Hungarian Update

We finally made it safely to Hungary...after about 36 hours of travel! Somehow Lucy wasn't in the British Airways system, so that was complicated and expensive and then we missed our flight in London on to Budapest...but thankfully there was another flight later in the day. We are so thankful to Jesus to be here and be with family this Christmas!

We are getting to enjoy Christmasy weather too! It was -1F last night!!! We are frozen, but happy! :)
The girls are enjoying a lot of firsts! Snow, hair dryers, vacuum cleaners, hot dogs, pears! It's really happy and kind of overwhelming at moments, but we really do love being here! We love our family so very very much! It's really great to be with Dan and Katy Beth and their girls these days! Jesus is so kind to us! Hallelujah! Praise God Forever!

Here We Go...

Billy is meeting with a friend for lunch.
This afternoon I teach Bible Study.
In about 18 hours we embark on a serious JOURNEY that will take us to three continents, four nations and more beds than we can count before we come back home in about 8 months!
We go with fear, trepidation, excitement and HOPE!
We go with JESUS!
The same God who called us here is going before us as we journey back to the States...and He is the provider God who will bring us back in His best time!
We go trusting.
We go hoping.
We go expectant!
HERE WE GO...

Floods, Finals, Friends and a Funeral

Last week we thought it would be fun to try and spend part of the day together just as a little family at the local restaurant that is a hotel...that has a pool! We were really excited to go and as we packed the car with babies and bathing suites, realized there was a drip coming from the bathroom that became more like a rain storm...
when we went in, we saw the pool had come to us!
There was at least an inch of water on the floor and we had our family swim in the guest bathroom with buckets and towels.
Elsie Jayne thought this was great fun and told me to "tell the people who pray!"
She wanted you to join us in praising Jesus for our pool!
...Maybe just pray as Jesus leads you!

Elsie Jayne bailing!

Our guys in Nebbi took their final exam for the year last week.
Here you can see the servant team as they share stories with Pastor James who traveled up from Kampala to evaluate them. These three men shared 19 stories that they have hidden in their hearts from the book of Mark!
Praise Jesus!
We are believing Him that His Word does not go out void!
There will be a harvest of souls in Nebbi district!

As we prepare to journey away from Arua for a while there are many good-byes to be said.
All of the pastors and their wives will come on Monday for a farewell meal together in our home.
This dear friend below is Dawama James.
He is an orphan from Sudan.
He has become a dear friend to our family.
The girls know him as "Uncle James" and he calls us Mama and Dad.
He has finished his secondary (high) school now and will go back to Sudan in January.
Will you pray that Jesus guides and protects our precious friend?!
and that he might be a LIGHT for Jesus in a dark land.


We went to our friend Jane's home this past week as well to say good-bye to her children.
Jonathan and Charis are great friends to Elsie Jayne and they were excited to get to carry Lucy!
Thanks to the TN team...we had a Bible to share with the children too and they were delighted to have Billy share a bible story with them.
Jane has just told us that Jonathan is a bit sick today...will you pray for Jesus' healing and protective hand upon this dear family?


Joanna and Jane

This is the market...where the rat got into the car (see previous post).
But it is also the sight where we bought beans to take to Kisa Patrick's father's funeral.
It was an amazing event.
The most difficult and meaningful time for me was when the man leading the service had us all go and look for rocks to bring back so that we could pile them upon the mounded earth that had just become Isaiah's grave.
Many new friends asked how we bury the dead in America.
For some reason it was strange to me that we actually all worked together and buried this man...I am used to the cemetary workers coming along and doing that after I have been able to mourn in my nice clothes keeping clean and crying, but then leaving to go to the next thing.
We still have so so much to learn.

A "Hot" Date with Billy Coppedge

When we reach transition points in life, it is natural to reflect on all of God's goodnesses to us in the past and plan and dream for the future He has for us! This has been a week of reflection and thanksgiving as we prepare to go to America for HMA (Homeland Ministry Assignment) for the next few months.
Our days have been full and Billy and I haven't been together much...unless it is with a lot of great friends, so we decided to make lemonade from our lemons and go together to Nebbi today. It wasn't the typical date...one of our pastors, Kisa Patrick has been praying for his father for the past month. He has been sick with what we understand to be throat cancer. Two weeks ago he met JESUS! And yesterday he saw Him face to face for the first time. So today, as our "hot date" we went to our first African funeral together.
We talked in the car on the way down about the past three years..."What were your highlights?" "What was the hardest day?" "What were your top three times you saw Jesus work?" Fun date, get to know your spouse better questions. Then, we went through the town of Uleppi and stopped at their market to get a gift for the mourning family. This is the town that Jeannie Banter was working in to disciple a group of farmers...so there was more reminiscing as we bartered for beans and charcoal.
Then...as Billy was getting a rope from the back of the car to tie the charcoal bag on top of the car...he saw a...RAT! In the car!!! Lucy was being amazing and just sleeping the back seat. At this point I shriek and pull her out of the car. This isn't our typical date...but it gets more exciting!! :(
A crowd gathers instantly to look at the white lady and her baby and figure out why she screamed. Lucy and I spent the next half hour getting to know some sweet ladies and kids and we got to share Jesus with the mom of a baby named Winn. That was the HIGHLIGHT of the whole date!
Billy and some neighborhood guys tried to find the rat. They see it in the car a couple of other times, but never see it leave the car. At this point we are late for the burial, so we decide to just trust we won't see it again and go. Lucy and I get back in... :(
We drive the rest of the way to Nebbi with no rat interaction...not so much laid back talking either. Now I am sitting in the back of the car with Lucy to guard her from getting her little toes nibbled by a rat and I'm a bit more tense!
We pick up six friends in Nebbi town and then proceed out to the village where our friend Kisa's family is from. This is two o'clock. We left Elsie Jayne with a friend in Arua, because for some reason we believed the people who told us the burial and funeral would be only two hours beginning at two o'clock.
Let me skip the details of the service...I'll share that another time I hope, as it really was a neat learning experience and I'm really glad we went (now that I am safely at home).
At six thirty!!! we finally got in the rat infested car to come home. Along with now eight friends! :) It gets dark here at seven and it's really not safe to drive after dark as it is difficult to see the many people who walk or ride bicycles along the road. Also, seven is Elsie Jayne's bedtime!! So, there is a bit of stress in the car as we finally leave Nebbi town and all of our passengers at seven exactly. But, I really want to make the most of this date as Billy is to leave in the morning for a wedding and will be gone the next two days. So, I sit in the front with him, praying Jesus covers Lucy and keeps the rat away.
We talk about the day and pray for the girls and the transitions ahead and then...I felt him. THE RAT! It crawled across my foot! I had sandles on and I just couldn't handle it. Billy stopped the car and searched for the evil critter again, but couldn't find him. Back to Lucy I moved and still...the rat is in the car, but we got Elsie Jayne from my friend's house and now both girls are sleeping peacefully.
The rat is still in the car. :(
Billy is such a love gift to me from Jesus and where he takes me on dates really isn't that important, but we did decide one GREAT thing we are looking forward to in America is taking a HOT shower and feeling clean (still no hot water here!) and then wearing clothes I feel pretty in (it is fashionable here to be fat...meaning you have enough money to eat well, so "nice" clothes are big frumpy missionary dresses!!!), and go somewhere in a clean-rat-free-car and eat food we actually choose and enjoy and talk about something other than the bubonic plague and malaria!
Dreaming...

We mailed out an email to ask for prayer for precious Lucy...she had malaria last week, but Jesus has healed her and we want to praise Him for His hand upon her! God is so good to spare our girls and give us good health today!!!

Coppedge Advent Calendar

As we enjoy these days of Advent and look with great expectancy to Christmas and the birth of our Saviour, we want to share some praises with you. Our family is going to pray through the advent season, praising Jesus for His faithfulness to us here in this area of Africa over the past three years. Would you like to join us in praying for our friends and thanking Jesus for His faithfulness as we walk toward Christmas together!?

November 29-Jane and Susan-Dear friends and co-laborers in Jesus' work here in Arua.

November 30-Denis, Simon, and Innocent-the Watchmen assigned to our compound. These men have cared for us and prayed with us and walked with us faithfully through the last three years...and will remain as we come back to the states, to keep an eye on our properties left here as well as prepare to welcome us back next August!

December 1-James Ouma and Emmy Mugisha-Two pastors in Africa Gospel Church who will be traveling up this day to help us with our final evaluation in Nebbi on the second. They will also be overseeing the training in Nebbi while we are in America the next 8 months.

December 2-Final Evaluation in Nebbi-Pray for our dear pastors and friends as they share stories and walk through observation, interpretation and application of those stories in their final exam.

December 3-Tom and Gertrude, Faith, Cathy, Sandra, Gloria, and Emmanuella-our next door neighbors who have been such a blessing the last three years. Tom just got a promotion and will be probably moving the family to Kampala before we get back from our time in the states. They know and love Jesus!!!

December 4-Simon and Gladys, Derek, Eddie, Lorna, Sharon and Hope-Another family here in our neighborhood that is seeking Jesus. Please pray especially for these children...Sharon gave Jesus her WHOLE heart two years ago, but the older three are struggling to stand for Jesus in their schools.

December 5-Imam and Tina Ottafire and Angela-Our dearest Ugandan friends! They will be having their "introduction" this day. Meaning, Imam will take his bride price to Tina's parents. Billy will travel down south for this really important event in our friends' lives with some others from his bible study. Pray that Jesus is the center of their marriage, home and family!

December 6-Andrew and Joyce-Two of our Nebbi pastors. Pray they might remain faithful to Jesus and He might provide for them during this coming year!

December 7-Mambo Charles and Joyce-Some of our dear friends from Arua that we will really miss this next year. Pray with us that Jesus might bless them with a baby!

December 8-Jeff and Katie Borchet and their children Fatu and Osobie will live in our home while we are in America. They are Americans working with the CDC who alternate between Arua and Colorado every other six months. Pray our home might be a place they meet Jesus every day and through which they can share His love!

December 9-Elsie Jayne and Lucy-please pray for our precious little girls as they begin a year of constant transitions...saying good-bye today to many friends in Arua...that Jesus might undergird for them and be their deep peace and strength!

December 10-Today we travel as a family to Kampala. We will be there for a week of meetings. Pray for safety in the journey one more time!

December 11-Africa Gospe Church General Council meets today. These leaders in the church will be seeking Jesus as to the coming year's training and how Nebbi needs to be included in the church's other trainings as well as what place Bible Storying should have within the pastoral curriculum.

December 12-Uganda Field Board Meeting-Please pray for us both as we join in this meeting with our Kampala colleagues, that Jesus might give wisdom and discernment and love and great attitudes!

December 13-Benson and Cosmas-Two more of our Nebbi pastors. These men make up the Servant Team that leads the Nebbi pastors with Andrew as well. Pray for a unity for all three as we are away and so much responsibility will now rests upon them.

December 14-Reuben and Joseah-our Kenyan colleagues working in Sudan will be home with their families for the Christmas season, but also raising support to travel back in January and work among the Dinka. They are incredible men of God we are honored to work with...will you pray Jesus protects and keeps them as they say YES to Him in a nation running quickly toward yet more instability!

December 15-Joy Phillips-our Sudan field director and friend. Pray for her as she leads in the coming year expectant for Jesus to work in a mighty way among the Southern Sudanese people! Oh, that they might come to know Him in this year where so many expect many difficulties for them...may we all be surprised by the PRINCE OF PEACE!

December 16-Jonathan and Lisa Mayo-our Uganda field director. Pray for Jon and Lisa as we welcome many new missionaries in the coming year. This answer to prayer will also be a big responsibility on their shoulders as they orient and welcome new families!

December 17-Jennifer and Eva-two great friends that have been in Arua much of our time here, but now live in Kampala for work. Pray both young ladies might continue to hunger for Jesus!

December 18-We fly to Hungary to celebrate Jesus' birthday with our sister and her family, Dan and Katy Beth Searls!!!

December 19-Please pray for the Searls Family...that we might be a blessing and not a burden to them and that Jesus might let their year end with incredible joys of SALVATION STORIES among those they are ministering to and loving these days!

December 20-Kisa, Ochamringa, Opio-Three more of our Nebbi pastors. Pray for faithfulness to Jesus as they seek Him in the coming year. Please pray Jesus provides food for their families this Christmas!

December 21-the Church in Hungary-as we live and love alongside the Searls, pray with us that the Church in Hungary might be a LIGHT in a dark place and lives might be won for JESUS!!!

December 22-Congo-As we head toward the new year and celebrate new life in Jesus...pray for His work in Congo in the coming year...that we might walk in Him and He might open the doors He desires us to walk through!

December 23-Sudan-Pray that this nation might know Jesus' PEACE and that the lost might be drawn to the truth of HIM...pray for pastors who were at the storying conference...that the stories of the Word might eternally change their hearts.

December 24-Uganda-That the field might continue to look outside ourselves and multiply...that we might expand into more cities, like Arua and see what Jesus might do beyond our boarders for His Kingdom.

December 25-HAPPY BIRTHDAY JESUS!!!! That the world might KNOW HIM!!!! and LOVE HIM!!!!

Thank you for joining us in these advent days of PRAISING Him as we expect His coming...to our hearts and those we love in the coming year!

Snapshots from the team

The past two weeks we have been blessed to have a team from the States join us in our life and ministry here in Uganda. They spent time with our pastors in Nebbi and got to see a bit of the daily realities of life in Arua. We are so thankful to Jesus for the time we shared together.
The team visited small groups that our pastors are working with to together learn God's stories and share them with their communities.
Above is a group acting out the story of people bringing their children to Jesus!

After three years we humbly admit we still have MAJOR mis-communications at times.
We asked our pastors to share their stories with a small group from their communities.
Many of the small groups were well over fifty people like the one above!

Matt Burton led the team from Ooltewah UMC in Tennessee and preached in Akaba one Sunday morning. Jesus helped him at every point and he was such a blessing to us!!!

The ways Jesus freed the vehicle from mud were evidences of His hand upon this team throughout their time here.

They brought bibles to share with Elsie Jayne's friends!!!
She really has been much more excited about that than this picture shows.

It was an INCREDIBLE BLESSING to us to have our sister Cricket here!!!
She was a great blessing to the team as well as a super story teller and a joy to all of the children she met! Our children particularly enjoyed meeting a REAL auntie! :)

Some of you pray regularly for pastor Cosmas...this is his wife Joyce!

Bonnie Burton stepped in and was involved in every aspect of the story telling ministry.
She is pictured here with Benson after training on a Saturday.

Billy is here with some of men from Opio David's church (Opio on the left).

Another happy part of teams is sharing with them Uganda's beautiful wildlife! Here are some elephants we got to see from the Nile River on a boat ride!!!

"Then after I have poured out my rains again, I will pour out my Spirit upon all people!" Joel 2:28

The great thing is...our Lord doesn't just stop with the physical needs...He sends His Spirit. As we finish up our first term with WGM here in Uganda...will you pray with us that the Spirit of Jesus might be poured out on all people!!!

May His Spirit be poured out on us afresh...so it's HIM that loves in and through and in spite of us.

May His Spirit be poured out on our Ugandan friends and neighbors.

May His Spirit be poured out on our Sudanese team and the Dinka people, as well as the pastors we have been working with over this term.

May His Spirit be poured out on YOU ALL as we come home to say THANK YOU and make preparations to return here...might we relate IN HIM as we are together.

How happy that He doesn't just stop with the rain...He gives HIMSELF!

The team returns from Nebbi tonight and then hopefully soon I can share some pictures and stories of their adventures...
They are all doing well. Nelson received Jesus yesterday!!! So, this fabulous team is seeing ETERNAL fruit from their efforts!

RAIN

"Rejoice in the LORD your God! For the rains He sends are an expression of His grace!." Joel 2:23

Jesus is so kind to give us His Word and His promises! I had a moment yesterday between various visitors and meals and babies and I said, "Oh, Jesus, this is our moment, please meet me!" He DID!!! I read the first two chapters of Joel really fast, but He spoke to me and I praise Him for that.

This verse reminded me of you all...we needed rain and asked you to join us in prayer and He sent rain!

We have needed water at various times and we asked you to cry out with us and Jesus responded!

Rest has seemed unattainable at various moments and we have petitioned you all to petition Him with us and He has provided.

Once again He has out-done Himself!!! We REJOICE today! We needed just a loving Hug from Him and He sent our precious sister!!! Cricket has arrived safely and we just feel so loved by Jesus that He might give us more than we could imagine...a precious family that loves us and is willing to make such major sacrifices to express their love!!! Thank you for praying with us for our dear team from Tennessee...a lot has happened in their preparation and Cricket is joined here with only Matt and Bonnie Burton(dear friends and supporters from Ooltewah UMC).

This morning Billy, Aaron Heinrich, Cricket, and the Burtons left for Nebbi. They will be there through Wednesday. Today is a prayer time to prepare the way for the week. Tomorrow is training with our pastors...Andrew is leading again this week. Sunday they will join in worship at a couple of different churches and then Sunday afternoon through Tuesday they will meet with all of our various pastors' small groups that they have been sharing their stories with! Some small groups are the pastors' children and wife...some are church members, some simply community members. The team will be staying in a guesthouse in Nebbi. Thank you for praying for them and for us as we MISS them!

We do REJOICE in JESUS today!!! He has brought great rains to express His grace to us.

The last few weeks in review...

Lucy started eating yummy fabulous "solids!"...

This wonderful new world opened up to her while daddy was leading a bible storying conference outside of Akot, Southern Sudan
and the day after she woke up with bites all over her face...
from something that was INSIDE her mosquito net!

We all traveled to Akot for a few days and had a really amazing time meeting some of the people Billy had been with in training the week before,
sharing with our teammates that stay there
and praying over and planning our goals as a team for the coming year.

Our home away from home was a fabulous safari tent...
that was affectionately referred to by our first born as "Elsie's Tent!"

We all loved seeing "Akot town."
The main road has about five or six buildings on either side of it.
We greeted town officialls and friends of our teammates, Reuben and Josiah.
The word traveled fast that there had been a "miracle in Akot today."
People there had never seen white children, so we were quite the display and somehow our presence was seen as "miraculous!"
If we could really just show up and people might meet HIM!!!

The girls are pictured here with Uncle Josiah (left) and Uncle Reuben.
These two men are the heart of our team...they live in Akot and serve Jesus "on the ground" in Southern Sudan for our team.
We really loved the time seeing where they live and realizing some of their daily realities.
As a team we can pray so much more specifically now that we know some of their relationships and can picture their little spot on the map!

We got home and finished up some last minute details on a ladies retreat for the missionary women of Arua.
Our field pastors came from the States and Janie shared from the Word!
Our hearts were truly fed and Jesus met us!
Thank you for praying!
...these women and their families really represent our "colleagues" here in Arua


November 3rd marked two years for precious Elsie Jayne!!!
Jesus has been so faithful and we are so grateful for her little life!
We celebrated at the local pool with lots of friends and yummy food.
Daddy and Elsie Jayne shared a story...the storm story for all of our friends at the party.
Everyone got in the little pool and acted it out!


Our time with the Heinrich family is winding down...that doesn't really seem possible.
They head out in just a few short days.
Keep praying with us that Jesus opens doors back into Khartoum for them.
We are thankful to Jesus for the blessing of their presence and ministry
with us these past months!
They have been more than we could have dreamed of!
Jesus is so kind!

the Greatest Commandment

"Hear, O Israel, the LORD our God, the LORD is one. And you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength." This is the first commandment. And the second, like it, is this: You shall love your neighbor as yourself." There is no other commandment greater than these.

The story of the Greatest Commandment from Mark 12 is our "story" as we begin the third term in Nebbi on Saturday. Will you pray with us that Jesus comes and makes Himself known as Andrew Piboth leads the time...teaching everyone the story and guiding us through observations and applications?! We are excited as this third term in the year the "Servant Team" Andrew, Benson and Cosmas will be the ones overseeing the trainings and we will serve more as support staff in preparation for our time in the states next year.

Aaron and Corrie Heinrich were planning to go and help out with this first training, as Billy is in Sudan through next Wednesday. But...Aaron has malaria. Will you pray with us for his full and complete healing? Hailey and Eden have even been sick this week, so thank you for lifting that family to Jesus in prayer. Corrie is going to try and go with me on Saturday. Thanks for praying for us as we learn to lead together and learn to sit in the backseat and let Andrew really take the lead...a lot of new dynamics this week.

I haven't talked to Billy at all...he left on Monday. Satellite phone is the only communication and that is quite expensive, so I don't expect to hear from him until the girls and I travel up to join him on Monday. We go in an AIM AIR plane from Arua, so that is a nice and easy two hour trip, we trust. We will all travel back together on Wednesday.

We have heard from others that people have arrived at the Bible Storying conference...only they didn't bring food. Everyone pitching in food was part of the agreement. So...we are just praying that either the rumors aren't true and there is food, or Jesus is sustaining everyone with the one meal a day provided! He is able to do that.

Please pray too that Jesus helps us all four to live in the reality of obedience to these His Great Commandments!

Arua Orality Conference

Jesus has helped us! Last week I tried and tried to post a blog or get an email out so that you all might join us in prayer, but it never would work, even though we did have internet access. Those moments are frustrating...when you know that God is working and the enemy doesn't want to see success...what a great trick...to put us in a place where the body of Christ couldn't support us in prayer, but the great thing is you all prayed anyway!!! We sensed your prayers and Jesus' responses carrying us every day!

Here are just a few highlights of our week...

To start things off on Saturday we had a day of prayer with our pastors in Nebbi who were in many ways hosting this conference!
Pictured in front are Joyce, Jagen Charles and Benson
Standing are Opio David, Ohamringa David, Andrew, Billy, Kisa Patrick and Cosmas



Billy and our dear friend Bramwel

There were 77 delegates at this conference, Ugandans from all over the country, Kenyans, and even some Americans. Our friend Bramwel who facilitated the time together had another friend of his join us from Hong Kong as well! So we were a world-wide body even as we began to learn together how to share the stories of God's word so that others might come to know Him and His heart for a lost and dying world!

Much of the conference is taught through practice in small groups.

This week Billy led a small group...this coming week he will be the facilitator and a small group leader as he facilitates the same conference but for 32 Dinka pastors in Southern Sudan near Akot, where he was back in August.


Elsie Jayne missed her parents and Lucy as we were at the confernece sight on the other side of town from 8a.m. until the late afternoon for me and well after she was asleep for her daddy...often almost 10p.m. So, it was a LONG week for all of us.
Elsie Jayne was THRILLED on Thursday though when she got to come and see all of the pastors as well as visit with her friend Angela whose parents had come up from Kampala to attend the meetings!

The Calm Before...

We looked at each other this week after praying through this fall together and felt so excited and a bit overwhelmed...here we go! As Elsie Jayne says multiple times every day, "un, two, free, ump!" So, we are one, two, three, jumping into Jesus and His goodness for the fall. We trust this isn't the calm before the storm really, but that Jesus has good good things in store.

We covet your prayers.


October 13-16 Facilitating a Bible Storying Conference here in Arua
October 19-23 Facilitating and Leading a Bible Storying Conference in Southern Sudan (Billy)
October 26-28 Team Meetings in Sudan (the whole family!)
October 31-November1 Facilitating a Women's Retreat in Arua for the Missionary Ladies
November 2-10 Meetings in Kampala (the whole family)
November 10-24 Hosting a Team from Tennessee (that includes Billy's sister, Cricket!) --This team will mostly be focused on ministry in Nebbi, doing bible storying with our pastors there.
December 10 Travel to Kampala for meetings before heading out for Homeland Ministry Assignment!!!

The time is going to fly. We are already dreading some goodbyes and anticipating many reunions. We hope to see you while we are in the states. Almost every Sunday we are in America is now scheduled, but if there is a mid-week meeting you would want us to attend with you we would love that...just email and we'll try and organize it!

Much love from Africa and THANK YOU for your prayers!

From Arua...

Just to update you on the last few exciting days!!!...Our friend Hailey Heinrich turned five last week. She threw a fabulous party and got braids in her hair of her favorite color...orange!
Hailey, Gloria, Eden and Elsie Jayne above.

At Hailey's party...our friends Tao (on Elsie's lap...he's a new friend who's mom is from Rwanda and daddy from Austria). Also pictured is Mary, looking away...she is Sudanese, and Lynda, Tao's mommy with Rosie on her lap and Hailey smiling big!

We have a team coming in November from Tennessee and we are so excited!
Elsie Jayne helped me last week go into town and sort out some of the details for this team...
on the way we ran into some ants...
lots of ants.

the ants all the way across the road...they stretched on forever!
and sadly enough we did both get these biting ants in our pants...not fun!

Last Sunday Billy went to Pastor Opio David's church.
He is the man in the middle in the red shirt.
This is his church family.
If he's the pastor you chose to pray for...THANK YOU!
The girls had to stay home as we are fighting some colds/flu weirdness.

Our next door neighbor and friend, Gertrude welcomed us a couple of days ago for Emmanuella's first birthday celebration. She is Gertrude and Tom's fifth girl and she just turned one!

Elsie Jayne "teaching" Emmanuella how to open the flaps on her cool book!

Precious Emmanuella wasn't sad at all to recieve Elsie Jayne's hand-me-down Ale 8 sippy cup!
Elsie Jayne did snatch it back for a tutorial as well...we may have a teacher (or just a big sister) on our hands!

Birthday Cake!!!

Our sweet little ladies...thank you for praying for all of us and supporting us in more ways than we can count...we are so thankful to Jesus for all of you!!!!
Hope you had a fun week too!

The Sudan Safari

So we are now back in Arua but in mid-August, many of you all were praying for us as I left Joanna and the girls in Nairobi after our meetings and headed to Sudan. Some have heard us discuss Mango Ministries (MM), which is the name of the World Gospel Mission work in Sudan. We want to keep it in front of you so you can begin to better understand our Sudan work. Mango Ministries' burden is to 1.) put down deep roots; 2.) bear fruit; and 3.) multiple the harvest. South Sudan is covered with mango trees and we believe God has focused our team on praying for, working for and believing that Sudanese communities can be transformed by the Spirit of Jesus Christ. Our team consists of our Country Leader - Joy Phillips, Reuben Kiurir, Joseah Sang, Joanna, and myself. In early August, our Mango Ministry team got together so all our family members could meet each other. It was great for all of us to put names and faces together.
MM has narrowed its' focus to three areas: 1.) assisting medical facilitaties in Sudan in anyway possible; for example, medicines, volunteer personal, etc.; 2.) community development wherein our team partners with the Sudanese community to address issues on their hearts; 3.) discipling & training Sudanese Church leadership.
MM is partnering with a mission hospital in Werkok, which is outside Bor, Sudan. We visited just briefly but it was great for me to see the hospital and begin learning about the Dinka tribe - the largest in South Sudan. They are cattle people and their "cow houses" are bigger than their own!
The needs of ever community are overwhelming. HIV is a huge issue and gets very difficult when cultural practices encourage transmission.
We traveled by chartered plane as the infrastructure is very... African. The second hospital we visited is between Yirol and Rumbek, located in the town of Akot. Akot Medical Mission has graciously partnered with MM, allowing our team to use the sizable hospital compound as a home base for working out in the surrounding communities. While the regular diet is beans and rice, one elderly woman blessed our team with a Dinka meal: greens in groundnut (peanut) sauce, tomato salad in a groundnut sauce, roasted goat, a goat and okra-like gumbo, a thin sour bread used for picking up food and sopping up sauce, fresh onions, and fluffy biscuits (probably due to the Arab influence). The kind woman's nephew (the one standing) was named Barnabas and he is one of Sudan's "famous" lost boys. We met several on our safari and each one had a fascinating story.
The journey for me was a great experience and the contacts and initially interactions with people on the ground was very positive. Reuben and Joseah have remained over the last month, continuing to research, interview, and assess the needs in the area. Prayer Requests: 1.) Strength, protection, communication for Reuben and Joseah on the ground 2.) Divine wisdom in decision-making of which communities MM is to begin partnering with 3.) a possible Church Leadership conference facilitated by MM team for Sudanese pastors October 21-24
4.) Spirit-filled Sudanese who understand the Scriptures and have a burden for their own

Thank you for praying for me. Thank you for praying for Joanna and the girls. We appreciate your standing in the gap and hold the ropes for us as we seek to follow Jesus into greater areas of South Sudan.