2015 International Wholistic Missions Conference!
Many of you know we use CHE programs in our ministry in South Sudan. The Community Health Evangelism (CHE) Network team facilitated this amazing conference which brought together partners and individuals, practicing or interested in CHE, from around the globe. Suzy and I were privileged to attend and spend a week with like-minded missionaries who share the same focus and vision for Christ centered community development.
It was so encouraging to hear testimonies of God moving through the effort of CHE around the world. This is true and real sustainable ministry that transforms lives. It starts with us as we change our approach to missions and ministry and pass that onto our team and the nationals serving alongside us, eventually reaching into the depths of the villages to a community level through CHE’s.
We are convinced that equipping and encouraging the nationals towards ownership and multiplying the truths and lessons they learn, we will witness a change of heart and explosion of church plants and believers across South Sudan.
Our conference week started out with a two day training and vision seminar which for us was a refresher in CHE. This program focused on discipleship and evangelism alongside equipping entire villages to identify issues and mobilize resources to achieve sustainable change and transform lives.
At the three day conference we had access to over 64 conference workshops and numerous resource exhibits, we listened to amazing keynote speakers share their experience of transformational development work and we networked and met many amazing people. The conference was called “The Whole Church on Mission”.
“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” – Romans 12:1-2
Samaritan’s Purse!
Samaritan’s Purse contacted us a few months ago to ask if we might have cleft palate patients in need of surgery. They are offering an amazing opportunity to be flown to Juba and then returned to Tonj after the surgery. So Dr. Jono and Dr. Destinee from our clinic have both been registering patients and this week our first patients went to Juba. Please pray for these people as they face many ‘firsts’ this week, like flying and surgery.
The Story of Machiek!
Dr. Jono shared this story with us about one of his patients. “Machiek was born near Tonj five months ago with a cleft lip. Machiek is the local name for ‘creature’, because children here with cleft lip are total outcasts. This week Machiek underwent surgical repair of his lip with our partners SP in Juba – when the mother returned and stepped off the plane this morning you could not wipe the grin off her face, she was so excited! Most of the 30 patients and caregivers who traveled to Juba accepted Jesus as Savior when the chaplains shared the good news of Christ. Now these children will no longer be seen as ‘creatures’ by their communities. But even more important than their new physical identity is their new found spiritual identity, as they discover that they are precious children of the most high God!
