Joseph: A Disciple of Christ by Pastor Kibe

Pastor Kibe with Joseph
Pastor Kibe with Joseph

Joseph Madingdit is one of our community health worker. He is a believer and have been very committed at the church.  He has been helping a lot with translation in the devotions, at church and with Sunday school, as well as cleaning our church on Sunday mornings. He stands out among the rest of the people we have in service which he does with humility and joy. I have been having discipleship classes with him and he is very faithful in attending.

November Blog
Joseph serving in Church

Joseph comes from Akop in Tonj North County. He tells me that most of his fellow villagers have not heard the good news of out Lord Jesus Christ. There is no evangelism going on there. He has a passion to see his fellow villagers come to Christ. He has a plan of going back to the village during the Christmas season and he plans to share Christ with the people there. He hopes that God would use him to bring many to the Kingdom. One of his friends has a small portable video player and Joseph hopes that he can borrow it and use it to show the Jesus film to his villagers.

Jed in Joseph's Sunday school class
Jed in Joseph’s Sunday school class

Pray for Joseph as he offers his service to the body of Christ here in Tonj.

Pray that he will continue to grow spiritually in a steady way.

Pray that God will use Him at home when he goes for Christmas.

Pray that he will get the video player for him to show the Jesus movie.

Nov Blog
Joseph with some of the Sunday School Kids

November 2013 Newsletter

Flooding!

Flooding

Tonj is in the state of Warrap, well known in South Sudan for flooding during the rainy season. Around 10,000 homes are affected every year, mostly near to river banks. This year the World Health Organization estimated over 70,000 homes were affected, destroying houses, crops, basic infrastructure and roads. Our clinic has also seen a marked increase in the number of malaria cases as well as waterborne diseases like diarrhea and respiratory infections. And to make matters worse livestock diseases have also increased and in danger as grasslands are covered with water.

We would ask you to please pray for our team as we seek the Lord’s guidance and wisdom on how we can best assist those that have lost everything. If you would like to help please go to our website to donate. Due to the severity of the flooding we have not been able to get to Maloney in over 2 months. Please join us in praying for the church and the people there. We know the after effects of this flooding will have devastating consequences for months ahead.

Baptism!

Baptism

After our church plant in Maloney we saw a revival among the people there. We are praying this newfound faith will keep the church in perfect peace as they trust in the Lord during this challenging time of flooding. As our vehicle has not been able to pass on the road it has been tough not to be able to reach the church there.

We are so thankful for Pastor Santino and the commitment he has made to the people of Maloney. A year ago he shared the gospel with Mary Abuk. Mary had previously lost a child, had gone to the witch doctor and was riddled with fear. She had no hope and against her family’s wishes she went to church to ask for prayer. She has been faithfully attending and is now one of the CHE participants. She had a huge desire to get baptized and came to Tonj where Sabet and Pastor John were able to baptize her in the Tonj river.

Maloney is tucked away in one of the remotest corners on this planet, and yet we are witnessing the power of the Holy Spirit at work in people’s hearts and their desire to obey God’s Word. It is so encouraging to see this fruit after 4 years of serving there.

”Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the LORD.“ Psalm 31:24

Furlough!

Our family has not had a furlough since 2008 and we are very excited to be able to finally travel in 2014 with Agum. Thanks to our amazing God, the American Embassy in Nairobi agreed to issue us with a three month visitor visa which will enable us to get some quality family time and visit family, friends, ministry partners and churches. We are planning to arrive in California for the Calvary Chapel Missions Conference in early January.

In light of this news, we are hoping to connect with as many of you as we can. We are requesting if you have a church, home group, bible study or small group that would be interested in hearing about our ministry work in South Sudan, please can you contact us so we can start to schedule and plan our time in America? We would be so blessed to have the opportunity to share what the Lord is doing through our family and ministry in South Sudan.

We are also in need of accommodation and a vehicle to use while we are stateside, please email or call Dena if you are able to help us with either of those needs.

We are so thankful for each one of you and your prayers for us.

I was blind but Now I see!

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Nyaruon Angok Kol received sight after a Cataract surgery last year

 

One thing I do know, that though I was blind, now I see(Jn 9:25)

 

Nyaruon Angok Kol from Thorny which is four hours walk from our Clinic IDAT. She had a
Cataract Surgery last year during the month of November.

She had never seen before but after the surgery she was able to see. She came
walking by herself to our clinic this week to start Antenatal care.
She was very thankful to God for IDAT and the services being provided
through the ministry to her and to the  people of Tonj.

On the 8th of the month of November, we are going to have a Cataract surgeries for the third year, we will have Dr. Ben and Dr. Dan with their team from Tenwek Hospital operating on patients in Tonj Government Hospital for a week.

Please  pray with us for a successful  operations and for the gospel message to be received in many of these people who are coming for the cataract surgeries.

Pray for wisdom and strength for the whole team that is going to be working, Surgeons, Nurses, Community Health workers and Pastors.

God Blessing Sham.

Parting words from Stephanie!

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So my time in Tonj, South Sudan has come to an end. I am amazed at how much God has taught me in the last 3 months. I stand in awe as I think of all the miracles He performed. While I was there I was able to do many things in the clinic. My favorite was working with the babies. There were nights that I stayed up to watch them and nights I stayed up praying for all of our patients. There were patients that came in to our clinic that I couldn’t believe were still living let alone that they would live to see another day. Some I resigned myself to think that they wouldn’t make it. But God had other plans as He reminded me of His mighty power again and again. As I prayed with many patients and many families my heart would break for those who lost loved ones and for those who were watching their loved ones suffer. God opened doors through the prayer and work of In Deed and Truth for us to minister to the patients and families that came in. Sometimes it was hard for me to talk to them because I didn’t speak their language but God used things as simple as a comforting touch or a hand to hold to show His love and give His comfort. We also had pastors sharing bible stories while our patients waited and our Community Health Workers talking to them about general ways to prevent sickness. One of our pastors goes into different villages and shows the Jesus film. I could see God using all of these things to draw the people of Tonj closer to Him. God has also used this time to draw me closer to Him as I was far from home and as things that came up that broke my heart or made me sad I was able to find comfort in Him and know His plan is so much better than mine. I made many new friendships in Tonj and it was hard to leave, but like I just said Gods plans are so much better than mine.

Love, Stephanie

 

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Flooding in Tonj!

This year we had alot of rain that we praise God for! this caused a lot of flooding in many areas around Tonj town.

At first it was in different towns and village in the same Warrap State. But from last week we had so much water from rivers over burst their banks that made many people abandon their homes, farms and seek refuge in higher ground like the main roads. in this area there are no Hills nor Munitions, its very flat with many swamps.

More than 250 Houses have been destroyed . Sorghum, Ground nuts fields and gardens have been completely submerged in water, destroying everything these people were growing.

The newly appointed commissioner is trying his best to help but nothing so far reached the people. Though the people are hopeful.  Government were given Mosquito nets but they have to figure a way to bring them from the state capital in kuajok to the areas hit by the flood, that is  about 5 hours away from Tonj.

Please pray for protection from diseases and infection from the this situation of flood and also a provision for food and shelter for all the families effected by this natural disaster.

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George is our night guard, bcause of the heavy rains, his house collapse on one side. It is currently being renovated by Duncan our builder from the compound with his crew. (see photos below)

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