Elephants, orphans, and trips

Aren't these baby elephant orphans cute? I had a fun opportunity this week to entertain visitors from home and we visited an elephant orphanage where we saw baby elephants frolic and enjoy a mud bath. We heard about the process of caring for these orphans through their childhoods and integrating them back into the wild. An opportunity was offered to sponsor an elephant and I was amazed at the crowd of people around the 'adoption' table.

And this verse came to mind: "Religion that pleases God the Father must be pure and spotless. You must help needy orphans and widows and not let this world make you evil." James 1:27 (Contemporary English Version) As my heart was stirred by the sad stories of poaching and abuse of the baby elephants I asked the Lord to strengthen my commitment and compassion for His children in Sudan.

My hope is that you and I will crowd around the the feet of Jesus praying that we will be who He wants us to be as we come alongside the people of South Sudan who need to see, hear, touch, and feel Jesus.

On Monday I'll be making a trip to Sudan. Jeff and Christine Stanfield (pictured below) who currently work at Tenwek are exploring ministry opportunities in Africa. I'm so excited to show them around! Our first stop is Akot where we'll visit some of the folks we've been able to minister to there.

Brian and Debbie Mutai are newlyweds and will be joining our trip too. The Mutai's are Kenya missionaries with the Africa Gospel Church working in Sudan. Debbie is a Physicians Assistant who did her internship at Tenwek Hospital. She has been working at a clinic in the western part of South Sudan and this year was joined by Brian, her new husband. Since the rainy season has started they are unable to get to their ministry site and have offered to join Mango Ministries until their airstrip is usable. After visiting Akot we will travel to Lui where I worked three years ago. They have expressed a need for medical and development assistance and Debbie and Brian will be a great addition to the work there.

There are many details in planning a trip to Sudan. It has been exciting to see God orchestrate the details and pave the way forward. I ask for your prayers this next week that we will be a sweet aroma for Christ in Akot and Lui.

Joseah will be flying back to Akot on Monday also. He and 2 friends working in Sudan have had an incredible experience attending the Samaritan Strategy Vision Conference and a Community Health Evangelism Training of Trainers course. Please pray for Joseah, Clarke, and Simon as they put the things they learned into practice . . . they are jazzed!

Two weeks from tonight I will be at the airport in Nairobi waiting to fly out at midnight. Whew - a lot will be happening between now and then. Pray that I'll use my time wisely as I wrap up things here and prepare to share with you all during the activities listed below. I'm excited to see many of you.

Meet me at. . . . .

June 13 – Trinity UMC, Mullica Hill, NJ

June 19 – Breakfast Buffet at the Kountry Kitchen in Elmer, NJ. Email me if you want to make a reservation. Find details in the previous blog.

June 20 pm – Zion UMC, Egg Harbor Township, NJ

June 24 – 27 – WGM celebrates 100 years of ministry. Join us in celebrating at Indiana Weslyan University, Marion, IN. Register now! http://www.wgm.org/wgm100

July 4 – Strathmere UMC, Strathmere, NJ

July 9 – 11 Teaching at the Cooperative School of Christian Mission (of UMC) on Sudan at Georgian Court University, Lakewood, NJ

July 12 – 16 – Champion Migration Strategy Workshop, WGM headquarters, Marion, IN

July 18 – Hope Christian Fellowship, Woodbury, NJ

July 19 – Sicklerville UMC VBS, Sicklerville, NJ

July 29 – Erma Campmeeting, Erma, NJ

August 1 am – Bird-In-Hand UMC, B-I-H, PA

pm – Ennisville UMC, Huntingdon, PA

August 2 – 7 – Rawlinsville Camp Meeting, Quarryville, PA

August 8 – Seashore Campsites, Erma, NJ

August 15 – Tabernacle UMC, Erma, NJ

My prayer is that our team will be an encouragement to the body of Christ in Sudan. I appreciate your prayers and financial giving that make it possible for us to touch the lives of the Sudanese.

Shalom,

joy

Today's forcast: both rain and shine

The past 2 months it's been raining like crazy in Nairobi and it's starting to rain in Sudan. This morning Nairobi started out surprisingly and spectacularly sunny. Mid-afternoon it was gray and raining. Then I realized it was sunny above with dark heavy clouds all around. And now, at sunset, it's drizzling outside my window and I can see the sun on the horizon. The weather today pretty much sums up this past year! I'm glad the day is ending with just a drizzle and a clear picture of the sun on the horizon. I know I will face challenges but they will not overcome me as I keep my eye on the Son.

On Saturday, June 19th whether rain or shine I'll be at the Kountry Kitchen located on Route 40 in Elmer, NJ for their Breakfast Buffet and ready with an update of Mango Ministries. Will you join me? I need your reservations by the end of May - only 2 weeks away. Cost is $7.75 for adults and $6.75 for children (6 – 10). If space is available after 1 June cost will be $8.75/7.75. All payments will be collected at the door. Welcome from 9am with breakfast served at 9:30. See you there! Email me with your reservation if you'd like to join me for breakfast.

Joseah and several of our partners working in Sudan will be attending 2 weeks of seminars beginning tomorrow. The first week is the Samaritan Strategy Vision Conference and the second week is Community Health Evangelism. Both of these teachings have made a huge impact in my life and ministry. Pray for the facilitators and each participant to understand the principles of transformational ministry in ways that will positively impact their ministries.
We are still in the process of looking for team mates to join our Transformational Development team in Akot. We're looking for committed men or women who have training in education, agriculture, health, development, and Christian ministries who want to build relationships with Sudanese and help them realize the Kingdom of God in their families, churches, and communities. We're looking for people of different nationalities to join us. If you're interested or know of someone who might be please check out the available job descriptions with Mango Ministries. Pray as we connect with potential candidates in East Africa and pray for more missionaries.

Thanks for praying for our Sudan Board meeting. It went very well and there was much helpful discussion as we continue moving forward in this new ministry. It was followed by an Africa Regional Leaders meeting which was also thought provoking and helpful. The leaders who are currently in Africa are pictured below.

I'm in the process of arranging both a medical and an exploratory trip to Sudan in the near future. Trip logistics are always a challenge. Pray for each detail that needs to be worked out and for each person traveling to be led of Jesus as they share His light and love with the Sudanese.

Thanks for standing with me in prayer and with your financial support during times of both showers and sunshine.

Shalom,

joy

Flexibility

My body is definitely feeling less flexible as the years go by but fresh fallen snow (on my last HMA) still calls out for me to flex my muscles and make snow angels! Despite the encroaching signs of aging God seems to be prodding me to greater flexibility in my thinking and activities. From revelations that God is so much bigger than I think He is to lots and lots of changes to our plans for ministry - my journey in Sudan has certainly been a stretching exercise.

When Reuben Kirui joined Mango Ministries last May 1st I thought he would be with us for a long, long time. I never imagined I'd be looking for another Development Officer this soon. But I am. Please continue praying that God will send us his perfect man or woman to fill Reuben's shoes as team leader in Akot.

When there are no reports of gunfire from Akot for a week or so a sense of security seems to come over me and I breath a sigh of relief. I think, "Good, it's over, everyone is going to get along now! The team will be free to travel around and the community can concentrate on important things like planting crops, school, and church activities can proceed instead of everyone's focus being on survival." But Sunday night in Akot there were gunshots fired, someone was injured, and the community once again is fearful and movement is limited.

Please pray for an end to the fighting, regardless of the reasons which are many (cattle raiding, disputes over elections, disarmament, tribal fighting, etc.) and for people to concentrate on living together in harmony. The insecurity has impacted our teams ability to travel around in our target communities and people's availability to engage in dialogue and activity.

Pastor Martha tells a story at her church after the first Storytelling Seminar

Today Joseah and Simon are conducting a follow-up seminar to the Bible Storying Seminar held last October with 25 church leaders. Pray that all who attend may leave with a renewed enthusiasm for sharing scripture through stories, digging for the treasures within, and opportunities to encourage others to apply those treasures, or Biblical truths, to their lives.

Two weeks ago I had the opportunity to visit former Tenwek colleagues, Len and Cindy Ramsey, who are now involved in a medical ministry on the shores of Lake Tanganyika in Tanzania. I had a wonderful time seeing their ministry and discussing ways to strengthen their ministry. I'm thankful for opportunities to visit, encourage, and share and learn from fellow missionaries in an effort to strengthen our Kingdom activities. Pray that I'll be a Kingdom networker: taking full advantage of opportunities to share experiences, resources, and insights.

Please also pray that I will be able to exercise my mental, spiritual, emotional, and physical muscles so I'll have maximum flexibility in East Africa's ever changing landscape.

Thank you for your prayers that strengthen me and the impact Mango Ministries is having.

Shalom,

joy

"Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow." James 4:14

God Only Wise

Earlier this week I returned to Nairobi after attending the WGM Kenya Field Retreat. I had a great time and enjoyed reconnecting with colleagues, worshipping together, and the inspirational teaching/preaching of Stan and Katy Key. We enjoyed learning about the good Kings of the Old Testament. The song that is going through my head on this Saturday afternoon is, "Immortal, Invisible, God Only Wise." God's wisdom is seen then and continues today. Here's a glimpse of my world in recent days.

It appears that the first multi-party elections in Sudan in over 24 years ended Thursday (after a 2 day extension to ensure everyone had opportunity to vote) on a peaceful note. Various news sources reported minor problems but there was no major violence. Election observers are yet to weigh in on whether the elections were free and fair. Election results will be announced this Tuesday.

Thank you for your prayers for the country of Sudan during the past few weeks. God has been present. The people of Sudan are not out of the woods yet so please continue praying for acceptance of the results and for the leadership transitions that will be made. Continue praying that God's chosen men and women will be placed into positions of leadership.

As long as the security situation is stable Joseah will soon return to Akot.

Joseah looking at devastation in Akot in January

One main objective will be to follow-up from the Bible Storying Seminar we held last fall. We want to encourage and reinforce what was taught so the Bible can be shared in relevant ways.

Small group during seminar

Joseah will be assisted by our friend Pastor Simon who has worked in Sudan for many years, including with me at Lui Hospital as chaplain and evangelist. We're thankful for his assistance in ministry.

Pastor Simon and Joy at Lui Hospital several years ago

The reason Joseah will be heading back to Akot alone is that Reuben's contract ends this month. Due to family needs he will not continue with Mango Ministries in a full time capacity. We look forward to having him as a consultant and champion our ministry from Tenwek where he will jump back into work.

Reuben assisting a cataract patient at Akot Medical Mission

Join us in praying for Reuben's replacement. Although extremely saddened to lose Reuben from the team we are excited about God's plans as we continue moving forward each day.

I leave Monday to visit Len and Cindy Ramsey, former colleagues from Tenwek Hospital, who are now working on Lake Tanganyika in Tanzania. We will be brain storming about community health ~ one of my favorite things to do! Pray that I will be an encouragement to them as they have been facing many spiritual battles in recent weeks.

Thank you for praying with us. My prayer for Sudan is this: "Nevertheless, I will bring health and healing to it; I will heal my people and will let them enjoy abundant peace and security." Jeremiah 33:6

Almighty, victorious, thy great name we praise ~

joy

Sunset in Africa

There is a beautiful sunset over Nairobi tonight. In about 30 minutes it will set over Akot. And in about 7 hours it will ride over the western horizon for many of you. We're approximately 7,433 miles apart for those of you in the northeast U.S. At times it seems as if we're a world apart and then other times I ask myself, what's so different?

I mean, when you can see Lucy the Elephant in Akot ~ you can't be that far from home! (for those of you who don't hail from South Jersey Lucy is a revered National Landmark)

Whether at the beach or taking a stroll through the market in Akot nothing beats a cold soda on a hot day. (from L to R: Joseah and Reuben)
Don't you help pump gas when the tank is empty? Although maybe not a drum at a time.
Mothers almost always pass their babies over to strangers when someone wants to love on them.

Don't we all need a little push sometimes to get to the second floor?

I don't know if I've ever enjoyed a mango quite like I did this mango. Messy, but well worth it!

These are a few additional glimpses from the Cataract Team's trip to Akot. But on a serious note things have not been good in Akot since our leaving 2 weeks ago.

A mandatory de-armament exercise is going on throughout South Sudan. The army has been given the job of collecting all guns and ammunition belonging to civilians. I don't think anyone in the world gives up their guns easily, but when the threat of war is hanging over you . . . . you can imagine the hesitancy on the part of the people here with elections coming in less than a month. And so the army has resorted to using a heavy hand. Friends of ours have been detained, interrogated, and beaten in the search for guns.

Today the army entered the hospital compound where Reuben and Joseah are based and they searched for guns. I thank the Lord it was an uneventful visit. Many of you were praying ~ thank you!

The exercise continues. Please continue to pray for Akot. Pray for justice and mercy. Pray for healing of relationships, not the opening up and infliction of new wounds. Sudan has suffered. She has suffered enough. The Sudanese are our neighbors regardless of the time and distance that separate us. Let us sacrifice our time and get on our knees to ask the God of all creation to protect the innocent and that righteousness will prevail in these tenuous times.

"and if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed, then your light will rise in the darkness, and your night will become like the noonday." Isaiah 58:10

There's just a sliver of a moon over Nairobi tonight ~ what's it like where you are?

Joy

The Red Carpet in Akot

This week the Internet is full of glimpses of the Oscars and their Red

Carpet moments.

Here are some Red Carpet moments from the 2010 Akot Eye Clinic.

The Tenwek Eye Team: Dr. Ben, Emily, Joyce, Leah, Richard S., Richard T, Wilson, and Dr. John, accompanied by Joy

The Tenwek Eye Team performed 101 eye surgeries in 5 days surpassing our goal of 100. God answered your many prayers for the right patients, health of the team, and security in the area.

Each morning the post-op patients marched down the sidewalk (our red carpet) and gathered together for the ceremony of the bandages coming off.

On having her bandages removed one woman looked down and exclaimed, “Where did this come from, this isn’t my dress.” I wonder how long it had been since she had seen what she was wearing?

I wish you could have heard the patients remarks and songs and witnessed their smiles, embraces, and eye chart exams when they could actually see that little ‘E.”

This man asked Dr. John if he would be able to see his grandkids after the operation. He said people referred to his grandson as the one with the red gums. The morning after his surgery he sat with two of his grandkids – not letting them out of his sight. He told the doctor, “For sure, my grandson has red gums!”

One day the team went to buy a goat for a celebratory meal to thank the local staff for their hard work. In a distant town their truck came up behind a man walking alone towards town. The surgeon’s mouths dropped open when they realized it was their patient. Two days earlier he would not have been walking alone but would have been led everywhere he went by a family member. What independence!

We are so grateful that so many of these people are able to be more independent, interact with their families and have regained dignity and independence.

Despite the fact that all you may ever hear about Sudan on the news is about war and fighting the Sudanese are fun loving too. One older man, claiming to be 100 years old with a handshake grip that almost brought me to my knees (and not me alone!), had just done his eye chart exam after his bandages came off. One staff reported to another, “The old man’s vision is ?/?." This old man knew English and yelled back, “What old man?”

Not everyone we saw last week was elderly. Some very young children had the job of leading their grandparents around – each holding a 3-foot long stick. And one 4-year-old boy had a cataract caused by an injury to his eye. With only a local eye block he lay completely still while his cataract was removed and a new lens was put in place. He was a very brave little boy.

Then there was Michael. Michael didn’t have cataracts but was going blind from glaucoma. He is a schoolteacher, one of the few with an education, and has only 5% vision in one eye remaining. Surgery was done to try maintain what limited vision he has for as long as possible. Michael is feeling hopeless and in despair over his darkening world. Yet he still showed his gratitude to Dr. John with a gift of a chicken. Please pray for Michael and others suffering from glaucoma. Pray that they will realize the unchanging hope we have in Jesus.

Still other’s who don’t acknowledge Jesus as Savior, such as magicians and spear masters, came and received sight. They listened to Bible stories and had good discussions with the hospital chaplains, even agreeing to be prayed for. Will you continue to pray that those who came to the clinic and witnessed the powerful healing hand of God will also acknowledge Him as Lord of their lives.

The clinic was a week to remember. Thank you for being a part of this outreach through your prayers and financial gifts. Continue praying for the Akot community to experience true reconciliation after the conflict earlier this year and that they will will have 20/20 vision when it comes to seeing Jesus and experiencing his forgiveness and reconciliation.

Praising God for sight!

Joy

Updated prayer requests are in the sidebar.

Ready, Get set. . . .

Go! The Tenwek Eye Team is ready for the upcoming Eye Clinic in Akot to be held February 27th - March 5th. Our goal is for the team to do 100 cataract surgeries. Since pre-registrations are slow in coming in we decided to challenge the entire Tenwek family to pray the patients in. Almost 200 staff have agreed to pray daily for this outreach. Below are Drs. Ben Roberts (L) and John Cropsey (R) from the Tenwek Eye Team. I invite you to join us in praying in patients. The latest report is that 27 people have registered for surgery - will you pray in another one? Another way to help give sight to a Sudanese is with a financial gift. See sidebar "Check it out." A gift of $200 will help give sight to one Sudanese.

We are committing the people of Akot to God for both physical and spiritual sight. We are honored to be a small part of the process of transformation that God wants to bring to this community.

I will be Going to Akot on Monday, February 22nd. Reuben and Joseah report that God is at work in Akot. We praise God that there has been no fighting recently. New leadership in the Army is helping build trust. Prayer walking has been going on and last Friday a community prayer meeting was held. Thank you for praying with us for God to move. With the extreme winter weather in the U.S. (I am jealous of all that snow!) I doubt there has been much outside prayer walking but I hope you've been blessed by praying for Akot in your heart and mind. We need God's continued presence and direction in the coming days and weeks. See side bar for up-to-date prayer praises and requests.

While at Tenwek recently I spent some time at Tenwek Community Health & Development and was able to meet and greet all the staff. I shared with them about Mango Ministries and challenged them to be involved. Below are 3 of the staff (minus Reuben who is in Sudan) who have come to the US with me during past Homeland Ministry Assignments. (from L to R: Jonathan, Joy, Monica, and Andrew). They are all doing well and continue to be excited about the challenges for ministry that God has given them in this part of Kenya and beyond.

Faith and Stephen have returned from their short term ministries in Werkok. Faith set up a lab and oriented a Sudanese Lab Technician. Stephen organized all the medicines and supplies for the hospital and set up record keeping for the same. This was all done in temperatures around 110 degrees. No snow in Sudan this winter! I'm thankful for the work Faith and Stephen accomplished and for their willingness to be His witnesses in Sudan.

Stephen with Dr. Ajak at Memorial Christian Hospital in Werkok

You can read more about Stephen's experience in his blog.

May we all 'see' Jesus this week and pray for those who do not 'see' Him.

Thank you for your involvement on behalf of the Sudanese.

Joy