New Opportunities

After three months of focusing on building relationships and language learning in Torit, new doors of ministry have opened for me. Since I have come, I have been building a friendship a young Sudanese man, Matai who is staying with some relatives here. In return for a place to sleep and receiving meals, Matai has been expected to run his uncle’s bar in the Torit market area. If he is not at the bar during the day, it is usually because he is running errands for others. During the times that I have visited Matai while he is at work, I have continually been impressed with his positive attitude, his love for God, and the respect that others have for him. He also has a determination to succeed and a desire to complete secondary school. Recently, Matai approached me about sponsorship for school. Initially, I responded by telling him I would not likely be able to do so. A few days later, I felt an impression during my prayer time that the Lord would have me sponsor him. I continued to pray and I felt a peace come over me about the whole situation. I since have made the decision to help Matai find a good Christian school in Kenya and I am currently in the process of looking for one. Recently, Matai has found another individual to help share the workload with him at the bar so that he does not have to spend the entire day there. This has enabled Matai to come over to the AIM compound where I am now helping him learn computer skills. Several times each week, he comes and spends a few hours on the computer to practice typing. I am continually praying that the Lord would show me ways to help mentor Matai and encourage him in Christ.
The same day that I agreed to teach Matai on the computer, another young man, Peter, approached Philip Byler asking if he could have someone teach him computer skills. I have agreed to work with him also and I now spend a couple hours each weekday at the AIM compound working individually with these two men and I am enjoying it.
I have also been meeting about twice a week with Barnabas, a Kenyan believer who really has a desire to be a witness for Christ to the Sudanese in Torit. Barnabas came to Torit a couple years ago to do construction work. He even helped build the bedrooms for Catrin and Verena on the AIM compound last year. Barnabas stays with his wife in a tukul (mud hut with a grass thatched roof) which he rents from a Sudanese family. After his work slowed, Barnabas has now taken up the job of delivering water in Jeri cans with his bicycle to families and businesses. This job has allowed him to save up money for when he will return to Kenya. Barnabas and I have been going through the book, the Calvary Road together and we pray with one another that the Lord would continue to use us to reach out and spread the Gospel among the people here. Just recently another Kenyan man, Albert, has joined the two of us.
I have also started an extended homestay with Taban Patrick’s family. I had such a great experience during my one-week stay just after arriving to Sudan that I was looking forward to going back. I am hoping to really improve my Juba Arabic during this time as well as build some good relationships with the youth who stay on or nearby the compound. As a way to return the favor to Taban’s family for allowing me to stay with them and eat meals together, I am planning to help them dig a latrine on the compound and cover the cost for the materials to shelter it.
So far, I have found the homestay to be a bit of a challenge, but a good one nonetheless. It is not easy to stay with a family where only a few of the members speak English. Moving in with Taban’s family has really been a big step for me. I now share a reasonably comfortable tukul (mud hut) with Taban’s brother Juma. For protection from insects, I sleep inside a small single-person tent which fits nicely inside the tukul. In the morning, we have tea and mandazis (like a donut, but not as sweet). Lunch and dinner usually consist of cooked maize or sorghum meal which is used to dip in stew made from greens, cowpeas, or okra. A couple times a week, we have eggs. My first week there, I found that my stomach could only tolerate small portions of the food and I began feeling weak and ill. Furthermore many Sudanese do not drink enough liquids (about two cups a day along with tea in the morning) and I at that time was only getting that amount. I have now started eating lunch at the AIM compound and bringing extra water to drink and I am now back to full health. I also spend my Saturdays back at the AIM compound and return to Taban’s after church on Sunday. On the days when I have not gotten back to the AIM compound, I have opted to bathe in the Kinyeti River which runs from the mountains rather than bathe in the bathing shelter at Tabans, which is used for urinating and has large gaps in the grass walls.
Things have yet to get started with the prison ministry, and being as busy as I am right now, I am considering delaying until next year. Luka, the prison guard, and I were supposed to start a few weeks ago, but on what was supposed to be the first day of the class, I discovered that Luka had been sent out to be part of a workshop. I really believe that Luka desires to get started, but I have gone to see him numerous times at the prison only to find that he has been sent out somewhere else at the moment. I do believe that in the Lord’s timing, we will get the Bible class going.
As I think about my time here, I am really at peace with the direction that God has taken things. I find that every day leaves me with countless opportunities to encourage, pray for, and show kindness towards others. Despite all the apparent drawbacks of living in Sudan, and missing my family and friends, I am still overjoyed to be here where the Lord has placed me.

Please pray for:
-Matai, who I will sponsor and with whom I spend a lot of time mentoring and also training on the computer. Pray that our time would be fruitful together and that he would grow closer to God through this time.
-The time that I spend with the youth on Taban’s compound. My Arabic is still limited and I am doing my best to relate to them as I continue to learn their language.
-Our safety and protection as missionaries. Phil and Linda are in the United States until mid-October so Catrin and Joan (a newly arrived AIM missionary) are staying on the compound by themselves.