Tonj Update!

A few weeks ago Pastor Kibe, along with our pastors Juda, Santino and Joseph, were invited to minister in the local prison and to hold a service there every Sunday between 9-10am. This is a great opening for the Gospel message in the main prison in this area. In the past, we were the ones to request to go in and share the Gospel, but now the prison officials have invited us.

We also gave some Bibles to the prison staff and inmates whom had asked for them on the first day we went to preach there. They said they spend most of their time doing nothing, but now they will be reading the Bible. Our prayer is that the Holy Spirit will guide and minister to them and many may be drawn to Him. The first week Kibe preached from Psalm 1.

Our team has been very busy from January until now; they have been smaller in size than usual with us being gone and limited medical supplies. We felt it was necessary for them to take a break for a month in Kenya so we minimized the services we give for this short-period while the essential professional team takes their rest.

I want to acknowledge our local team in Tonj who are holding the fort while everyone is gone – Albino and the entire IDAT team, especially the Community Health workers, have been so faithful and wonderful in getting on with day-to-day operations in our absence. Pray for their strength and wisdom as they continue to serve this month.

South Sudan Crisis update!

The news that is coming out of South Sudan government from their meetings with the opposition in Ethiopia and Kenya the past few weeks has been very positive. The two rival leaders, the president and his former vice president, have met twice. They both expressed their commitment to end the present conflict, as a matter of fact, they took a landmark step in the latest meeting in Kenya and laid out the basis to form a national transitional government in 60 days. That was met with huge applause from the neighboring countries and the US government.

“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” – John 14:27

The Kuj’s Update

We have been on another road trip, this time to northern California. We visited Santa Rosa Calvary Chapel The Rock. It was the first time for our family to visit the area. It was so wonderful to meet the senior Pastor, Ross; the Missions Pastor, Jim; and all the rest of the staff. They have been supporting the work in South Sudan for the past few years before even meeting us. The biggest blessing is how God used our testimonies to bless the church and the church and their love for God to bless us. We give the glory to God for what He has done.

Some of you have received the prayer update regarding Agum’s citizenship; we praise God for connecting us with an immigration lawyer that told us Agum is a US citizen based on her adoption and Suzy’s citizenship. All we need to do is to change her status and apply for a passport. We cannot describe the amount of relief we felt when we heard this news. Pray for all the applications that have been submitted and the time that they require to finish, that God would have His favor on us and accomplishing everything without taking too long.

Prayer Requests!

• Pray for the tax exemption papers from an official in Juba for our supplies for the medical clinics and the compound in Tonj that is ready to leave from Nairobi
• Pray for proper rest for our Kenya staff before returning in July.
• Pray for our local staff as they stand in the gap for this month of June in the absence of hey staff
• Pray for Agum’s application for citizenship
• Pray for Dr. Jan Zip who would cover Dr Tom
• Pray for Pastor Kibe wedding’s plans, Kibe and his fiancé come from different tribes and usually that presents an issue

South Sudan Crisis!

The escalating violence across many states in South Sudan has created a lot of challenges for our team. We are praying fervently for a way to get life saving medical supplies into the field.

Our medical clinic is in great demand and has almost completely run out of drugs. We are so grateful we have been able to stay open this long when other medical facilities have closed. We are assessing the best way to support the team on the ground in Tonj as Sabet is working through the night to secure shipments and clear papers. It is exhausting both mentally and physically and we ask you to join us in praying for a miracle. The red tape has brought a marked increase in cost as we now face paying $12,000 to purchase and deliver one ton of medical supplies from Kenya to South Sudan.

For only $12 you can provide one kg of life saving drugs, which is about 50 doses of malaria medicine, purchased, cleared and flown directly to Tonj, South Sudan.

If you can help with this urgent need please go to our website and donate to the medical clinic.

Kuj Family’s Furlough Update!

Our time on the road was so blessed with many stops and visits to old and new friends and family. We drove from California to Florida up to North Carolina and back to California in 7 weeks, doing over 7,000 miles. Thank you to everyone who provided a bed and meals for us during that time we are so humbled by the love, care and blessings poured out on our family. Our goal was to get back to CA in time for Horizon Prep’s Spirit Run Fundraiser where our kids were participating in raising money for the medical clinic in South Sudan.

It was an incredible blessing to attend the Good Friday and Easter Services at Horizon, our sending church family. Sabet was honored to open for Easter service in prayer.

“The LORD is good, a strong hold in the day of trouble; and he knoweth them that trust in him.”
– Nahum 1:7

Tonj Update!

Despite the lack of medical supplies and increase security risk, our team is doing well on the ground in Tonj. They continue to see patients in the clinic, praying for them and trusting the healing power of the Lord Jesus is being manifested in amazing ways. All the glory goes to Him.

Pastor Kibe had a wonderful time teaching Bible stories (STS Training) to the church in the village of Kulu. It’s encouraging to see God‘s people owning the tool of STS and digging into the stories with such great hunger. The blessing for the IDAT team is seeing the Gospel message through God’s Word spread in the most remote of villages. The leaders of Kulu work with us in CHE, this village has seen not just how to memorize Bible stories, but how to contextualize it to their lives in the village and be transformed, starting with their mind and then their attitude and hearts. The beautiful thing is this transformation is starting with moms right in their homes knowing God’s Word in the simple form of stories.

Prayer Requests!

• Pray for the container we are trying to fill and send to South Sudan from the US.
• Continue to pray for easy logistic for meds and supply to Tonj from Kenya and Juba.
• Pray for our team in Tonj, Dr. Tom, Kibe and the rest of the team that they will be strengthen and encouraged.
• Pray for our second road trip to northern California visiting with churches and friends.

Robobi!

Roboi is a village near Tonj that in the past we have mentioned in our newsletters. There is a small church in the village and a group of men and women comes from the village for our CHE trainings in Tonj. The tribal group there is called Lou.

Pastor Kibe, Jude, Santino and Ruben went for a visit to encourage the church and the people of the village a few weeks ago. They were very much encouraged by what they witnessed in the village. The church has faithfully been meeting and implementing CHE principle to improve the way people live.

Angelina has been a source of encouragement and a leader in the village of Robobi. She has always amazed us with her faithfulness to the Lord; the church in the village was planted over a year ago because of her initiative and she leads the group of CHE in the village. She is young but with a big heart for the Lord.

The norm for many villages in South Sudan is that no farming takes place in the dry season, but when the pastors visited, they saw something different. They were so encouraged to see gardens of vegetables and fruits in the village made possible by the well that was received a couple of years ago. Sometimes we wonder if the CHE training is bearing fruit and if the Oral Bible Training will ever grow and materialize in the life of the people in these villages. Life is growing in this small village of Robobi, slowly, but truly. Please pray for this village, pray for Angelina and pray for CHE group there.

Pagol Church Plant!

For the second year we have visited the village of Pagol 40 miles away from Tonj to teach and train STS (Simply The Story). Last year after Pastor Kibe and Pastor Joseph Yout held the first training, some of the leaders felt God was moving them to start a new church in another village close to Pagol. And that is what has happened, a new church was born, all from someone hearing God’s Word orally in story form. It has been a huge blessing to find a new tool to reach the people in these villages and advance God Kingdom among the hundreds of people who are illiterate in that region.

About a week ago our pastors returned to Pagol and followed up with the leaders from that newly planted church. You could see the blessing and joy of meeting and sharing God’s Word through oral stories from the Bible. Pastor Kibe reported to us from Tonj how God has blessed them with a wonderful time of fellowship.

Though it was the dry season, there were dark clouds threatening rain almost leading to the postponing of the meeting. That would have been a huge disappointment to the 35 leaders that had come from various villages across the area of Tonj North but God had his hands of protection and spared the training from the rains. After they finished, they learned it was flooding from the rain just 2 kilometers up the road from where they had the training, which was under a tree as it was the only shelter the church where the meeting took place had. Everyone was praising God after hearing the news.

Family Updates!

Our family is reporting from Florida. We have been on the road for almost two and a half weeks visiting churches and loved ones who are so dear to us and partnering with us in this calling. We are in Panama City Beach now being blessed by the church here at Eastgate in an amazing way. The kids are enjoying their time with their grandma, Suzy’s mom.

“Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue,” – 2 Peter 1:2-3

Prayer Requests!

1. Please pray for Dr. Tom to have safe travel as he comes to the US for his daughter’s wedding, meanwhile our team in Tonj will be holding down the fort in his absence.
2. Pray for the truck we are planning to send this month with supplies to Tonj, pray for safety on the road with the much needed building supplies, medical supplies and goods.
3. Pray for our CHWs, Peter and Maker, who are applying to go to medical school in Kenya.

A Family Furlough!

We have now been stateside for more than a month and adjusted quite well to the very different lifestyle here than we are used to in South Sudan.

Our greatest joy has been catching up with friends and churches after five years. The opportunity to share our ministry work and needs has been incredible and we are looking forward to more doors opening in churches and bible studies.

Our kids have also had a chance to share their mission experience with the Awana kids from Suzy’s home church, Horizon North County. Hannah (12) talked about her ‘field trips’ being spent in the medical clinic praying for children with wounds and learning to take blood pressure. She has quite a few unique medical experiences from seeing a cataract surgery and actually being present during a birth last year. Agum (10) shared about our Sunday school and how we invite kids to church and play ‘Kids Games’ with them. Jedidiah (9) shared how he has his own spear and bow and arrow. He loves fishing with his Dad and has slaughtered a chicken and goat (with some help).

The Road Trip!

By the time to receive this newsletter we will have started our road trip. We will be leaving from Indio, CA to Phoenix AZ, Las Cruces NM then Austin TX. We’ll pass through Houston TX, Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama before arriving in Panama City Florida on March 13th. If you live in any of those areas we would love to see you. Our kids are so excited about the trip and we would just ask you to pray for us as we attempt to home-school on the road.

Tonj Update!

As a small ministry we are still very involved in the daily needs of the compound despite being so far away from South Sudan. Following the recent political upheaval, Sabet is monitoring the security situation daily. The capital Juba has reopened but firmly enforced government restrictions has now caused us not to be able to easily pass our medial supplies through Juba. Please pray we can find a solution to this before supplies diminish completely.

With the limited professional staff on the team Dr. Tom has been unusually busier than normal. He recognizes the fruit we are now experiencing from having spent hours training nationals to be skilled and competent Community Health Workers (CHW) who can support him and the two Kenyan nurses. Together they make a great team that brings glory to the Lord Jesus. As well as translating the CHW’s provide essential medical support and are learning the importance of including Jesus in everything they do. Many confidently pray for patients. Please keep the Tonj team in your prayers.

Calvary Chapel Distinctives!

Pastor Kibe is a Kenyan sent out from Calvary Chapel Nairobi to serve alongside us in Tonj. He is covering for Sabet while we are on furlough. One of his goals for this year was to go through this book by Pastor Chuck Smith called Calvary Chapel Distinctives. It teaches the call to the ministry, church government, the rapture of the church and the priority of studying the Word of God.

It is going really well with great discussions on how it fits into the African culture.

“Behold, children are a heritage from the LORD” – Psalm 127:3

Conflict in South Sudan!

It has now been more than a month since fighting broke out against rival tribes in the capital of South Sudan. What started in the army barracks quickly spilled onto the streets, creating fear, panic and confusion among civilians. UN, embassies and NGOs all reacted pulling their expat staff from field operations and asking non essential personnel to leave immediately.

Having lived and served in Warrap State of South Sudan for 6 years during the last civil war, we are all too familiar with the aftermath this kind of conflict has on the innocent people who want nothing more than a peaceful existence. They have paid the high price of war with the lives of their loved ones and children. This past 8 years of peace has given some stability and we have seen an increase in missionaries moving into South Sudan. Our hearts are deeply saddened and burdened for the future of our beloved country.

This last week we sent a small team back to Tonj to reopen the medical clinic. We do have about three months medical supplies but the government clinic is out of medicine so our clinic is the only stocked pharmacy at this point. Getting our team back to Tonj took them from Kenya to North Uganda and then a flight to South Sudan to avoid the conflict areas. They arrived safely and ready to serve. As a small team supporting the community health workers and people of Tonj, they really need your prayers. I know they will get overwhelmed by the enormous needs that are escalating every day. Here are some specific prayer requests concerning the fighting and effects on South Sudan:

• Pray for a peaceful, sustainable solution to come quickly to all parties involved in this conflict.
• Pray for the civilians, especially those who have been displaced.
• Pray for wisdom for our team on the ground that they would be both blessing and encouragement to the people of Tonj.
• Famine is likely following the devastating floods of the rainy season and now the displacement of people. Pray food supplies would be given in abundance over the next few months.
• Pray for safety for our team and wisdom for the leadership as we direct the ministry and make decisions that effect lives.

Furlough and Road Trip!

Our family is two weeks into our home assignment (furlough) and excited to see how the Lord will use this time stateside to benefit both our ministry and our family. The mission conference was a fabulous time of spiritual feeding, encouragement and meeting many new people. We do have a schedule for our time here and would love to invite you to help us share our story and ministry with churches, home groups, men and women’s studies and any person you feel would be touched. If you would be interested in hosting a small gathering, possibly for brunch or coffee and dessert at your home and giving us a platform to share we would be most grateful for that chance and would love for you to contact us.

We plan to be in the following areas/States in February, March and April: San Diego, Orange County, Indio, Palm Springs, Palm Desert, Arizona,
New Mexico, Dallas, Houston, Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Panama City, Florida. We are praying about visiting friends in Tennessee, Kentucky, and North Carolina as well as Northern California sometime in May. As we will be driving we do have a lot of flexibility and we are open to the Lord’s plan and direction. We also need to keep up with home-school and would appreciate your prayers for the kids as we travel and make plans for.

“Though an army may encamp against me,
My heart shall not fear;
Though war may rise against me,
In this I will be confident.”
– Psalm 27:3