Doing Kingdom work in Southern Sudan

Warriors,

Yesterday I got an urgent message from Wycilffe, who is on our compound in Rumbek, saying that there was really bad fighting just outside of our compound between two rival Dinka clans. So far three people have been killed that he knows of. These two particular clans have been having skirmishes for several months now. While these tribal fighting’s are not uncommon around us, it is certainly unsettling for Wycliffe with us being so far away. Our journeymen are on the other side of town (about eight kilometers away) and are in no danger at all. They are in contact with Wycliffe and understand the situation. We have directed them not to go near the place for the time being.

Please be interceding for Wycliffe and the others who live and work in and around our compound. These tribal clashes are often very intense with wanton killings all about but don’t usually last too long before the government authorities step in to stop them. Pray for calm to be restored and normalcy to return to our village ASAP. Also pray that our Baptist people will be visible examples of God’s grace and mercy during this time.

mk

Warriors,

“We have not because we ask not”….I know that I have been so guilty of that very thing the Bible warns us of. So often I simply fail to come to you, who have been patiently faithful for so many years, with our team, cluster and personal needs. Sometimes we feel that things are just to insignificant to bring your way and at other times we simply feel that we can tough it out or handle it ourselves. Sometimes I simply forget or neglect to put my mind and fingers to the computer and cry out to you for intervention. Please for me…..

1. Now that formal language study is completed our journeymen and women are about to embark on their challenging assignments. Whitney and Jennifer will be trying to bring an indigenous HIV/AIDS program into the Dinka culture that will help them to understand what a devastating and terrible disease is just around the corner for their communities. We are trying to make a “preemptive strike” and help them get a grasp on the realities of AIDS before it permeates the society. This is tough in a country that already has ten or more diseases that can, and often do, kill within a week. To them, AIDS is just one more on the list. Be praying for Jenn and Whitney as they seek out the God-called leadership that will be needed to make this program successful. Ask the Lord to grant them wisdom beyond their years as they make decisions that may affect thousands of lives. Ask for God’s generous blessings upon them as they seek to do His will, for His glory.

2. Laura, Andres and Jamie are also about to meet the incredible challenge of transforming the lives of Dinka youth who have so little hope for the future. With only one secondary school in Rumbek there is not enough room for everyone to get an education and the result is that thousands of youth have little or nothing to do all day long. We have a window of opportunity that has been opened up to us, which we will need help with, to join the local Youth Union in running a Youth Center in the center of town. This center has been non-functional for the past four years and we have been given the freedom to run a variety of God-centered programs over the next several years. Ask God to grant Jamie, Andres and Laura keen insight into the lives of the youth and how they can address spiritual matters that will change lives – and communities.

3. We have two new teams coming our way early next year – what a great blessing, and challenge. In a country that has no available rental housing or car dealerships, few reliable builders, and spiraling hyper-inflation, our challenge is sometimes staggering. Much of this burden currently falls on Cathy who is the Logistics Coordinator here. While she does an incredible job day in and day out, it is taking a toll on her. We are grateful that as of early next year we will have a temporary LC assigned to our cluster but in the meantime we still have houses to build, vehicles to purchase, visas to secure, teams to prepare for, and projects to run. Ask God to grant Cathy discernment in her decision making and the energy each day to carry on. In March or hot and dry season will be upon us and that time of the year always drains everyone. Pray that I will be the “support” that she needs during this time and will give her encouragement on a daily basis.

Yes, there is a lot more. Teams coming, vision trips planned, changes within the IMB, health concerns, our church leader’s challenges, and spiritual battles galore, but right now we would ask you to be in concert about these three requests before you.

Once again, thank you all so much for interceding for me during my last bout with malaria. There can be no doubt whatsoever that I would not be her today were it not for your pleadings.

To God be the glory in all that we do,

mk

Warriors,

I’m free, free at last…..

This morning (10/17 Friday) I finally got my medical clearance from the malaria bout. The last blood work indicated I was finally free of the parasite. Thank you all for interceding for Cathy and I as we traveled this road. One of our faithful warriors commented to me that maybe this (malaria) was my “thorn in the flesh”. I can tell you, though Paul asked God three times to release him from his thorn, I have certainly asked more than that to be free from this one!

Be praying for our regional leadership team as we meet over the next five days. There are many changes that the IMB is about to go through and we will be learning some of these over the next days. Ask that we will have wisdom and discernment in helping implement what is coming our way and to be servant leaders as we travel these paths.

To God be the glory,

mk

Warriors,

For the past three days the Sudan team met up in “hills” of Limuru (elev. 7,500 ft) for our annual cluster prayer retreat. What a rich time with God we all had. One whole day was spent individually fasting, being alone with the Master and meditating with Him. I think we now all have a renewed Spirit within us that is ready for the challenges that we will meet back in Sudan. Jennifer and Andres have gone back in this morning and will be there alone for several days until Jamie joins them on Monday. Laura and Whitney will follow next Wednesday. Cathy and I have two more meetings to attend, separated by a week alone on the beach.

As for my medical situation – my last lab results came back two days ago and there is still a trace of falciprium (the malaria parasite) still in me. I will find out from the doctor tomorrow exactly what we need to do at this point. Probably another dose of coartem but I’m honestly not sure. I just know that I need to be very cautious about not over exerting myself at this stage. Malaria is well know for coming back for a return bout when people try to get back into the “swing of things” too quickly. And the second bout is usually tougher than the first. Be asking the Master that I use wisdom in balancing my work load with the appropriate amount of rest each day. The tough thing is that we need to be doing a lot of purchasing and ordering of supplies for our team coming this January – and it needs to be done by next week.

Please intercede for us that we might get all our supplies ordered, purchased, on the vehicles, through customs (this letter still needs to be written and processed in Juba) and delivered to Akot within three weeks. A minor miracle to be sure.

To end on an incredibly high note of praise – this past week there has been a volunteer team from Texas in Taposa land. They did a bunch of Bible story telling, disciplining and relationship building. They also led about 50 Taposa to Christ and planted the first Baptist church in Riwoto among those people!

To God be the glory,

mk

Warriors,

Just back from the doctor’s office and here’s what was said:

I had a severe case of malaria that very nearly slipped into cerebral mode. If Cathy had not given me the meds that she did, when she did, I might not be here typing right now. My blood platelet count is extremely low and many of my internal organs are suffering as well. We are still concerned about the continuing headaches and I will go back on Monday morning for more lab work to recheck my status at that point. Results will be back to me by the afternoon. If things are still not well (headaches) then we will do an MRI and go from there. If they have subsided, I will go to my meetings in Sudan the next day.

I am confident that your intercession for me was a key factor in my being in the condition that I am now. Praise the Lord, and praise you for being faithful. Though my head is currently throbbing I am grateful that I can even peck away at this keyboard. We’ll keep you informed as we go along on this journey. I am definitely not 100% right now but I’m seeing the light through the trees.

To God be the glory,

mk

Went to the doctor this morning and got some drugs (codeine based) to hopefully help with the headaches (not working yet). The doctor was a bit concerned it might be Typhoid so I did a slew of blood work as well. I think they took about a pint out of me. We’ll know more in the morning. Thanks for the intercession.

mk

Warriors,

I am about to get onto a plane for Nairobi. the past several days I have had some pretty bad malaria symptoms and despite taking the medicines it is not going away. I will go to the hospital tomorrow to get checked out. Please be interceding for me as the headaches are very severe and this is my main concern. I can hardly open my eyes at this point. Also be praying for Cathy as she will stay behind for the next week with the J-men.

mk

Only three more weeks till Dinka language study is finished. Though Cathy and I have been “piddling around” our incredible journeymen have been really getting at it. They all seem to have a good healthy understanding of the grammatical structure of the language and are using it to communicate more and more each day. They have now found a tutor (for when class is over) to work with them until they feel they are where they need to be with their skills. We are so proud of them as they have been doing a great job of stick-to-it-tive-ness.

This past week we had some good news that a couple that was headed our way, then delayed, are now back on track to be out here early next year. We will be giving up our house for them (they have two kids) so we’ll need to go “tent hunting” in the next few months to see where we’ll be setting up once again. Good thing to be praying about for us.

There is also another person in the pipeline to join our journeymen. Still a few hickups in that process but we are detirmined to pray him through the process so he can join our team early next year. Luke could use your intercession!

Wow, way too long in between these messages. Since we have had yet more fighting here in RK I thought I would get on and report that we are all OK. Several local people have been injured by soldiers who got drunk (so what’s new?) and then went on a shooting spree (after robbing people of their money). More of the same old, same old in wild, wild RK. It’s strange how we have become so numb to things like this that happen here. It’s no wonder that those on the outside of this continent have this same sort of “so what?” attitude. When seven people are shot in the States the media goes crazy with reporting – when it happens here in Africa it doesn’t even make the wire services. Pretty sad I think.