Cataract Team!

Our radio announcement went far and wide for this cataract clinic and we screened over 600 patients, some coming more than 200 miles on foot. Mostly elderly, they were desperate to have their sight restored.

A massive thank you to Dr. Ben Roberts and his team from Tenwek Mission Hospital, in Kenya, World Gospel Mission and Samaritan’s Purse who came in for a week and did 321 surgeries in 5 days!!

While the team operated from dawn to dusk, another eye clinic did consultation and treated cases that didn’t need cataracts surgeries. A team of evangelists and pastors shared the gospel message and oral bible stories. Many were open to the gospel and Sabet and the pastors lead them through a prayer to accept the Lord Jesus, and many responded.

It was a great celebration every morning when they got their bandages removed and could see again. One lady saw her baby for the first time and a family with three blind children since birth, also received surgery.

CHE Testimonies!

Our amazing CHE’s from three villages closed the year celebrating together and sharing testimonies.

We heard many testimonies but three stood out. Abraham Nhail shared how the CHE team in Warrak opened a community school & a youth sports program to bless the children and youth in their village.

Pastor Rueben shared about the impact the CHE program is having in improving the physical, emotional, social & spiritual health in Warrak community.

Angelina shared the love they felt as IDAT came to visit last year after her husband Santino Mayem was shot. And how the bible teaching through CHE has brought incredible unity to their whole village of Bobi.

“I will lead the blind by ways they have not known, along unfamiliar paths I will guide them; I will turn the darkness into light before them and make the rough places smooth. These are the things I will do; I will not forsake them.”
– Isaiah 42:16

Your Year End Gift Matters!

This year we were able to host the entire cataract team at the IDAT Clinic. Thank you for the ways you have partnered with IDAT to meet the need in our community for a medical clinic. As a mission organization we want to be the best stewards we can to make a lasting impact for Jesus Christ.

A generous donor has made it possible to match up to $60,000 ($70,000 is actually needed) for our new solar system for the medical clinic. We are asking you to consider helping us “meet the match” by making a special year end gift designated “Solar Power Campaign”. You can give through our website or send in a check. Call Rosa for more information or if you need any further assistance. The progress of this fundraiser can be tracked through our website.

Home Assignment!

We are excited to be heading back to USA in a few weeks. We’ll be spending December and March in Florida and January and February in California. God has provided accommodation and vehicles in both locations! Pray for our time in Panama City, FL. We are heading into an area that is hurting and devastated following hurricane Michael. We will be helping Suzy’s mum and anyone else in need as best we can.

How Can You Help Us?

It is exciting to see what God is doing here in Tonj and we are looking forward to sharing our stories with as many of you as possible. If you have been following us for a while and love what God is doing through us in South Sudan, then we need your help. Prayerfully consider hosting a small gathering in your home and inviting friends, family and neighbors for a meet and greet! We could also share at your home fellowship, bible study, small group or church. Introductions from people who know and trust us are so valuable and make the most effective long-term partnerships. Let me know through email if God is leading you in that direction. We’d also love to just catch up, share a meal or coffee and hang out with you, so please get in touch as our time will be short. We will be sharing our movement while in the USA through Facebook and Instagram.

Winning for Jesus!

The IDAT Soccer Cup Tournament was a huge success and after a month of games it ended with a massive turn out for the final match. The community spirit was amazing as the entire town showed up to watch Godzilla vs. Tonj United.

This Tournament gave us an open door to minister to the hearts of the young people of Tonj who love sport.

We thank God for the 18 evangelistic team members from Calvary Chapel Tonj that made this tournament a successful outreach.  They worked tirelessly setting up at every match, distributing tracts and bibles, sharing the gospel one to one with the crowd and following up with any new believers.

“Physical training is good, but training for godliness is much better, promising benefits in this life and in the life to come.” 1 Timothy 4:8

Throughout the tournament we shared some biblical life skills lessons on a live radio talk show hosted by the Don Bosco FM radio.  These lessons use soccer coaching skills and biblical truths which can be applied and improve lives. We did 12 shows, with a live call in option, reaching more than 5,000 people every show, discussing important topics like team unity, the ultimate ‘goal of life’(following Jesus), serving one another and so on. Every lesson clearly presented the gospel message and the call-in feedback was very positive.

Here’s some stats following the 26 matches:

• More than 20,000 people heard the gospel message.
• We had over 500 people who made decisions for Jesus Christ.
• We gave out 8000 gospel tracts.
• We gave away over 1,000 New Believer’s bibles, Christian literatures, audio messages and video bible stories.
• More than 5,000 people were reached with gospel teaching over the radio.

Already we are being asked to host another tournament next year. So if you love Jesus and love soccer, pray about coming and helping with this life changing event!

IDAT Football Tournament!

The one thing everyone loves in Africa that brings joy and unity is football!   (Aka soccer). Last year we hosted a tournament for the clinic opening and it was such a big hit that Sabet, and his team from CC Tonj church, thought it would be good to try this as an annual outreach event.  Thanks to a generous sponsor every player was kitted out in a new jersey kit. The different colored teams paraded from the IDAT compound to freedom square in the middle of Tonj town.

An estimated 3,000 spectators showed up for the kick-off. This was an outreach event for IDAT who shared the gospel with team players and onlookers. The young players from each team carried plaques with positive messages to promote peace, unity, and love among the youth of Tonj. This young generation has only had hate, revenge and retaliation modeled as a way to solve conflict.

A team of guys from Calvary Chapel Tonj mingled among the crowds with Gospel tracts and bibles and shared the gospel message one to one.

This tournament is going for one month and as the word got around, at the second game we saw around 8,000 people attend!

God has totally blessed the response which we hugely underestimated. We’re so excited to add a sports dimension to our ministry.  We are still in need of about $2,000 to cover the costs of hosting this large event. If you feel led to help us with this extra cost, please go to our website or email us.

Adut Goes Home!

Three months ago, a little girl called Adut arrived at our hospital on the brink of death from Tuberculosis, which had spread to infect many of the organs in her body. Two weeks ago, Adut was back on the oxygen machine gasping for air, and her parents asked to take her home to die peacefully as she seemed to be deteriorating despite our best efforts. That night we gathered in the ward as a team and cried out to God for a miracle – and He answered!

From that day on Adut started to improve, and we finally got to celebrate as a team and discharge her to go home! Our volunteers Isaac and Rebekah did an amazing job providing top notch nursing care for her these past 3 months. Sadly, we also say goodbye to them this month, as they head back to New Zealand.

Pray for our upcoming furlough we still need accommodation and vehicles to use in CA and FL.

New Ward Opening!

These photos speak for themselves. We had an amazing day. God totally blessed us and gave us favor with the government. It started with you, giving generously so we could provide an adequate space for our inpatients and here it is!

Our dear NZ volunteer and friend, Richard Welch, made the foundation ready and then Travis (project manager) came from New Zealand, with his dad and cousin, to build the ward and completed it in just 5 months! It truly was God’s children joining hands across the world to make this happen.

We were truly honored the National Minister of Health flew especially from Juba with several government ministers and a TV crew to officially open the new ward.

They honored Suzy with a traditional cow hide dress worn in the cattle camps.

A huge crowd attended and following the speeches, we celebrated with lots of dancing and singing.

Kuj Family Update!

Hannah is back from her 4 months in USA. She was able to catch up on school and complete grade 10. Suzy, Agum and Jed traveled to Kenya to meet her and take a short break. While in Kenya the kids spent a week at Camp BlueSky.

With the new ward building and more volunteers arriving, Sabet decided to stay in Tonj. During this time, Dr. Dave Pierce came for 4 weeks to help cover the busy malaria season in the clinic and to help us with the profiles for our upcoming ‘Pastor Sponsorship’ program. The launch of this program should be ready in the next few weeks, so if you’re interested we will be sending more details next month. Dave also spent countless hours working on the solar power requirements to give our clinic and new ward adequate power throughout the day and night. This upgrade will hopefully eliminate the need to use the generator which is so costly.

But He said, “The things which are impossible with men are possible with God.” — Luke 18:27

Medical Teams Worldwide!

In addition to Dr. Dave we had a small team volunteer for a week from Medical Teams Worldwide, who are now partnering with IDAT.  Dr. Kelley served in the clinic, Babu taught a leadership workshop to the elders of CC Tonj and Eric began preparing a foundation for Dr. Kelley’s module home so he has a permanent place to stay when he comes.

New Ward Opening!

Our new ward is just weeks from being finished. It will have 20 beds which is more than double of the capacity we currently have. Over the past few weeks we have had to house in-patients in our devotion room, maternal waiting home and on the verandah’s! We thank God for Travis and his team that have worked tirelessly to get this project finished in just 5 months. The National Minister of Health is flying from Juba with 10 officials and a television crew to attend the opening ceremony.

Sick Babies!

This has been one of the hardest month’s in the clinic. The cerebral malaria has claimed many young lives. Despite these losses we have had many victories and hundreds of children have been rescued from the brink of death. Achol came in convulsing and
completely stopped breathing.

After sending the urgent prayer request through instagram (IDATSUDAN), she immediately started to improve and went on to make a quick and full recovery!

Upcoming Furlough!

It’s hard to believe our family is coming to the two-year mark of being back in South Sudan and making plans for our next home assignment from December through March. We are excited to see our family, friends and ministry partners. We are willing to travel and would LOVE the opportunity to share with your church, small group, bible study or fellowship. If you are interested in having us visit, please email suzy@indeedandtruth.org to make arrangements. We are in need of accommodation in San Diego in January/February and also in need of a car to use in CA and FL. Please email us if you can help with any of these needs.