The news has repeatedly reported that South Sudanese are starving. Every person I’ve met desperately needs food, medicine, and security. Desperate people who heard about the food delivery to the churches were ready to attack us! The number of those in need exceeded all our capabilities. As usual, we loaded 12.5 tons of food products. Many from the crowd testified that they had not eaten for the last several days. We could not feed everyone, and therefore the help was designated for the members of the church only. The rest of the crowd of ca 1500 people did not disperse and demanded to help them even though their names were not on the registration lists! This was a difficult test for me and the church’s help committee. God gave us wisdom, and we announced that the food delivery was exclusively for vulnerable people, such as widows, disabled, elderly and schoolchildren. Thus, we distributed food and non-food products to people in need. And thanked God that everything went well.
The church in Southern Sudan in the state of Nimule was founded in 2000. Now Pastor Lozo Jofri is working here, he is a citizen of Nimule. About two years ago, he fled to the Ajumani refugee camp in northern Uganda. Not so long ago, he was asked to return to reopen the church. We thank God that he is doing well, and the church in Nimule is growing. Pastor Lozo is doing his best to reestablish other churches that were abandoned because of the conflict. To date, four Baptist churches are open again. Despite the economic difficulties, the number of returning believers is growing daily. Pastor Lozo, in a private conversation, shared with me that his family had not eaten for two days. He planned to send his family back to Uganda to feed his wife and children. I told the relief committee about the request of Pastor Lozo, and they unanimously decided, to include him and his family in the food distribution.
Our brothers and sisters were touched to tears and we thank everyone from the heart for the food delivery to the needy churches in Nimula. Please extend our gratitude to all the churches in the US for the timely assistance to feed thousands of South Sudanese refugees. We sincerely love you!
Agnes Wilson lives with her husband and four children in Kenya. A few weeks ago, she was admitted to the Kenyatta National Hospital! She waited a long time for this opportunity to remove the tumor of the lower jaw. The surgery started immediately after the doctors conducted an analysis of the situation. Since the tumor has destroyed the bone tissue, she probably needs several surgeries to remove the right side of the lower jaw and get an artificial replacement.
After this, a long healing process and repeated interventions are required. Being on this survey, Agnes worried and hoping if the finances would arrive on time.
Now the first surgery is already over! And we thank everyone who helped this mother of four. The tumor of the lower, right jaw was successfully removed. Despite the fact that it is difficult for her to speak, she is very happy. Please continue to pray for Agnes and her family!
Viki is 40 years old and a widow. The Lord blessed her with 4 children. Her husband was serving in the army and later was found drunk and dead in his home in 2017. After that they weren’t able to afford to live in Juba, the capitol of South Sudan, they moved to Nimule which is located in the Southern part of the country. She bought food in Loa and brought it to the market in Juba in order to sell it. On the way home, the truck that she was driving in turned over and several passengers were injured while others were killed. Viki was badly injured, and her right arm needed to be amputated.
The Civil war reached the Loa area in July 2017. Viki and her children fled to the border of Uganda and were hiding in the woods. They crossed the White Nile on a boat and were left without food and water and they were forced to drink dirty flowing water. Now they are living in a refugee camp in Bidi bidi, Uganda. Here she turned her heart to the Lord and joined the church. She is trying to earn money, so she could buy food for her children. Viki is thankful for God for His mercy and asks for prayers for her family.
The ministry of the first five evangelists began in September 2017. They traveled 60 miles to the Olosaruni region in southern Kenya. Without the motorcycles that they received thanks to all the supporters, this wouldn’t be possible. In Olosaruni they spent 7 days, living in tents and preaching the gospel to the local people.
Neighboring villages were reached by foot and the Word of God was preached everywhere. Whenever they met people on the street they testified about God to them and they walked from house to house, talking with families about the Gospel.
Our brothers in Christ are very thankful for the motorcycles that help not only to evangelize, but they are also able to earn money by using it as a taxi and transport people to the market in the city.
In some villages, not many have the possibility to drive. Some food products are sold only on the market in the cities. As of right now the evangelists visited more than 30 villages in the Olosaruni area and opened a new church called “Enkoro Empuan Church”.
One local resident in the area, named Mulata, donated 2 acres of land designated to the church for free to use. We plan to build a canopy with a roof so that the Sunday service can take place in any weather. Currently, we have 17 members worshipping God and we are sending out teams from other churches to support our brothers and sisters with the development of the church ministry.
Thank you very much to everyone for the prayers and participation in spreading the Gospel among the Masaai tribe.
The director of the Migiale Baptist Association, Clement Niombo, expressed a huge gratitude for the assistance with the refugees from Southern Sudan in the Cerva Camp. This is the second truckload of food we sent to this newly founded camp.
We loaded the truck on December 29 and on the next day at 10 am in the morning we were already unloading it. A huge number of people were expecting our arrival. Church leaders and government officials were both expressing their gratitude to all those who participated in the help for the homeless. We unloaded 100 bags of corn flour, 100 bags of beans, 50 cans of oil and 50 boxes of soap and salt. About 1600 people were able to receive food packages for their families. We distributed the soap to the elderly, invalids and pregnant women.
The present people could not resist to overwhelmingly thank us for the help prayers. May the Lord bless you for your help.
Our first visit in Uganda was in May 2017. The thought to go there again never left my mind after I left. We saw horrible pictures of hunger, poverty, inhuman conditions of life and a thirst for God’s word.
Our trip began with difficulties. At the airport security, they found a knife at one of our team members. He didn’t know it was there. The police were called and after long conversations they let him go with the condition to appear in front of a court for further investigation.
Before our arrival, we learned that we would not be able to visit one of the camps ins South Sudan because of the armed conflict in that area. A unit of soldiers reached the refugee camp and started to shoot randomly at the refugees and didn’t even stop with women or children. Many fled to bordering Kerwa Region in Uganda.
The camp in Kerwa just opened a few weeks ago. We purchase 12 tons of food, 700 bibles, and medication. More than 1500 people were sitting under tree branches and waiting for us from the early morning.
People rejoiced and praised God for the help that arrived on time and for the Word of God that they received. Thank you, everybody, who helped and cared about the refugees here in Uganda. Our brothers and sister from South Sudan undergo a very difficult journey. They lost everything that they once owned. They are tired from a war that already lasts for more than 60 years.
Please pray for the awakening for South Sudan, for the end of the war so that the two rivaling tribes would stop killing innocent civilians.
