…”Oh, that you would bless me and enlarge my territory…” – 1 Chronicles 4:10a

One of our discipleship pastors, Joseph planted a church in Warkar last Sunday. Before then he had been going house to house to mobilize and evangelize the people. When he shared about planting a church there, the people of Warkar were very excited.

After praying over it speaking to them they came to an agreement of where the church will be, the young men and women participated in clearing the bush.

After they had completed all this work he reminded them that the following day they should come to church. On Sunday, the first service, there were about 40 people in the congregation.

He preached from the book of Matthew 28:19-20 where Jesus said, “Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit”. He encouraged them that when they believe in Jesus they have to follow him. He told them that God is calling out for people who are willing to go out and win souls.

Teaching from the book of Exodus 32:1, Joseph said that when the people saw that Moses was so long in coming from the mountain, they gathered around Aaron and asked him to make gods who would go before them because they did not know what had happened to Moses. He encouraged the people that they should turn away from some of their traditions such as witchcraft which is a form of slavery and turn to worship of the true God by repenting and turning to Jesus.

Please keep Joseph and this young congregation in your prayers.

“I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile.” – Romans 1:16

Four of our Pastors, Joseph, David, Santino and Andrew travelled to Uganda Arua on 13^th July 2012. They did not have any challenges on the way though the car had a puncture near the border and thank God they had a spare tyre.

They arrived in Arua on Sunday 15^th July in the evening around 6:00pm. They received a warm welcome from Billy and his family. They were amazed that a white man could kneel down to greet them. They said that Billy’s wife and kids also could wash their hands and kneel as they were greet them. They said that this family demonstrated God’s love by doing that because they felt honoured, something they did not expect from a white person.

On Monday 16^th July at around 8:30 am the training commenced. They had six sections in a day. The main thing they were taught was Bible stories. They gave me an example of a story about Mary and Martha the time Jesus visited them. Martha was busy preparing something for Jesus while Mary decided to sit under Jesus feet and listened to Him. Mary came complaining to Jesus about her Sister’s behavior but Jesus told her that her sister has chosen the right thing.

During the training the Pastors were divided into two groups and they were taught how to be a good story teller. First you need to deal with the story and not to make a quotation or else you will be confusing people. When telling the story you need to go slowly in order for people to understand. You need to have the Bible with you when telling the story or else people may think you are giving your own teachings. Don’t mention the chapter first because people will be busy openingthe Bible instead of listening from you. When you finish telling the story you now mention the book and chapters.

Each group had a teller of the story, a reteller, a leader leading through the story and also an observer. Billy taught them for three days and ask them to go out and teach. They had a chance to facilitate the teachings to some South Sudanese students in a certain high school in Uganda.

The Pastors were given ten chapters in the Bible to read them. After they had read them several times and understand them, they can share with new believers.

The Pastors were very excited and thanked Suzy and Sabet for allowing them to participate in this training. They are looking forward to share with their communities, Santino mentioned that he will share with the people of Maloney, Joseph with the people of Warkar, David with his village and Andrew to the patients who comes everyday to the clinic. They were encouraged to share God’s word to the prisons, road, garden and anywhere else.

After the discussion with them today, David offered to tell us a story from Bible in the book Acts 24:24-27 about Felix and Drusilla his wife, he sent for Paul to listen to him as he spoke about faith in Christ Jesus. David asked for a volunteer  to retell the story, and then I led through the story and Albino was the observer.

They were really excited and thank God for the opportunity to hear more of His word and they are more than willing to share to all nations.

“For I was hungry and you gave something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.” – Matthew 25:35-36

Beth and John Muehleisen arrived at IDAT compound on Friday 6^th. They came from Uganda to facilitate on CHE TOT 2 (Trainers of Trainers). The next day, 7 July 2012, Adhanom and the Pastors from Rumbek and Akot arrived in Tonj at 6 PM. Some of our Pastors and CHE trainers from Tonj area had already arrived at IDAT on 7^th.

On Sunday 8th July 2012, all the CHE trainers attended our church service. Then in the afternoon the workshop started.

On Monday 9th July 2012 it was the first anniversary of South Sudan’s independence. We all went to the football field where the celebration was held. It was a colorful and nice ceremony. The training resumed back in the afternoon after celebrations. By this time most of the trainers from Tonj area had come. It was also an exciting training like the first TOT. Most of the trainers were very interactive and good listeners.

Some of the things discussed in the meeting were to help women who don’t have children. The team met together and agreed on going to help one woman in weeding her farm. They went and while they were weeding, many people came to watch what they were doing. They explained to them that they were helping the woman who had no helpers. They encouraged them to do the same. Then the people were excited and said that now they believe that God is there.

The woman praised God and said that “God took away my children and gave me the team as my children.” At the beginning everyone who saw them weeding in the woman’s farm was talking about what they were doing, but later they even began to get involved. Some brought tins of sorghum and blessed her. When they were departing the woman said “Your God whom you worship is a living God.” Hallelujah.

We had several teams in Tonj and one of them was led by Andrew. They also started visiting prison and praying for the prisoners especially pregnant women. They even contributed 10 pounds per month to buy soap and other personal stuffs. Every first Friday of the month they will be going to prison to pray and preach to the prisoners. Some other people came to listen while they were praying and sharing with them the word of God. They also taught them about hygiene and sanitation.

Why would a man in South Sudan buy so much sugar when they don’t have enough money ned vegetable and fruits who doesn’t have enough to eat buy a television? Why is it so hard for children in poor areas to learn, even when they attend school? Does having lots of children actually make you poorer? Answering questions like these is critical if we want to have a chance to really make a dent against global poverty.

These are part of the main problems that are main reasons for poverty and remaining in the dark trap that south Sudanese are suffering from and the light

You are the salt and the light

CHE training comes in with thoughtful provoking ideas that are deliberately provoked originated from the participants themselves.

The main point or breaking point or the punching point for the whole training is the participants to come up with the answers.

John Told me that he doesn’t think the group we are training needs anything outside of them, they have the answers they just are not aware of that reality.

This was the second Training of trainers (TOT2), almost everyone from the first training in April was available this time. The group seems to be the best of best people around, Humble and excited to be part of CHE, thoughtful and very active in the discussion and loving to one another.

John and Beth are excited over their enthusiasm regarding the topics and lessons for CHE.

In the week long training with over 24 people participants, we covered main five topics. Starting with reviewing the TOT1 in April and also show the seed project they have done in their community.

It was a bessing to hear the testemonies that came back with these groups.

Adwale group, brought a beautiful story of cleaning the the town where they live from plastic containers, then the Health and sanitation officers were so excited that they became part of the cleanng and they were encouraged by the initiative they have taken to do this beautiful work, it gave the CHE group in that area a very good repitition and saw there some good things can come from the area.

Another group from Lorchok, decided to help an old lady in their village who didn’t have any one to plant for her since it’s the beginning of the frming seasons, so they sawed seed for her and clean shrubs and weed from her farm, that act of kindness generated a feeling of wonder and awe, because the members of this CHE group are 2pastors and a respected mother who is a leader in the church in that community.

It was all good reports from the other groups, acts of kindness and care for nature and people around the community directly and indirectly that cause the community to think and know there are enough resources locally that can be used to benefit the community from and provide answers to pressing issues.

Some of the important tool was given to the different CHE groups was SHOWD, where when presenting a problem you need to ask your audience questions in this acronym SHOWD, what you SEE, what HAPPENED, does it happens in OUR place and WHY and lastly what do we DO about it.

Very true how simple stuff like this makes is it very easy to teach very valuable lessons that transcend would lead for ownership and transformation from these communities.

Now 12 years, when we started our project we did start using the same book that CHE uses today, let’s build our lives, with the help of the book we were able to share Ideas with the many villages and make over 40 pit Latrine and build over 700 Bio-sand Water filters.

This week we are back to something we have started and now to continue the race, the difference is much organize than when we started and more holistic approach and very motivating to the local guys here.

To explain how organize the training is now these groups of trained trainers are going to look for indicators in the community that would show the program is actually working, a list of 20 things in a home that will defiantly be the key reasons for physical and transformation:

• Clean water
• Pit latrine
• Treated Mosquito nets
• Rubbish pit
• And so on…

Very exciting to see these groups are equipped and now can’t wait till the third TOT and then to start the implantation of what they have learn on daily basis. Obviously they have already started between training but now when they finished the last training we know they now see the big picture and are going to be part of the engine to train and oversee others that they are going to recruit in this good work.

I was very excited to see the spiritual side of all these lessons was making a very important part of the whole CHE approach, on the personal level to the trainee and to the program itself. Emphasis on reading the word and seeking Gods guidance and praying groups that believes only the Holy spirit can transform hearts and lives for eternal for his glory.

Training 20 people in CHE can be a drop in a sea, but thinking again about these 20, I see each f them handling between 2 to 4 families talking about CHE and doing CHE together, a family average is 6 people here n South Sudan, if we take about one person to handle 3 family the 20 traind CHE personal will impact over 350 people, then they train some of them and do the same and the know what the results is that the gates of Hades wouldn’t stop the power of the transforming Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Brothers and sisters something good is happening here in Tonj south Sudan, all these years we are reaching only small numbers but today I can witness that somethings in a bigger scale are starting to happen to us and CHE is one of them.

We are very grateful to mango ministries for interudicing CHE to us and the whole family of WGM thier generiousty of sharing thier resources with us.

“And they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name.” – Acts 5:41

I was reading Acts 5:17-41 today. That was a pretty amazing time and the apostles were filled with the Spirit of God. Gamaliel told the Sanhedrin in vs. 38 and 39 “…leave these men alone! Let them go! For if their purpose or activity is of human origin, it will fail. But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop these men; you will only find yourselves fighting against God.”

My mind was immediately brought to our CHE work in South Sudan. In general, I feel some scepticism about the many humanitarian efforts that go on in Africa (including some in which I have been involved), and I feel that many of these efforts cause more harm than good.

Somehow though, I felt that our recent trip to Sudan was different. I felt that the Spirit of God was present in a way that was stronger than in any other activity that I have been involved in the past. These words in Acts seemed to ring true that if this work is from God, no one will be able to stop it, but if it is of human origin (perhaps like a well intended humanitarian effort on our part) then it will fail. Of course if you read on in Acts you will notice that the apostles got beaten, so everything is not always warm and fuzzy even if God’s Spirit is present.

I can’t say that I look forward to being beaten, nor do I have a desire to live in South Sudan.I love Kenya and Uganda and enjoy being there and feel comfortable. But if the Spirit of God is descending on this troubled part of the planet, it will be amazing.

So, please pray as often as you can remember for these areas in Tonj and Akot in South Sudan where we have introduced CHE. Especially pray that the Spirit of God will envelope this whole area.

“Finally, all of you, live in harmony with one another; be sympathetic, love as brothers, be compassionate and humble.” – 1 Peter 3:8

The Community Health Evangelism or CHE as it is popularly known had a 5 days workshop at In Deed And Truth ministry in Tonj. A team of three missionaries based in Uganda and one from Eritrea conducted the workshop. The learners were about 20 Sudanese pastors from Rumbek and Tonj.

CHE workshops are learner centred and this one was no exception. The learners fully participated in discussions  especially when they were divided into small groups of three or four people. The teacher would ask a question to the larger or smaller group that would start off a discussion or raise suggestions. He might also have a role play acted by three or four people or show a picture. By asking particular questions he made the learners come up with solutions to the problems at hand.

The pastors were enlightened on how to think of local solutions to their local problems. This requires one to think of ‘development’ rather than ‘relief’, prevention rather than cure. Diseases such as diarrhea, typhoid, cholera, malaria, malnutrition and others were ranked in occurrence and participants debated their causes, how they could be prevented, etc. It was pointed out that malaria was caused by mosquitoes only and not by eating mangoes or ‘bad food’ as some suggested.

Lapse and reocurrence of diseases in our bodies was likened to the way we sin then for a time think we have conquered it only for us to sin again. A lot more was taught and participants were finally urged to start seed projects in their villages.