Tuesday, April 27, 2010

On my Way

I am amazed at how travel can be so tiring when all you do is sit on a plane for hours on end. I headed to the airport yesterday morning at 6:30am thankful that the disruptions from the Iceland volcano are no longer an issue. However, when my taxi pulled up to the airport I noticed an extremely long line overflowing out the doors and onto the sidewalk. I have never seen this and my first thought was that the flight was just extremely full because of people still trying to get home from the ash cloud disruption. It wasn't until I was inside and halfway through the line that we were told computers were down and they were checking everyone in manually. I couldn't help but think...only in Uganda. The flight ended up being delayed 3 hours as they made sure everyone was checked in and had a seat. I was actually pretty surprised that there was only a small handful of people who were given the same seat number. It was an amusing experience, but probably wouldn't have been if I had missed a flight connection because of it. Thankfully I had an overnight in London and got good rest after a long day. I get on my next flight in a few hours and will arrive in Seattle in the early evening. I look forward to seeing many and joining my friend Michelle as she counts down the days until her wedding.

Friday, April 23, 2010

Progress and Preparation

There are now walls and a roof on the dukul that is soon to shelter Bethany and myself. I have never had a home built specifically for me. Bethany and I have had good times imagining how we want to decorate and place furniture. I look forward to having a space of my own that I can uniquely personalize.

The dry season in Sudan is slowly coming to an end. People are now beginning to prepare for the rain by gathering their seeds and clearing their land. Last Sunday at church everyone brought some of their seeds and placed them near the front. To begin the service we all went outside and began praying around the church, reading scripture and asking God to bless the land. During the service the pastor also held up one of the baskets full of seeds and asked God to bless them and use them to provide food and nurishment for His children in Mundri. At the end of the service Bethany and I were given some seeds to take home. We hope to plant some of them in our team garden and taste a little more of Moru culture and life.

Monday, April 5, 2010

"But God is not defeated"

This weekend was a reminder that death has been defeated and life is being offered.

On Saturday I attended a memorial service for Canon Ezra a man who could easily be placed amongst the saints listed in Hebrews 11. Canon Ezra got caught in crossfire during Sudan’s civil war. On Good Friday March 29th, 1991 He was hit by an artillery shell and died. He was killed outside of Mundri on his way to Juba and because of the circumstances was buried quickly without a proper traditional burial. Now 19 years later his family and brothers and sisters in Christ retrieved his bones from the neighboring town and brought them back to Mundri, his home place. Canon Ezra walked through many storms and trials, yet he is remembered for His faith and these words which constantly flowed from his mouth, “But God is not defeated.” This man is an example of how death has been defeated by Christ. Even though Canon Ezra’s life was sacrificed many continue to gain life because of his efforts in translating the Bible into Moru. He is a man who is remembered for his relentless hope even though everything around him seemed hopeless.

As the elections approach and tension and confussion continues because of disagreement between different political parties, it is easy to lose hope and to believe the lies of Satan that God can be defeated. But Canon Ezra is right NOTHING can defeat our Savior.
Corruption cannot defeat God
Opposition cannot defeat God
Greed cannot defeat God
Human power cannot defeat God
Deceit cannot defeat God
He is the RULER of ALL Nations!

I praise God for the faith of Canon Ezra. A faith that continues to encourage the hearts of many here in Mundri. I continue to ask for eyes of faith to see the power of the cross and to believe that life is possible through Christ even when darkness seems to be prevailing. Please pray with us for the elections that are scheduled to take place April 11-13. Pray for justice, honesty, and that we would have hope for the future of Sudan.