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Pray for Safety in Tonj

Pray for Safety in Tonj February 20, 2010

We need your prayers please.  This afternoon at lunch, we heard a series of gunshots very close to the compound. It lasted several hours causing us to retreat inside our rooms, and World Vision staff to also seek refuge inside our compound.  The only threat to any of us was possibly getting hit by a stray bullet so we kept down and waited for it to pass.  The problem was between police and civilians as they tried to steal back weapons seized in last year’s disarmament.  The police were firing warning shots to scare the crowds of people trying to break into a police storage room.  They want the guns to retaliate a recent cattle raid from a nearby town.  This type of cattle raiding insecurity is becoming more frequent throughout South Sudan.
 
In the midst of the chaos and confusion of people running, the UN feeding tent located outside our compound took a hit as people took advantage of the situation and tried to grab food.  Hence more shooting. 
 
One young man, Karbino, was hit by a stray bullet and brought to our clinic, resulting in masses of people wanting to follow him inside, but we locked the gate because of the shooting and so they started jumping our fence!  He is in serious need of prayer as the bullet entered though his back.   During this time, Sabet stayed with our medical staff in the clinic and had the opportunity to share his faith with Karbino.  Sabet asked him to pray in his heart as he was not able to speak, he was bleeding from the mouth and Karbino acknowledged he prayed for salvation.  Our vehicle, being used more and more as an ambulance, was transformed as we hooked Karbino to an IV and made him as comfortable as possible with 2 mattresses and then drove him 75 miles to a hospital in Wau. When we arrived there we were told he will need to go to Khartoum for further medical help.  Pray for a way for his family to take him there as it is a flight away not a drive. 
 
We just arrived back from Kenya yesterday and it feels like the enemy will do anything to discourage us being here.  We are 2 months away from a general election and 1 year from the referendum to decide the future of South Sudan. Pray for the people of Sudan, that they would know our Lord and how much He loves them, His amazing grace and gift of salvation.  Pray for wisdom for us as we minister to the people here especially in this time of crisis.  The Lord has called us to be here and He has called you to support us being here, so we are now asking you to fulfill  that calling by praying for us today and our safety.
 
Trusting in Him,
 

“As for God, His way is perfect; The word of the Lord is proven; He is a shield to all who trust in Him. 2 Samual 22:31

Sabet & Suzy

 
Kuj Family, Ministry

Christmas in Sudan!

Yes we stayed for Christmas even though all other aid workers and NGO’s left for Nairobi.  Our clinic is remaining open for emergencies.  It’s quiet and slow paced but everyone wants to look their best on Christmas Day with new clothes.  The day is spent going to church and spending time with family.  We held a communion church service in our compound and quite a few people came.  This was followed by a turkey British Christmas dinner, with crackers, pudding and a special cake!

 

Kuj Family

Sufferin’ in Style!

Horrendous Road to Rumbek

Four hours on a bumby road and 100 miles away in Rumbek is this oasis of tranquility, called Safari Style!  We treated the family and team and took 2 days out to refresh before the Christmas break. 

Swimming at Safari Style

Complete with air-conditioning and swimming pool the kids were willing to make the horrendous car journey for the blessing of playing and relaxing by the pool!

HSE Team, Mission Trips, Teams

Farewell To Africa!

Here as I am somewhere over Iceland flying back to the USA, the last week certainly has illustrated Gods hand in all that goes on. Things got very busy, and hence this is a lengthy blog to fill in the gaps

Sunday evening we were able to do our last scheduled outreach to a village some 15 very bumpy miles away (the drive took nearly 45 minutes). This village was made up of men and women and their families who were training to be prison guards (or wardens as they are known as here). These were a village that were very disciplined in their training, but were concerned that because it was guards who put Jesus to death, that theirs was not an honorable job. That is was people in their job that killed Jesus. This was shared to me on the way to the village, and Sabet asked me to share a message addressing this concern before showing the Jesus film. So out the window for the message I had sort of prepared based on Gideon and his faith in the power of God, and instead, God gave me a message loosely based on the vineyard owner coupled with a description of Jesus being our propitiation because of the Fathers love.

This turned out to be one of my favorite outreaches we did in our very short time in Tonj. They loved the worship from Josephine (with Emily on Cajon), and then loved even more as she launched into “Praise the name of Jesus” sung in Dinka. Time for the silly songs bought out all the children who marched out singing a welcoming song in perfect formation. Then everyone got into the songs, and then followed by the Jesus film.

Sabet bought a young couple to Josephine and Kristina with the young wife who was having “disturbances” and could not sleep, wanting healing. Josephine recognized that she did not know Jesus, and as she accepted Jesus into her heart, the demonic oppression that was tormenting her had to leave. God had our team there at just the right time with a mind to trust in Him. After she became peaceful, her husband also accepted the Lord. Hallelujah

However, with the potential for my short message coupled with the Jesus film portrayal of the crucifixion to still leave some confusion in the minds of these wonderful people, I offered to come back on Tuesday night, the night before we were to leave, and discuss with them what the Bible has to say about soldiers and guards. They readily accepted.

Unfortunately the Devil always keeps pressing, and on the way home Stacy succumbed to the “bug” that has been sweeping the compound

Monday bought Dennis (the other medical officer) back after a break, and also bought Gordon (the logistician from Nairobi) to Tonj along with about 800kg (1700lbs) of supplies, some of them electrical for Dave and myself to continue with the Solar.  Mondays as always were very busy in the Clinic.

Tuesday bought the news that Dave also got slammed by the “bug”. The clinic was “closed” for staff training, and Kristina accepted the responsibility for any “emergency” walk ins. Needless to say, she was kept really busy. I managed to get the Solar System to a somewhat improved state, and ready for a more efficient use of resources. The team all tried to contribute as much as we could before our imminent departure.

That evening Sabet, Josephine and I returned to the Prison Wardens’ village. We had been told to expect roughly 45, but over 60 turned up. We gave out Bibles, and had to disappoint as we did not have enough on hand. The study went really well, covering the centurions in the gospels, the garden of Gethsemane, the Phillipian Jailer, and closing with Romans 13 1-5. God moved mightily in the hearts of these wonderful people who want to serve Jesus in all they do, and not compromise because of their work choice. We could all learn many lessons from this, and strive to serve Jesus in our Whole life, not just the parts that are convenient to us. After we were treated to another stirring performance by the village children, who showed us clearly by their actions they knew who to believe in. And to top it off, the young husband from Sunday night came to tell us after the teaching that his wife was sleeping soundly, and had no more “disturbances” Praise Jesus

Time to fly out Wednesday morning and Natasha succumbed to the “bug”. Not a pleasant thought to ride in a small plane with your body trying to rid itself of “stuff”. But on the plane she hopped. However by the time we arrived back in Nairobi, Josephine had developed a massive migraine, Natasha was no better, and neither would be unable to continue on the flight back to San Diego.

And as always, God opened the door, provided a way to delay our flight by providing Dr Bransford, an American surgeon who’s spent the last 32 years serving the people of Kenya, to give the airlines the confirmation of sickness they required to change our flight without the huge penalties that normally would result.

Leaving the people of Tonj, and the Kuj family, and all the compound and medical centre is a bittersweet thing. We know Gods work will continue, after all, he doesn’t really need us, but He chooses to, and to no longer be hands on is a sad thing, but then the knowledge, that Jesus taught us  that First when we Pray…  We have been blessed beyond measure to be just for a moment in time able to come alongside “In Deed and Truth”. And we look forward to the time we meet again, either here on this earth or in Heaven forever.

To God be the Glory, great things He has done.

 

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