Change of plans

“The best laid plans of mice and men often go awry.” Robert Burns

Sudan is unpredictable and last week we got a clearer idea of what that means. Over the New Years weekend fighting broke out in Akot between the army and civilians leaving 16 people dead and part of the town in flames. On two separate occasions the locals fled into the bush leaving a ghost town behind.

What does this mean for the Cataract Clinic plans? It means that what appeared like the ‘best laid plans’ for travel, getting supplies on site, ministry plan, preparation of Tenwek team, etc. have been set aside while the dust and embers settle in Akot.

Pray for God’s timing in the rescheduling of the clinic, hopefully before the end of March. Pray for the ability to move around the community as Reuben and Joseah return to Akot next week. As people’s minds are focused on the recent conflict and upcoming elections in April pray that we’ll know where to focus our energies to encourage and not compete for people’s energy. Above all, please pray with us for true reconciliation between the warring parties and with God. These people need to see Jesus: the army, the cattle herders, the leaders, the shopkeepers, the youth, the impoverished subsistence farmers, and even those of us who have gone to Akot to help. I need to see Jesus clearly too!

Plans are moving forward to send Faith Shingledecker (veteran lab technologist from Tenwek) and Stephen Leimgruber (volunteer nurse at Tenwek) to Memorial Christian Hospital in Werkok next week. Let’s pray that God uses Faith and Stephen to meet crucial needs in the provision of compassionate health care and that they will be an encouragement to the community and other team members.

I said to the man who stood at the gate of the year: “Give me a light, that I may tread safely into the unknown.” And he replied, “Go out into the darkness and put your hand into the hand of God. That shall be to you better than light and safer than a known way.” Marie Louise Haskins

Thank you for standing with the Mango Ministry Team as we venture into the dark, our hands safely in God’s grip.

Shalom,

joy