbors. It was much better to eat in the house or behind a
reed fence. Privacy is an interesting concept for refugee camps. The newer
houses don't have fences yet. Older compounds have erected fences by
putting up poles and tying the reeds in place with plastic threads from
sacks used to transport flour from donor nations.
Livestock such as goats or cows are kept away from the homes, closer to
water and grass. In the picture below a single flame tree is in bloom
providing the only bright color in an otherwise brown/yellow and slightly
green landscape.
Nimule's precious resource is the Nile river that flows less than a mile
from the main part of town (pictured above). The Nile provides drinking
water, fresh fish, and the grass and reeds for roofs and fences respectively
from alongs it banks.
In three of the compounds funded by Non-government organizations (NGO's) we
saw bomb shelters crudely constructed to provide a minimal amount of cover
against bombing raids that the Government of Sudan (GOS) used to conduct in
previous years. Such raids have recently stopped at the insistence of the
U.S. and other countries involved in the peace negotiations.
We saw another sign of desparation for these people when we passed through
the market one day and noted a recent delivery of flour and other goods. The
sacks were marked with red and white stripes and had U.S.A. printed in blue
among the stripes. It was one of the few times that I have seen our tax
dollars at work for a good cause. The local government requires refugees to
register. They are then issued a food card by which they can receive
allotments when it arrives by truck. Such food assistance keeps many people
from starving since few have the ability to plant crops in their displaced
condition.
There is much more to share, but I don't want to make this email too big.
Please pray for Kennedy and David and their beginning work in Nimule. Pray
for the refugees in Nimule. Pray that the gospel can be preached without
hindrance and that many people will come to Jesus.
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Trip to Nimule
16 July 2004
Greetings!
Let me send out a quick email asking for your prayer cover. Ian Shelburne,
myself, Dan McVey and Roy Ramsey will be traveling to Nimule, Sudan July
20-24. Dan will teach a course to 40 registered church leaders from July
20-23.
We ask for your prayers that:
1. Our trip will be safe (two airflights)
2. The course will be well attended and uplifting to the church leaders
3. We can develop some strong friendships with those attending the course
4. We can meet and develop a good relationship with local officials
5. We can encourage Kennedy and David in their new mission work
6. We can get updates on the mission work in Nimule
7. We can take plenty of pictures and make some good reports to those
interested in seeing Jesus proclaimed in Sudan
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Nimule Trip
Report
29 July, 2004
Greetings!
We returned safely from another five day trip (July 20-24) to Nimule, Sudan
that was highlighted by a four day Bible course for church leaders.. This
time our team included Ian Shelburne and myself from Mbale, Uganda as well
as Roy Ramsey, a former missionary to Kisumu, Kenya and current preacher of
a congregation in Oklahoma, and Dan McVey, a former missionary to Ghana and
current instructor at Abilene Christian University. We flew from Entebbe
airport via Missionary Aviation Fellowship (MAF), a Christian based flight
service where our pilot Simon prays before each trip. An hour and a half
after take off we landed on the grassy strip of Nimule (around 10:15 AM) and
were not met by David and Kennedy but by others who drove us into town.
Pictured from left to right are: Shawn Tyler, Roy Ramsey, Ian Shelburne, and
Dan McVey
David and Kennedy joined us a few minutes later and we enjoyed uniting with
them and getting the scoop on our schedule, sleeping arrangements, and
course logistics. Many of the men who registered to attend the course were
already waiting on us. Kennedy and David felt that it was good for us to
unpack and get some lunch before the course started.
Arrangements had been made for us to stay at the OSIL (a non-government
organization for removing land mines) compound close to the airport. Our
housing was small but plastered and clean. We used pit latrines and a small
cement cubicle for bathing - usually by flashlight in the evenings. We only
slept at the OSIL compound. A truck would take us to the course and we ate
all our meals there. Breakfast was usually tea or coffee with powdered milk
and either fried or baked bread. Lunch and supper alternated between rice
and maize meal and some kind of side dish or either meat (goat or fish) or a
vegetable (beans or cabbage). Linda sent a small bottle of tobasco sauce and
some seasoning salt to help us spice up the food to our taste. Without doubt
the food was very good and our hosts were prompt, curteous, and very
helpful.
Pictured: Ian making a list of birds during the early morning hours
The course was conducted in an Episcopal Church of Sudan building made of
mud walls and grass roof large enough to hold more than 600 people.
We used the front portion by bringing in a chalk board and plastic chairs
for the students. A table was set to the side for me, Ian and Roy whenever
we sat in on Dan's teaching. Each session of teaching began with some
singing and a prayer. Then Dan taught until break time. We tended to have a
tea break in the morning and afternoon and then close by 4:30 - 5:00 PM so
that students could work on their projects. We usually ate by 6:30 PM and
returned to our OSIL compound by dark where we bathed and got ready for bed.
Dan begins his course on Spiritual Warfare. Note the elaborate wood
structure for the roof.
On the second and third day when Dan started his teaching, Ian, Roy and
myself visited other non-government organizations in Nimule to gain advice
about shipping goods into Sudan, security, registration matters,
communication alternatives, living conditions, and numerous other topics
that facilitate our beginning mission work. We spoke with government
officials, toured the Nimule district hospital, and collected costs for
constructing small houses on our compound. We gathered information from a
visit to the American Relief Commission (ARC) about a borehole that we need
to drill so that our compound can have water access for future courses.
We registered 31 church leaders for Dan's Bible course plus numerous others
who, due to work responsibilities, came only for portions of the teaching .
We set a limit on the number of students because we did not know how much it
would cost us to host the course. David and Kennedy chose the men for the
course from their visits with local churches in Nimule that included several
denominations. We offered Bible teaching to any who were interested and were
pleased to see representatives from nine different churches attend. This
open-ended offer was intended to build community appreciation for our Bible
school program and establish our reputation for Biblical training. The
course was received very well, and we gained a lot of insight into the
knowledge and skills of local church leaders.
An Important Opportunity
The overwhleming sense by all of us is that Nimule, Sudan provides a
wide-open door into the country. This is a strategic opportunity to enter a
country that has been under Islamic control for several decades. Christian
missions should seize this opening to gain a foothold in Sudan and plan on
advancing north as the country gains peace. We have the opportunity to begin
work at the same time that the New Sudan government is trying to establish
itself. They are open to outside help. We can get in on the ground floor and
perhaps even obtain precious land and influence in the future capital of New
Sudan.
There are obstacles to this advancement. A complete lack of infrastructure
means basic accommodations are missing and workers must do without many
luxuries available even in Uganda. Government services are extremely
limited, so if anything happens we will have to make it come about.
Additionally, the New Sudan government is very fluid. They are just now
beginning to develop their policies, enforce laws, and establish regulations
on the increasingly complex situation of post-war Sudan. Things will
probably change several times on us as we begin work, but we are confident
that our continued presence will go a long way in helping us weather the
fluctuations and build a lasting work in Sudan.
The main point to emphasize is that Sudan is open right now and accepting
new mission works. Now is the time to enter and establish ourselves for a
very promising harvest for the kingdom. The Sudanese have suffered
tremendously over the past 20 years of civil war. They need help and their
growing faith is thirsty to know more about Christ. Sudan provides a
historic opportunity to roll back Islam and take back whole people groups
for Christ. This may be the beginning of a new wave of missionary work to
Muslims, and Christianity will go farther and faster if Sudanese Christians
can help us do it.
I will be writing more emails over the next few days to cover more specific
details about our trip. Please be in prayer for this new mission effort.
Prayer Items
