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.