From South Sudan to Sri Lanka and beyond

Sri Lanka!

That’s one piece of wonder and joy that God gifted us last week
at the Yei Students’ Conference in South Sudan.

I met Caroline in February this year here in Yei and when I
asked where she’s from, her answer stunned me.

“I’m from Sri Lanka.”

Instinctively, I knew I had to connect. So I shared my little knowledge of  Sri Lanka, which was just about Monks and Buddhism and then calmly asked, “Are you Buddhist?”

“No, I’m a born again Christian.”

I restrained myself from hugging her that very minute. 

“I need to hear your testimony. It’s a great honor for me
to meet a Sri Lankan Christian in Yei, South Sudan of all places.”

I invited Caroline to the Yei Students’ Conference to share her
testimony so we could pray for her Country. Of the over 700 students gathered,
I didn’t see a hand up when I asked who knows where Sri Lanka is.

Her story tore through the gathering with such power as she
spoke. I restrained tears several times. She gave her life to Jesus while on
campus in Sri Lanka.

She shared of her great trials and persecutions; her rejection
from friends and family, narrating the unparalleled love of the Christian
brethren within her fellowship who sheltered her and finally, how she overcame.

The many deep sighs and expressions of pain turned to shouts of
joy and applause when she recounted how she was received back into her family
after many years, got a job and finally arrived here in Yei where she now works
at Yei Teacher Training College.

She shared some prayer needs for herself and her Country and we
prayed. 

The lessons from her testimony were many but these four stood out.

 1.           Genuine Christian faith will certainly attract pain, suffering,
ridicule and in some places, death. She later said there’s so much more to say but for time. 

2.         We need a tribe that thrives in love to steady, shelter and
shield us when trouble arrives.

3.         Love will always win at last.

4.         Our pains in Christ today will be someone’s gain tomorrow if we endure
till the end.

This year’s Students’ Prayer Conference was different. Aside the
testimony of Caroline, we had more time to pray for many pressing matters.

When Isaac, a student, cast the vision of the Conference. I knew I couldn’t have done it better. We’ve come of age with this and I believe they can sail without me now.

It was really a special moment when a call was made for
representatives of all 10 states in South Sudan to come out for prayers. We had
students from “North” Sudan come out too.

The sight of the representatives from the warring tribes in
South Sudan holding hands in agreement as we all cried out to God to heal our
land was awesome to behold.

In the end, 169 students gave their lives to Jesus. Many of whom
are still in primary schools within Yei.

It’s clear these Students are hearing God’s heart in the prayers
we led them to say.

We are certain our follow-up efforts will not be in vain.

We are confident God will send us help in form of long-term
Teams; on account of the huge discipleship needs these Conferences continue to
present.

We are persuaded that prayer and evangelism movements are
emerging from these thrusts, and news about this Land will change, with God’s
redemptive power on display.

We believe!!!

[We shall post more photos when the internet speed improves]