Faithful men

In this blog I'm going to introduce you to two men who have committed their lives to serving Jesus Christ.  I hope you're as challenged as I am by the commitment they exhibit as they follow Jesus.

People frequently ask me, "How are things in Sudan?"  Along with Dickens I am tempted to reply that, "These are the best of times, these are the worst of times!"

Security in South Sudan is always at the top of people's minds.  In the sites where WGM is working the security situation remains fairly calm - a good thing.  But that is unfortunately not the case for everyone in Sudan and South Sudan.  Read what Nicholas Kristof has to say in last Sunday's New York Times about a former colleague of mine when I worked with Samaritan's Purse, Ryan Boyette.

The article is entitled, "The Man Who Stayed Behind."

Please pray for the people of the Nuba Mountains and along the border of Sudan and South Sudan as they persevere through much hardship.

I'd also like you to meet Adhanom Hidug.  Adhanom joined our Mango Ministry Team in September.

He has just finished up a Masters in Public Health at a University here in Kenya and is also a Clinical Officer. He and his wife and their two small daughters have been living in Nairobi but this is not home for them.  Adhanom was raised in Eritrea.  Who knows where that is?  I'm guessing most of you will have to get googling on that one.

In Adhanom's testimony he explains that he was a good Catholic for much of his growing up years.  Later he came to know Jesus as his personal Saviour and joined an Evangelical church movement.  Life isn't easy for Christians in Eritrea.  Operation World  states that "persecution and restraints on personal freedoms test believers sorely."  Adhanom can personally testify to this yet his faith remains strong. 

For awhile he lived in Khartoum, Sudan then came to Kenya to further his studies.  While in school he became friends with a nurse from Tenwek Hospital who was attending the same school from Tenwek's School of Nursing.  Adhanom shared his interest and call to serve the people of Sudan and Philip shared with Adhanom about WGM's new work in South Sudan.  Can I say the rest is history!

During the past two months Adhanom has been getting oriented.  He spent some time with the staff at Tenwek Community Health and Development.  He attended a week long training in Uganda on Community Health Empowerment (CHE).  He worked at a busy clinic in Tonj, South Sudan getting to understand the health needs of the people, and we visited the area where he will be working most of the time - East Rumbek County, Lakes State.


Today Adhanom is flying back to South Sudan.  We have many questions:  where will he live, will he be able to clean out the carburetor of the motorbike and get it started,  will the people warm up to the ideas of community transformation after forming a relief mentality about development during decades of war?

Starting off on a new venture is exciting too.  We have prayed that God has gone before us to pave the way.  There are new people to meet, new customs to learn, learning of the Dinka language, and really understanding people.

Adhanom's goals for the next two months are these:
      Begin learning the Dinka language
      Learn as much as possible about the community and it's people - in otherwords, he's going to be taking a lot of tea under the mango trees!
     Begin to implement the strategies of CHE - with a seed project
     Encourage the 6 other Sudanese who attended the training with him from Tonj and Lui
     Form a team of champions who will pray for him and contribute to his support needs.

Would you like to be one of his champions?  Shoot me an email if you'd like to be part of his prayer team or if you'd like to contribute to his support needs.

I feel really blessed to be doing what I do and with such amazing people, men AND women.  We could use some help though.  There are incredible opportunities to be a part of God's Kingdom building activities in South Sudan.  Is God calling you to go . . . .  to come and join Mango Ministries?

Here are two hot opportunities:  join a team facilitating transformational development or get involved in training of church leaders.
   
faithful men and women
is God calling you?

Seeing Sudan

Seeing a child leading adults who can't navigate on their own due to blindness just breaks my heart.  

But that was countered by a vist to one of our cataract patients after his surgery.  How exciting to see him take out his Bible after getting home!  And a special bonus was that his Bible came from the Bible distribution I was involved with in 2008.

Girls will be girls and I will have to say that I always enjoy a little shopping, whether it's in a modern mall in Nairobi or in rural South Sudan.  Unfortunately, I didn't see anything that caught my eye and I came home with all my Sudanese pounds unspent.  

My friend, Heather, who is working at Tenwek was able to join me and experience a little of South Sudan, including teaching under a mango tree.  David (to her right) is a pastor and is helping her with translation.  He and 6 others are on their way to northern Uganda, even now, to attend a training facilitated by WGM Uganda on Community Health Evangelism.

Judah, another pastor from Tonj (assisting a cataract surgery patient below) is attending the training as well.  Please pray for our new staff, Adhanom, and 3 men from Tonj, including David and Judah, and 3 from Lui who will be introduced to many new ideas this next week.  Pray that they will return home transormed and that the new and exciting ideas they are exposed to will spill over into the lives of others within their circles of influence.

Here's an exciting testimony from the cataract clinic. The man below was a soldier during the war.  He had an accident when his gun exploded and he lost his right eye.  That accident also left him with a traumatic cataract in his left eye.  There was a chance that surgery could leave him with less sight than he had and the doctor originally refused to operate.  This man was persistent and pleaded with the doctor to do the surgery.  He had never clearly seen his child.  The doctor did the surgery which was successful and this man could now see out of his one eye.  During this process he was very open in discussing the animistic beliefs he held and eventually prayed to give his life to the Lord.  Not only that but he asked the doctor who did the surgery to cut off the charm that was around his child's neck.  

This young woman (below) had cataracts at an early age and had never seen her young baby.  The Tenwek staff were so anxious for her to be able to see again, as they could imagine what it was like to have young children and not "see" them.  Everyone was happy the day this woman's bandages came off.  She was not an emotional woman but you can see the relief in her smile as she easily passed the visual acuity test!

To see how some of our patients expressed their excitement after being given their sight watch here!

How is God working in your life?  Do you sense a call to South Sudan and Mango Ministries?  Maybe God is calling you to join a team involved in transformational development?  Or to volunteer for a short term medical assignment at a mission hospital.  There is an pressing need for short term medical doctors and surgeons at Memorial Christian Hospital.  Interested?  Let me know. . .  I'd love to chat.

Shalom,

joy

Seeing Eyes . . . .

In three and a half operating days 137 cataract surgeries have been completed here in Tonj where Mango Ministries is partnering with In Deed and Truth Ministries. 

“I can see your teeth.”  These were the first words out of our first cataract patient when the bandages were removed the day after surgry. 

We’ve had an incredible time here in Tonj since arriving mid-day last Saturday.  In this blog post I’ll walk you through what's been going on. 

Planning for this one week cataract clinic started in April with the logistics of getting here – a half day of flying.  And the staff of In Deed and Truth started looking for cataract patients.  Dr. Tom (kneeling) and Dennis (in black) found many patients to refer to us this week.  Also pictured are Dr. Dan Gradin (left), Richard Tonui, and Dr. Ben Roberts (on right). 

On arrival Saturday we were greeted by our friends Suzy and Sabet Kuj and were wisked off to the government hospital which has some unused rooms they have allowed us to use for this clinic. 

We brought about 750 pounds of equipment from Tenwek including 2 operating microscopes (being assembles above), lots of eye drops, drapes and even the operating tables. 

Registration of patients came next.  Besides the clinic referrals the news of our coming had gone out on the local radio so we have seen an incredible turnout.  That and the fact that no one can remember eye care ever being offered in Tonj before. 

Next the staff examine each patient to see if they are a surgical canditate.  

Wilson (pictured below) checks each patient’s eyes to ensure that the right lens is inserted after the cataract is removed. 

Scrub sinks are improvised.

Instruments are boiled in between cases to sterilize them and Richard has been running between the gas jiko and the operating room where he circulates.

I have beem doing odd jobs trying to keep things moving.  Here I’m folding drapes to prepare for sterilizing. 

It is rainy season in South Sudan which is great as it’s been relatively cool with daytime highs about 85 degrees F.  But that blessing is countered by the difficulty in drying the drapes to keep ahead of the busy surgeons!

Patients receive a local anesthetic block and are then taken to the operating room.

With a patch over their eye each patient is led to the ward where they rest until morning.

Eash evening the wards are bursting at the seams, 43 patients were operated on one day. 

The local staff  have helped immensely with translation, washing operating drapes, running between the clinic and hospital to bring forgotten items, and cooking delicious meals for us.  The South Sudanese pastors who are studying at the pastoral training school here at In Deed and Truth are sharing Bible stories, doing one-on-one counseling, and praying with patients and family members all day long. 

I’ll share some of the patient’s stories in my next blog as well as some “day after surgery” pictures when physical sight is restored.  

A HUGE thank you  to those who are praying and those who have given to make this cataract clinic possible. It's still not too late to give a gift of sight to one Sudanese.  A gift of $150 ensures one South Sudanese receives sight giving surgery and hears about God's love through Jesus Christ.   God is definitely at work!  

8 days and counting . . . .

It's almost here!  

The 2nd Annual Mango Ministries Cataract Clinic.

Months of planning are coming together.  

248kg of equipment, meds and supplies were flown up to Tonj today.

Tenwek Eye Department staff have received their yellow fever vaccinations.

Paperwork for South Sudan travel passes has been accumulated and sent for processing. 

The doctor and clinical officer at Tonj have scheduled over 100 blind patients to come.  

Radio announcements are on the air.

The missionary team at In Deed and Truth is ready to receive our team of 9.

Chartered flights are booked to get the team to and from Tonj - it's a little bit in the middle of nowhere.

The Tenwek team leaves Tenwek on Friday, September 2.  After spending the night in Nairobi we fly to Tonj on Saturday, September 3 and will begin operating that very afternoon.  The team will leave Tonj on Friday, September 9th and return to Tenwek the following day.  

None of these details will matter if God is not in it.  The Eye staff at Tenwek are mobilizing their colleagues at Tenwek Hospital to pray for this outreach that will offer both physical and spiritual sight.  This is the sign-up sheet where over 150 staff have committed to pray for this outreach.  

Will you join the staff from Tenwek in praying for God to work miracles in the eyes and hearts of the many Sudanese who will come looking for help?  Join our virtual prayer4eyes2see team by leaving your name in the comment section at the bottom of this blog entry.

Mr. Geoffrey Langat, the CEO of Tenwek Hospital, one day said to me, "it's payback time," when talking about Tenwek Hospital sending volunteers to help in South Sudan.  If you've been blessed with sight and want to bless a Sudanese with 20/20 vision and the opportunity to hear the Gospel message click here.  A gift of $150 will bless one Sudanese.  

Rev. Emmy Mugisha accompanied the eye supplies that flew up to Tonj today.  Mugisha is a pastor with the Africa Gospel Church in Uganda.  This is his second trip to Tonj this year.  He will be working with a group of pastors who are in training.  They are learning how to use stories from the Bible to teach and apply Biblical truths to our lives.  They might be working on how to tell Mark 10:46-52 this week.  

I love what the disciples tell blind Bartimaeus.  "Cheer up!  On your feet!  He's calling you."  Whatever burden we are calling out to Jesus with today let's cheer up, throw aside our wrap, and run to Jesus.  Jesus wants to hear from us!

Thank you for taking our concerns and praises to Jesus!  A prayer praise is the addition to the Mango Ministry team of Adhanom Hidug. Pray for a good transition as Adhanom joins us next month.   I'll be sharing Adhanom's testimony and how he fits into the Mango Ministries strategy in an upcoming blog.  A few weeks ago Pastor Simon and I were warmly welcomed to the home of Adhanom and his family.

Good to Great Governance

The WGM Sudan Board took advantage of Dr. David Stevens being in Kenya this summer to lead a team from the Christian Medical and Dental Associations.  David, a former WGM missionary and colleague at Tenwek, taught us about Board Governance.  Several other WGM colleagues and the two largest Africa Gospel Church institutions in Kenya joined us.   Implementation will be the challenge for the Boards present.  Pray for us!

Tenwek Community Health and Development Directors (in order of service from L to R: David Stevens, Susan Carter, Joy, and Jonathan Bii) enjoyed a meal together at Jonathan's home.

Some of you met Jonathan when he visited the US with me in the fall of 2003.  Here is his family!  He is married to Joyce, who is a teacher, and their children are (clockwise from L rear) Amaris, Alan, Angela and Aileen.  Jonathan stays very busy leading the Tenwek Community Health and Development project.  The staff have "adopted" one of our project sites in Sudan so it's been fun to reconnect with everyone there.  

Hope in action

Hope 4 Sudan 

is really 

Hope in Jesus

Here's a glimpse of hope. . . .

Thoughts from Roger Sharland, a friend, who returned to South Sudan for the Independence Day celebrations.  

"The overall impression we bring home is one of great hope and potential in the new nation of South Sudan.  It has been so uplifting to return to a land of peace and to see the way things are moving forward.  There are many challenges but in many ways the experience of returning to Mundri and Juba after a time of peace is of a country that must be developing faster than any other, given that the material development was so far behind.  In conclusion I would like to share the image from Job 14:7 that I shared at the independence day celebrations in Mundri.  In the 1980s I planted a number of teak trees behind our home.  These were harvested by someone during the war, but they have sprouted from the roots, and I spent time pruning and sorting them out.  The new shoots from the stumps grow much faster than new seedlings and I believe this is a marvellous image for South Sudan.  Although a new nation, it is not starting from nothing.  There are many years of experience and a heritage to sprout from and this means a very different scenario from starting from scratch."

Isn't that a great word picture for Sudan!  Although I don't have teak trees growing in my backyard this blue gum tree exhibits the concept Roger Sharland was explaining.  

I'm thankful for the chance we've recently had to bless one of our partners at In Deed and Truth as they see growth in their ministry that includes a clinic and a pastors training school in Tonj.  

Hillary Langat (holding syringe below) and Emily Serem, both Clinical Officers, are each spending a month in Tonj this summer.  Pray that the burden for the Sudanese that was on Hillary's heart when he returned to Kenya will ignite a 'missions' awareness & involvement among the staff at Tenwek.  

Pray for Emily who is there now as she sees many patients with severe malaria.  

This is an incredibly neat story!  Recently the staff at In Deed and Truth felt the need to be more intentional about sharing the gospel message with their patients.  They see a minimum of 100 patients daily ~ what an opportunity, although also a challenge with so many sick patients and few staff.  This week as the message of Jesus' love was shared with this woman, who had brought her 2 children to the clinic to be treated for pneumonia, she felt led to ask Jesus into her life!  She was convicted to get rid of the charms that hung around her children's necks and personally cut the charms loose.

 A charm is something carried or worn because it is believed to bring good luck or ward off evil.

This is why we want to help people know what the Bible teaches.   James 1:17 says that, "every good and perfect gift is from above."  Amen.

Suzy Kuj, Emily, and the rest of the staff need our prayers as they share about Jesus' love in both word and deed.  Spiritual battles are being fought - let's do our part on our knees.  Also consider giving towards the expenses of sending Hillary and Emily to Tonj.  


Read more about how WGM and Tenwek Hospital have blessed the ministries of In Deed and Truth. 



You may have caught the international news about the drought in Africa.  My colleague Billy Coppedge preached a sermon entitled, "Bring on the rain," last Sunday at Loudanville Community Church in NY.   It's well worth your time.  Where is your umbrella?




The hope of a free nation was realized on July 9th.
Now let's pray that the hope we have of transformation through Jesus Christ will be a reality to all men, women, and children in the Republic of South Sudan.  


Shalom,


joy

Hope 4 Sudan

When I look into these eyes I see hope.  Lots of it.  Hope for a future. I see the Kingdom of God in Sudan.  

I see young boys and girls, mom's, dad's and grandparents all living lives at the fullest of their potential with access to preventive and curative health care.  

I see a church that really knows God, is able to study his Word - even if they don't know how to read, and as a church body they are in the process of figuring out how they are to bless and transform their communities.  

I see communities with thriving markets, full of useful things to people's lives - like fruits and vegetables and healthy food.  People who are able to earn a living in order to meet the needs of their families. 

I see families growing enough food to have strong families that don't need to rely on relief food.  Farmers who innovate and try drought resistent crops and can weather the variable rainy season successfully.  

I see communities with functioning boreholes and pumps.  Where water is near home and never runs out with responsible usage for bathing, cleaning, irrigation of kitchen gardens, and of course drinking.  

And I see schools with well trained teachers who are challenging students to learn more and more to be prepared for life.  I see adults who never had the opportnitity to attend school learning to read their own language for the first time.  

Join with me in praying for a smooth transition as South Sudan becomes the world's newest country this Saturday, July 9th.  There will be hurdles . . . there are hurdles, and fighting continues along the border with North Sudan.  We can claim the promises of His Word in Jeremiah 29:11.

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

May God have his hand on this new nation.  

Check out what my colleague, Whitney Smith, a new missionary on her Homeland Ministry Assignment, has written about South Sudan's first Independence Day.  

On June 11th the first Hope4Sudan Walkathon was held.  A BIG thank you to the walkers and sponsors.   We'll do this again next time I am in the U.S.

Early arrivals in Cape May Court House:  My Mother - Carol Phillips, Anne Sudol, Harriet Reardon-Bailey, my No. 1 Champion and sister - Linda Phillips, and my Father - Bruce Phillips.  

We also had a satellite walkathon in Florida.  Thanks Cindy!

My colleages in Uganda, Billy Coppedge and Scott Rambo (far left and right) were able to attend the Bishop's enthronement in Lui last month.  Please be in prayer for Bishop Stephen Dokolo and his family (pictured center). 

Last month I joined other WGM field leaders for two weeks of meetings.  Pictured below are the leaders in Africa.  

Alice and Jim Vanderhoof, Karen and Terry Duncan, Lisa and Jon Mayo, and me - Joy Phillips

While in Marion, Indiana at WGM's Headquarters for these meetings I was able to connect with my brother and his family.  I was even able to witness my nephew's baptism where this family picture was taken.  Since they are missionaries in Bolivia, South America family get-togethers like this don't happen very often.  

Anna, Betsy, Luke, Len and Abby Phillips - missionaries in Bolivia with WGM

More news on the world's newest nation soon.

Shalom,

joy