He Is The Way The Truth The Life

"For I know the plans I have for you" During my time here in Nairobi there have been many things to think and pray about, and one of those was whether or not I would be going back into Sudan before I go on home assingment in April. God has opened up the door for the team to start returning to Sudan and the flights to take us back in have started. However I will not be returning to Sudan at this time, there are many things involved in this decision. I share with you some of them. My back, which is better than it has been in several months, realizing that part of the reason for this is the ability to work out and swim, which I can do here in Nairobi, however it isn't quite that easy in Sudan.

The pastor and his wife from my church are coming to Nairobi in March to hold a conference for Kenya Pastors and their wives, and a prayer request from the SIM Sudan Director, sharing the needs in the office, one of those being logistics. "Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart."

Through all of this the Lord has impressed upon me that the gifts He has given me can better be used here in Nairobi for the next couple of months. God has opened up the door for me to join Pastor Stan and Mindy (from my home church) in the Pastor's conference in March. He has also given me the opportunity and blessing to be a part of the Logistics team at SIM Sudan to help facilitate the movement of the team back into Sudan, and also coordinate the flying in of 8 tons of medical supplies that was donated. I thank God for His direction.

My heart is in Sudan and it has been hard for me to let go and accept that I would not be going back in with my team. God is faithful, He has worked me through all of this and has seen many tears fall. Even when things are not as you think they will be, He is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow.

I want to share with you some of the beautiful people God has brought into my life during this time in Sudan.

Bulus, Kamal, Roda, and Deborah

Katrina and Ester (team mate Karissa)

Rebeka and Hannah

Sani and Deborah (Mabaan Bora)

Gena (Grace) with Deborah

Elizabeth

Please continue to pray for Sudan, as they start the very hard task of rebuilding. Rebuilding Church and Nation.

The Lord's blessings

For those who don't know the SIM Sudan team stretches over two countries. Of course Sudan is one of them and Kenya is the other. We have a support staff that is based in Kenya and I am blessed to be able to work with wonderful Kenyan brothers and sisters in Christ. I would like to introduce you to one family that lives in Lokichoggio Kenya which is on the border of Sudan.

Meet Starline, Leah, Griffins and Graham. We are so blessed to have them in Lokichoggio. Starline is with AIM, and Leah is with SIM. Leah handles all the cargo and flights for the SIM Sudan team, she also runs the guest house, which is where we stay when we are on our way to Sudan.

Graham joined the family in January of this year.

January 9, 2011

First off I want to thank everyone for all their prayers, as Sudan moved closer and than into the week of voting. January 9 - 15th.

It was an incredible week. God answered so many prayers as the elections went off very peacefully and reports from outside observers say that it was very fair too. The North is taking an enormous step in accepting the results: the South has decided to overwhelming vote for succession. This will take place in July 2011.

Please I encourage you to keep praying. Sudan, both North and South, is at a crossroads and the decisions they will make over the next few months will have dramatic impact on their future.

North Sudan: Pray that God will keep the door open for the gospel.
South Sudan: Pray for peace as the government develops and for careful development.
Pray that God will keep a door open to the south for the Gospel.

God is faithful

Much has happened since the last time I posted to my blog, let me share some of what has been happening.

Sudan was facing a critical time in their history, the Referendum Vote was scheduled for January 9Th, this would be a vote to decide the future for south and north Sudan. So in preparation of this vote we as a team were brought off the field.

It was a time of many farewells, tears, laughter, and prayer. God allowed me to be a part of what He was doing in my village, and as I taught Mother Tongue literacy along with Sani and Daud (two mabaan translators that God provided), we were humbled as we watched ladies that couldn't read or write their mother tongue get to the point where they could read at a first grade level. My prayer was that I would be able to leave them with the Word of God in their language and that they would be able to read it. God answered that prayer. Thank you Jesus.

Katrina, Daud (teacher), Roda, Sani (teacher), Rebeka, Mary, Elizabeth, Mary. And the last picture is me with my Mabaan daughter and son. This was our time of giving thanks to God for what He has done, and honoring the women for their commitment.

God opened up the door of opportunity for Sani, Daud and I to go to the clinic two to three days a week and teach HIV/AIDS Awareness. We would do the teaching in three different languages, Mabaan (mother tongue), Arabic, and English. What you see in the background is the clinic which is showing the damage from the war. Those are bullet holes.

National Day of Prayer for Sudan

Sudan is facing a very critical time and I am asking that you join me and thousands of others praying for Sudan.

Pray for Sudan - Pray for peace, pray that the church will stand strong. December 5th the World Evangelical Alliance has called church's and Christians to pray for peace in Sudan with the upcoming referendum.

"For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and His ears are

attentive to their prayers..." 1 Peter 3:12

Remembering Yakob Aga Ollie

We will miss and remember Yacob with love and joy

Yacob Aga Ollie (1972-2010) is now in the presence of the Lord. Yacob and his wife, Tibarek arrived as newlyweds and have served the people of Sudan in Thiangrial, Atar and Yabus over the last 4 years. They were some of the first missionaries sent by the Ethiopian Kale Heywot Church to Sudan.

Yacob was part of the development team initiating Basic Education Learning Centers in the first two locations. The Lord blessed as they saw people respond to the gospel, start churches and people grow in their faith. Some were their adult students who completed a grade 8 education under them.

Yacob has been sharing his talents at the Yabus Sudan Interior Church Secondary School for about the last 6 months. He fell ill with cerebral malaria on October 24 and was promoted to heaven on October 25, 2010

Yacob is survived by his loving wife, Tibarek Wondemu who followed her husband into harm's way. She has returned to Ethiopia with Yacob's body for the funeral in his home area.

Jesus' urgent command to us is to make disciples. Yacob was busy making disciples when the Lord took him. As we mourn his passing, we are energized and galvanized to continue making disciples in Sudan as our Savior commanded.

2 Timothy 4:7 "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. From now on there is reserved for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will give me on that day."

We will miss Yacob and Tibarek (who will stay in Ethiopia) but thank God for their lives!

My Name Sake

In Church on October 10Th, this beautiful baby girl was named. Her name is Deborah and she has been named after me. What a blessing to have a child named after you. The name Deborah comes from the Bible, and Deborah was a leader and had a heart for God. My prayer is that this Deborah will have a heart for our Lord and Savior and be a leader in her country.

Deborah was born October 1st. She is beautiful, and such a blessing. Deborah joins her older brother Camll. Her daddy is in Yabus attending secondary school, and has not been able to get back to see her yet, but through God's provisions I was able to send a picture to a team mate in Yabus so that he would be able to see his new daughter.

Pray for Bolus, Rhoda, Camll and Deborah