All posts by Tyler Paulson
September 2011 Newsletter
Prayer Walk Fundraiser!
In Deed and Truth Ministries (IDAT) holds a ‘prayer walk’ fundraiser every year to help meet the growing costs of the ministry operations and to focus our prayers collectively on Sudan and its physical and spiritual needs. Sabet Kuj will travel to San Diego to host this event on behalf of IDAT. It’s not just about raising funds but brings all those that have stood with us over the past 12 years a chance to join us in prayer and thanksgiving for what God has done, is doing and will continue to do by His grace. Sabet arrives on October 1st and is looking forward to seeing many friends during his 5 week trip. If you are interested in knowing more about how you can help us please email us or Jeamette Lock. On October 22nd, IDAT’s 5th Annual Prayer Walk will be at Shelter Island. Sudan is lacking in so many necessities and our medical clinic alone sees over 2,000 patients every month. The desire to plant more churches and reach out to the most isolated villages is a great passion in our hearts.
WE NEED YOU… to partner with us in reaching this NEW nation, the Republic of South Sudan, for Jesus Christ. HOW: Follow these steps:
- Download the sponsorship form from our website and aim to fill it with sponsorships from family, friends, neighbors and coworkers who will support you spending 2 hours prayer walking for Sudan.
- Register online or mail the registration form to get your prayer walk t-shirt (we are happy to assist out of town walkers to arrange their own prayer walk fundraiser for Sudan).
- PRAY: For the Lord to bless the walk, walkers and use it to impact many both in Sudan and within your community.
- INVITE: This is an opportunity to invite non-Christian family and friends to walk with you and hear the gospel. Also invite your Christian friends and family to join you and help make a difference and impact an entire African community for Christ.
- WALK: Give a few hours of your time to make an eternal difference in Sudan through your prayers and gifts. Enjoy worship, fellowship and testimonies as we walk and pray side by side in support of In Deed and Truth Ministries.
Prayer Walk & Fund Raiser 2011
Save The Date – October 22nd at 10am!
Join Sabet this year at Shelter Island for our 5th Annual Prayer Walk and Fund Raiser. This event raises much needed funds to support the medical clinic, evangelical training programs and ongoing gospel outreaches. There are two ways to register – right now online or by mail – a brochure will be on its way to those on our mailing list in early September. For those who register in advance, we’ll have a t-shirt and a catered lunch waiting for you on the day of the walk.
Pastor’s Workshop: Day Three
The pastors just left for home. What a blessing it has been to be with them the past three days! I have thoroughly enjoyed and been stretched in faith while teaching them. But God has blessed beyond expectation, and many pastors expressed their very thankful and encouraged hearts. Hearing their encouragement to me, and hearing of the ways God has blessed them this week, has turned my heart full of affection to God. It is a powerful blessing to realize the reasons why He told me 16 months ago to come to Sudan.
And I am learning so much about following the Lord, being fully obedient and dependent on Him, and seeing Him come through in every situation. Never fear! Our God is an awesome God.
The picture is of me with a couple of the pastors last Sunday after church.
John’s 4th Blog
I found my watch! About 2 weeks ago, I lost my watch to the soil of Sudan. The watch, which I received for my first Holy Communion when I was eight, is probably my oldest possession that is neither lost nor broken these days. Losing it here came as a bummer, but after praying both for its appearance and for some perspective in my own heart, I became pretty okay by accepting that it’s just a possession and there are much greater tragedies in the world. And as one of my Sudanese friends said: “it’s just a watch. God will bring you another.” So I was resolved to cry no more over this spilled milk.
This morning we had our usual clinical skills class in the AM hours, during which I could see some of the staff cutting the grass with these long machete-type blades. Another of the Sudanese clinic staffers, a great guy named Deng, came into the class and asked if this happened to be the watch I lost weeks ago. And in his hand was indeed my watch! It had been beat up a little bit by footsteps and rain (it was found on the ground once the grass had been cut), and was also no longer working, but I was darn happy to have this special watch back. Even if it never ticks again, I’m glad.
Though I don’t want to make it seem like losing my watch was the worst thing that’s ever happened to me, I do think it nicely illustrates the interesting relationship between prayer, trust in God, and His answer to our prayers. I realize that God answers our prayers in curious ways sometimes. As they say, He works in mysterious ways. After spending a little while being bummed at losing my watch, I realized that this is all part of God’s plan, and to let it bum me out any longer would be a waste of this precious time I have here in Sudan. And now, weeks later, having accepted losing it, it found its way back to me. It was another reminder of how good it is to realize that God is indeed in the driver’s seat. I worried about it, looked for it, prayed about it; but I finally was able to put the matter to rest in my heart once I placed it in God’s hands. And lo and behold, He brought it back to me.
So today is off to a good start. We are all going to head off into town in a little bit to look around and enjoy the remainder of the afternoon. So that’s all for now folks. I hope you all have a good day as well. John