After having spent a wonderful Christmas with friends in Kijabe, Kenya and then having spent two weeks in Uganda, I am glad to be back in hot, dry, and dusty Torit, Sudan. I had a good time meeting AIM other missionaries at the Central Region Conference in Jinja and one of the highlights of my adventure was rafting on class five rapids near the source of the Nile in Uganda.
As of now, I have spent eight months in Africa and less than four months remain for me. Initially upon my return to Sudan, I intended to start teaching English classes at Torit Day Secondary school where I previously taught. Though both the headmaster and deputy master expressed their support of the idea, I had a difficult time getting things moving at the school. Due to the short amount of time that I had left here in Sudan, I decided to approach AIC about the idea. They immediately expressed their support and we got started soon after. I am now teaching two adult English classes, one for beginners and one at the intermediate level on the AIC church compound. Russ, who is an AIM missionary, has been great in helping me get things started and encouraging me in doing the class. I have found some challenges in the attendance not being consistent, but things appear to be improving as there are a few individuals coming regularly. Along with leading the English classes, I am also continuing to work with individuals on computer skills here at our compound.
Taking some time out of Sudan has also given me a renewed vision to investing in and working with the church body as well as being intentional in sharing Jesus to those with whom I interact. I began asking the Lord to lead me into and show me opportunities where I could speak His truth to the people that I interact with on a daily basis. About a week later, two young men that I see nearly everyday on separate occasions began asking me questions about sin and salvation. Both times I was able to share about what the Word of God says and encourage them to put their trust fully in Christ’s work on the cross. Though I have not yet sensed any major changes in the lives of these individuals, I am praying that the Lord would continue working on their hearts.
I am also thrilled that two young Sudanese men, Abema and Odiya have joined Barnabas and I in our weekly Bible study. It has been our desire to include in our Bible study Sudanese who love the Lord and want to grow in Christ. Both of these young men have a love the Lord and a desire to see their peers come to know Christ. I am also teaching Odiya computer skills and he has been coming to the intermediate English class regularly. I am looking start working with Abema as well.
One of the greatest challenges that I am now facing in Sudan is the high daytime and nighttime temperatures. The heat takes a great deal of energy out of a person here. I find that I often need a nap during the hottest time of the day. I am still spending most of my nights sleeping in a mud hut and the temperature inside often remains in the upper 80’s to lower 90’s into midnight. Often the only way for me to cope through the night is to lay a wet sheet over myself to keep cool. To make things more difficult, nights are seldom quiet here. Sometimes, there are overnight prayers and singing with blaring speakers from a nearby church, or other times one may hear drumming all night at a neighboring compound. In Lotuka culture, drumming is said to be a way of expressing grief and when an individual passes away, people from the community will come to the compound to drum, dance, and kick up dust with their feet from night until morning. I have found earplugs to be necessary for me to sleep some nights.
Despite the fact that sleeping in a mud hut without electricity is not easy during this season, I am still finding my nights at Taban’s place worthwhile as I have also developed a good friendship with Lodule, an 18 year old Sudanese who came from Juba almost a year ago to run the shop on the compound. I spend most of my evenings with him at the shop. Because he has no English, we converse in Arabic and I find after each month that passes that I am able to communicate a little bit better with him.
Please pray for:
-my time with Lodule. Pray that he would be drawn closer to Christ through our conversations.
-the English classes. Pray that the Lord would direct me in leading the classes as well as for the students who are coming.
-our Bible study and that we would continue to grow in Christ through our time together.
-restful nights and energy for us all to keep going strong during this season.
-our safety and protection.
