South Sudan Update # 2

Hi Friends,
Well, one day of teaching left.   This Servant Leadership material, learning in small circles, and the teaching games have connected in a powerful way with the students.  This style and these concepts are foreign to them and they have been very motivated by them.  The activities help make long, hot days fun and they are illustrations of the concepts that help bridge some communication issues.  Thanks Marshall for all your help!

Yesterday, a student, James, with a bright smile and peaceful countenance shared of his escape with his family and the “lost  boys” to a refugee camp in Kenya.   I think it took them 2 months on foot to
get there.  He was about 3 years old.  There was great danger.  They had to travel at dark to not get shot and they had to swim across the Nile River.  (He was put in a floating canoe type thing to cross.)
This was a group of thousands!  Many were eaten by crocodiles or drowned while crossing the Nile.  His family has been in the refugee camp for 17 years.  He worships in a Christian church which must meet outdoors because they have outgrown their building.  Praise the Lord! Even under these circumstances, God has found him and provided theopportunity for him to come to this CLIS 3 year training program. He will take this information back to the refugee camp and use new ideas and skills to spread the gospel.  Such an inspiration.  His hopes are that there will be peace in his original hometown north of here soon so he and his family can return to their property and plant a church.  James is a wonderful Christian man.   Such faith… he seems so peaceful and happy… God’s peace which surpasses all understanding.

It is hard to process the emotions we are experiencing here.   It is indescribable. The Director arranged for us to be taken to Yei town today which was fun.  Jonathan says 3 years ago the market was about 1/50th the current size.  Peace has brought hope and increased commerce.  I was exited because we got to have a COLD Coke today. YAY! I have been craving anything cold.  lol That was our first refridgerated anything in over 2 weeks.  It was 96 today.

Please pray for our last day and a half here.  We are excited to start our journery home… especially Jonathan… he is missing his Janie. However, it will be hard to leave in many ways.  We have made many friends and want to see their lives and ministries grow.  You can’t help but fall in love with these people and be inspired by their faith.

We have finals Saturday morning. Then will scurry to the airport for an 11ish flight.  Sounds like a tight timeline, but there is no security or baggage check or boarding passes or lines so it will be
quick.         Love to all from mdj