Hello everyone! It’s Kristina again:)  This last week has been very full and God is constantly showing Himself strong on our behalf!  Friday morning dawned very early this past week.  I woke up at 5:30 to get ready for a journey to the town of Wau (pronounced Wow), which is only 70 miles away.  However, the road to Wau is a very bumpy dirt road with many potholes/craters:), so it takes about three hours by car.  The ride was an adventure in itself, but Sabet skillfully guided the Landrover along,  dodging as many potholes as possible.  Sabet and Leo needed to buy wire for a project here and said Natasha and I could go along.  The reason I wanted to go to Wau is because it is a predominantly Muslim city.  For those of you who know my love for Muslim people, this makes perfect sense, right?  It happened to be a huge Muslim holiday on Friday:  Idd el Dhahia, which commemorates the day Abraham was asked by God to sacrifice Ishmael according to Muslims and was spared when the ram was sacrificed instead.  As we approached Wau, I could see Muslim men and young boys in droves walking, apparently to and from prayer.  We passed one area where there was at least a thousand seated together, all in white garments listening to a guy on a loudspeaker.  I was told there would be many sacrifices in the city that day.  I know God has a plan to continue revealing Himself to these people, and I want to be used to share Jesus’ love with them! Although I was not able to speak to them that day, I prayed for them, asking God to open their eyes to the truth of His Son!  The Lord is faithful, and He continues to fill my heart with love for Muslims.  They are the largest, most unreached people in the world, and they desperately need to be set free by the blood of Christ, our perfect sacrifice!   On a different note, I think I am going to write a book entitled, “On the Road to Wau.”  Doesn’t that sound appealing??   This trip inspired some good stories for a bestseller:)  If you want to pre-order a copy, just let me know!  

We just finished eating dinner Friday night when a woman came to the clinic in labor!!  It was her fifth pregnancy, but she was concerned that something was wrong because her labor pains were different from her others.  We thought the baby would come quickly because it was her fifth, but as the hours began to tick by, it was apparent this baby was in no hurry:)  Finally around 12:30am, I was walking laps with the mama and Sheena (here for 2 months) outside in the dirt when all of a sudden her water broke and within seconds the baby was being born outside! Thankfully, Sheena had a headlamp on, so we were able to see the baby coming in the dark.  I bent down and literally caught her!  We finally got both mom and baby inside and settled for the night.  It was amazing, and words cannot describe what a blessing this was!  I hope this was the first of many babies that I help deliver.   One thing I cannot help stop thinking about is how vastly different our cultures are– how we can be spoiled and complain about the smallest things and the people here have relatively nothing but are content.  There is so much joy in having a thankful heart. I want to grow in having contentment in “whatever state I am” as Paul wrote. In this season of our lives (and I know we’re each in a different place), I pray that our hearts are full of gratitude, that we would “proclaim the good news of His salvation from day to day”(2 Chron. 16:23).  If you know Jesus, you have been blessed with every spiritual blessing from on high (Eph 1). 

     We only have a few days left here, and I praise God for showing me His heart in Sudan, for challenging me to go deeper in my walk with Him, for expressing His glory through this culture and the beautiful Dinka people, and for teaching me that everything comes down to loving Him and loving others.  Without His love, we have nothing and can do nothing, but through His love, we have been set free to live an extraordinary life and possess the greatest treasure of all!  

     Be encouraged that God is on the throne, He loves you with an everlasting love, He has an infinite measure of grace for you today, and He longs to show us His glory!