Simon Odong is a minister of the Gospel in Torit, Eastern Equatoria, South Sudan. The Lord has blessed his family with two children. Torit is the capital of the eastern state of Equatoria, and most of the unreached population groups live in these areas. We pray that Simon’s support will open doors for establishing new churches in this region. Please pray and support Simon in his ministry in South Sudan! Just $50 a month will help him and his family to serve in opening new churches in Sudan! Thank you to the churches in the states for donating finances for a motorcycle for him! Your prayers and support mean a lot for the advancement of the Gospel in South Sudan.
The physical difficulties faced by refugee camps in South Sudan do not hinder evangelism from house to house, discipleship, and establishing churches in refugee camps in northern Uganda and Eastern Africa. Last week in the refugee camps from South Sudan in the West Nile region of northern Uganda, we conducted house-to-house evangelism, and the harvest was very great. In total, 172 people heard the Gospel in the Simbili camp in the Rhino-Arua district in Uganda. Over 70 people opened their hearts to accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. Thus, in one day, another church was born in the refugee camp! The pastor of the local church is named Moses Banga. This week he will continue the work, and we pray that the sown seeds will bring even more fruit. Thank you for your participation and prayers!
We are concerned about the impending famine in the refugee camps. The UN has reduced food rations for refugees due to insufficient funding. Now the UN is considering providing three kilograms of corn per person per month, and exclusively for vulnerable groups such as the disabled and elderly. This amount is enough for about 10 days!
We saw children in one of the schools crying because they had not eaten for at least a day or two. We asked one of our team members to support the school. We sent several team members to the nearest market to buy rice and beans, while others went to look for firewood in the forest. We asked the school administration and the church to look for kitchen utensils, and they quickly found them and started cooking.
The team was able to cook lunch in a short time, then feed the children, and everyone received food at the same time. The children and the school thanked our team for the support provided to the children. We thank God for the mobilization of resources and ask you to support our school meal program and teachers who work as volunteers. For just $30 a month, you can feed a child lunch every day! Thank you for your help!
Our women and girls face significant challenges during menstruation, which is uncomfortable but needs to be discussed. We have recognized this need and decided to help especially the girls who cannot afford to buy hygiene kits and end up missing school during this time, staying home and feeling very uncomfortable. We have decided to create reusable hygiene kits. Some of us can sew, while others handle finishing, assembling everything we need into one kit. One of the sisters took the initiative and started meeting with 5 girls. Soon, their number increased to 150. Today, more than 200 teenagers come.
The schoolgirls who receive these kits gain confidence, not fearing awkward situations, and they can continue their education. They receive not only reusable kits but also guidance from the Bible that transforms lives.
A complete hygiene kit costs us $15. We give 2 kits to each girl! Each kit contains 2 bars of soap, which are very valuable at the camp. These kits are convenient and designed to last for a year, minimizing costs. Helping these teenage girls will lead to a great transformation of their souls. By being involved in their lives, they open up to the Gospel! We ask for your help in purchasing materials and sewing 2000 kits!
Our evangelist Adam Harun is a witness to the senseless political struggle in Sudan. He is currently in El Fasher, in the western region of Darfur. This is the 6th day of the battle between the Armed Forces of Sudan and the militarized group known as the Rapid Support Forces or the Janjaweed militia. Adam and his disciples have witnessed people being killed. The training center in El Fasher was bombed, and dozens of children were injured. There is no water, no electricity, no food, and life is unbearably difficult.
Adam called me early in the morning and asked for prayers for him and for Nasreddin. Together, they plan to go to the border region of South Sudan, Aweil. Pray that God protects their lives and helps save many people weary of war!
Another evangelist, Almaden, lives on the outskirts of Khartoum. He is also in danger. Bombings day and night. People cannot sleep, panic is spreading! He said he wants to flee to Port Sudan, but due to constant shelling, he hasn’t been able to do so! Pray for him!
Abdel, our evangelist in the Blue Nile region of Sudan, also witnessed the gunfire that began in Damazin, Kormuk, and Gedaref. The Rapid Support Forces suffered defeat, and many of them were arrested by the government. Abdel initially fled with his family to Bao near the Ethiopian border. But in Bao, there is no clean water or electricity, and they were forced to return to Damazin!
Support our ministry in Sudan, where war has been ongoing for many decades!
I would like to sincerely thank God for His protection of my life in 2022. On October 31, 2022 at 7:15, I was driving from Arua to Adjumani via Moyo and immediately after leaving the city, we got into an accident. The car exceeded the speed limit and crashed into a tree. There were three of us in the car, thank God that none of us were hurt. Although the car needs to be restored, it will require a large sum of money.
A few days later, as if this were not enough, Satan was still pursuing me when we were driving from Juby to Nimule on the highway, our car hit a rebel ambush and ten people were killed and 22 were seriously injured. Thank God our driver was able to turn the car around and none of us were hurt. We stopped 10 kilometers from the scene and called for a military convoy. We were escorted by the military arrived at the border with Uganda.
After this incident, I sang Psalm 144:1-3 “I will exalt you, my God and King, and bless your name forever and ever. Every day I will bless you and praise your name forever and ever. Great is the Lord and highly praised, and His greatness is unsearchable…”…I would like to thank God and all of you for always praying for me and supporting the Kingdom work in the region south of the Sahara and the countless groups in that area.
“He who is able to establish you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, by the revelation of the mystery, about which from time immemorial it has been silent, but which is now revealed, and through the prophetic writings, by the command of the eternal God, proclaimed to all peoples to conquer their faith. To the only wise God, through Jesus Christ, glory forever. Amen”. – Ephesians 3:20-21
It is in these places of Scripture, we, as the first generation of Baptists in South Sudan, have rooted and prayed to reach all the farthest corners of South Sudan and other sub-Saharan countries. The photographs you see are testament to the fulfillment of the commission of Jesus Christ and the preaching of the gospel to the lost in the refugee camps in northern Uganda. As part of this mission, a total of 76 people gave their lives to Jesus Christ, and they are now taking discipleship classes. Pray that God strengthened and grew them in their faith. Glory to God. We pray that God will continue to equip leaders so they can help all the lost in South Sudan.
