Torit Wrap Up

The TEAM!!!

Allow me to share this wrap-up in my typical, rolling ADD, email-friendly fashion—or vain attempt to do so. You know the drill now, scroll away. I don't have many photos because I left my camera on the DC3 you see below. Fortunately the group operating the plane, AIM Air, is made up of believers and I got my camera back, but at the end of my trip.

First, cold, impersonal, human-inspired statistics; that said, each number is a story that we pray brings the Lord glory. In Sudan there are obstacles to, literally, every action a person takes—from a simple act like getting water, to sharing the life-transforming power of Christ. Add in the spiritual realm of opposition along with very concrete reminders to the team who walked among these grass and mud huts that it is the Lord alone who establishes His church, and we in no way can claim credit for whom the Lord alone has drawn into His kingdom.

Kor Ingles (aka church plant 1)

• Gospel Presentations: 262
• Prof. of Faith: 129
• Follow Up: 98

ILangi (aka church plant 2)

• GP: 218
• POF: 127
• F/Up: 58

Totals:

• GP: 480
• POF: 256
• F/Up: 156

My Highlight A family had given the funds for a key pastor to start a small restaurant in the town where he lives. Another foundation supplied the funding to purchase a pastor two oxen and a plow. Both of these investments will supply ongoing income for these pastors. It eliminates the ongoing issue of dependency on America or e3, but frees them up to focus on the advancement of the gospel. The Lord also used them to speak to an official with the denomination we were working with: The African Inland Church (AIC).

These two gifts combined with seeing two new church plants get started in Torit stirred his heart. Stirred it enough that he and I sat for some time one evening talking about the future and a partnership. He oversees 60 churches in southern Sudan. He shared with me his goals for this year:

• Every member of theses churches lead another to Christ.
• Every member of these churches disciple two others, and prepare those two to disciple two more of their own.
• A bible study/prayer group in every place (home, school, clinic, office) where they have influence.
• 100 pastors and or lay leaders trained and prepared to lead.
• Each church pray specifically for five unreached areas.

I got goosebumps talking with him as we began to discuss how e3 may be able to help with these goals. Finding and working within these networks of indigenous leaders and churches has been a significant prayer request for us for some time. Another hallelujah!

Other highlights from US campaigners

• Patricia -- who named a small, sick child "Faith" then saw the Lord heal her overnight.
• John -- who, along with his wife, has prayed for Sudan for six years and was instrumental in seeing the church planted in the midst of drunkeness, spiritual opposition, and lingering trauma amongst a tribe recently attacked by a rogue milita.
• Todd -- who soaked up the nightly gatherings at the mother church where we broke bread together with the pastors and the church members working alongside us.
• Justin -- who saw the razor blade cuts on the forehead of a 12-year old girl; the cuts "treatment" for the fever brought on by her malaria. Justin's a pre-med student who was particularly moved by this and I suspect someone the Lord will use in the future to bring medical relief in the years to come.
• Josh --fully embracing the local culture, singing songs in a local tribal language and enjoying a post-dinner treat of termites on our last night in Sudan.
• Debbie -- One day she has a soldier threaten to shoot her if she comes near his hut. The next day, he professes faith in Christ and welcomes her into his home.
  

It's always a highlight when you see the new believers gather under the tree for those first church meetings. Reality strikes you that if the pastors and their disciples follow up and keep up the work, a church really will be established.

In the area where drunkeness was particularly bad, a key leader in the area came to a church service and publicly swore off alcohol.

I enjoyed integrating prayerwalking into the trip and seeing the Lord break up the ground through appeals to Him.

The miracle of the unifying power of the Holy Spirit, who binds hearts and overcomes food, language, culture, and our hearts. A taste of heaven here on earth.

Photos that I do have or were emailed to me recently ....


Worship at one of the church plants.

More worship

I just dug his shoes.

Site of a church planted by the February team. Following up one day.The pastors who attended the first every Baptist Conference of southern Sudan.

Mark, the IMB missionary, teaching.Kaya, teaching our church-planting training.


Billy. 72 years old. Former Green Beret. God told him to go to Sudan. So, like a good soldier he obeyed. He's teaching literacy in the south. Using scripture to teach folks how to read. An outstanding man. Finishing strong!!! This is how you retire. Forget golf, come to Sudan.


Ladies.
The still.