Best moment in Sudan…

…we were in Raja fulfilling our last story teaching stop to a group of people who lived way out in the bush and had a haunting look of desperation and loneliness. After the “Creation” story, the “Fall of Man” story and the “Birth of Christ” story was shared with them, Shelvis asked them if they had any questions or observations. An ancient man raised his hand and proceeded to tell us that in Dinka culture, when someone gets lost in the bush and cannot find the way back to the campground, the villagers beat a loud drum until the person returns safely. The old man associated Christ’s salvation of lost people to their tradition! God’s truth had been in their culture for centuries, and at that moment he chose to reveal himself to them for the very first time. May they hear his drum and find their way to the Kingdom home.

On way to Nairobe May 8, 2008

Our work here, for this trip at least, is done. We are on the homestretch now. God is good and has healed us all form our various sicknesses. Everyone on the team except Glenn and Karen have been sick at some point and are glad to be healthy for the travel home. We are such a long way form home though! Jason and I won’t be in our own bed for three more days! Oh well.
Ja*** and Sa***** were particularly sad to see us go. I love these people so much! Despite the daily hardships they face and the horrors of their past, they find joy in simple things. Their faith in God is simple too, but so deeply rooted and strong. The Dinkas have not had sophisticate Bible training, Bible studies, or discipleship programs. But whattaya know. God’s Word and Spirit has been more than enough to equip them with faith, righteousness, and truth. His Word is sufficient.

Niyimbuli May 7, 2008

We are staying at a hut compound where two American missionary girls live. We met up with the second ATC team (form Wilmington) who will go back to the places we’ve been and continue the storytelling. Tonight we had the most delicious bowl of beans and rice I have ever had. No more goat meat. Haaa!!! One matter worth mentioning is that the “toilet” is fly/maggot free AND odorless. Who knew such a thing was possible?!

In the Air Same Day

There is one way we can know for sure that we are the only “musungu” or white people who have ever been in this area: This is THE FIRST time AIM airways has ever touched down in Raja. We are the first to ever even report to them the condition of the landing strip. Ja*** says that our coming here will literally be a topic of teaching and history, that the parents will tell their children about it and our names will be mentioned. Woop woop! It’s a humbling and overwhelming thought. What captures my hear the most is t hat the places we have been, have been touched with the Word of God for the first time and god’s kingdom has surely been advanced.

Raja May 7, 2008

In four more days, and if God is willing, I will be home. But in the meantime, I am trying to soak in as much of the Sudanese culture as possible. Today is our last day in Raja and we are waiting until 3:30 p.m. for an AIM plane to come pick us up. We decided as a group that if we attempted the 5 ½ hours, 25 passenger truck ride to Niyimbuli, we would be physically terminated. So, as good ‘ole foreigners, we opted for the plane ride. Seriously though, I think it is a wise choice because we are all sick/border line sick. Somehow, word got to the States that we all have malaria, which probably means our families are frantically praying for us. = ) This is a good thing. But so far, none of us have malaria.
We have named Raja “the city of mangoes” because there are mango trees everywhere.
This morning we were all sitting under a mango tree and Ja***, who is a pastor here and one of our translators, told us a bit about what happened to him and his family during the war…
…”I went to Kartum in ’83 to work and make money to send back to my family, but by the time I traveled to deliver the money, the war had begun and the border of Kartum was closed and I could not go back. My father and Sa*****’s father were killed at the same time with guns by the Arabs who were grazing their cattle in the area (the same ones we shared the Bible stories with the other day!). My mother was beaten very badly and women and children were taken as slaves and wives. When the Arabs saw that the women were not circumcised, they circumcised them (this means that they cut off their clitoris. Horror!). These are the same Arabs that had lived among us for years had sold to us and bought form us, whose children had played with our children and knew our names…”
I cannot fully fathom the grief and pain these people have felt, the horrors they have endured. What I rejoice in is that God has not forgotten them and has sent his Word to them through us. What a privilege, a humbling privilege it is to serve God in this place and way. Everywhere we have been the people have said that we are the only white people who have come to help them and give them hope. It is comforting to know that the hope we bring is the God of hope himself, and this hope will remain long after we have left.

* I have not bathed since we were in Marial Bai. Let’s just say I am sticky to the touch. Aaaack! I do have a little makeup on though.

Raja Later on

Mary the cook keeps coming in to check on me, but each time, she wants a big squirt of hand sanitizer. I’m running out of this vital stuff!

Raja May 6, 2008

I’m in a hot room in Raja resting and trying to recover from my fever flu. Everyone has gone storytelling to the Dinkas outside of Raja. The people here have NEVER heard the gospel and it is so exciting to be a part of sharing Christ with them. Satan tried to make me feel guilty about staying behind because I’m sick, but I know better. I can pray for them form this bed and God has used me for what he purposed for me to do from the beginning.