Category: Ministry

As we employ our gifts and grace towards building a new nation in South Sudan, we are strongly
persuaded that the quality of teachers here are the yardstick that measures the achievements and hope we envisage.

Despite severe oppositions and ridiculous comments against this Conference from some quarters, we decided to proceed with it and
gathered teachers in Yei on the 5th of May. We tagged the conference, “The
Teacher: An agent of change.” Eighty teachers attended, along with many
members of the community. We had a memorable experience.

Mr. Kepo James, the Principal of Yei Teacher Training
College, and Rev Johnny Anikpe made wonderful presentations and moderated the
discussion sessions. We cast the vision for the Conference and shared our expectations, listing eight reasons why
we believe our gathering at this time is not only essential, but
non-negotiable.  

Here are five of our eight perspectives:

1. As a Christian body, we’ve
come to see that our overall outreach to the youth (most of whom are students
and comprise over 80-85% of our members) is very limited because a vital agent
(the school teacher) is not fully involved.There needs to be a deliberate and collaborative effort between
school teachers and Christian ministries.

2. We are convinced that our
discipleship work within the schools will be more fruitful if we connect
with a few teachers, lead them to Christ, and train them to both mentor and
model truth to their students. A single teacher speaks to more
students weekly than any pastor here.

 3. We told them we are interested in their development to the extent that
we’ve made (and are still making) contact with some individuals and
Christian-focused teacher-trainers and educators who are willing to come to
South Sudan to train teachers, as part of their contribution to the building
of this new Nation.

4. We made it clear that we want
to see teachers in Yei and South Sudan make deliberate eternal commitments to know,
love, follow and serve Jesus,  thereby become active participants in God’s
redemptive Kingdom purpose in the schools.

5. We proposed an Association of
Christian Teachers that could:

c) Make it possible for teachers to meet
regularly for talks, to share information on available courses, and to sharpen one another in
their profession.     

At the end of this Conference, ten teachers gave their lives
to Jesus. We are following up with them now.

Imagine what could happen if all of them kept the faith and
became Christ’s hands and voice in their schools.

If you have a call or a passion to instruct teachers and
equip them. We need to connect with you. There’s a great ministry waiting
for you here in South Sudan.

Questions could say
several things to those for whom they are meant. They could also reveal much
about the inquirer’s ignorance, intelligence, values, dreams, passion, disgust,
maliciousness…

The ability to ask and answer questions is an integral
part of education and the discipleship process in particular.  

A simple and sincere question from a disciple could be
a clear witness to deep spiritual hunger and an apt response may unlock the
fountains of knowledge, granting revelation that could lead to terrible things
in righteousness.

There are questions that should be answered categorically
with a simple yes or no.

There are questions that could be answered analytically
or logically, by defining or redefining terms and perspectives.

There are questions that should be answered with a
counter-question.

There are questions that should just be put aside and ignored.

The Lord Jesus asked and answered questions in ways
that brought both clarity and confusion to the audience, depending on the state
of their heart. Those that sort to justify themselves went home upset while the
hungry for truth left filled.

Our Students’ Conference 2011 is in day four and we have
heard and handled some interesting questions as we attempt to chart a
discipleship path for over 600 young minds here in Yei.

The interactive nature of this meeting encouraged
these students to engage the facilitators with some probing questions that have
greatly helped the purpose of this Conference.

These questions may appear silly or funny but nothing
can be taken away from the sincere heart that asked them. This is where we are
today, but we are moving this elementary level to deeper truths of the Kingdom.

They asked:

“Does God have a father and
mother?”

 “Who is God?”

“How can I stop smoking?”

 ‘How long should I walk with Jesus?”

“What is faith?”

“If you say that God created
everything and lives in heaven; where was He staying before He made heaven and
earth?”

“How can I forgive?”

“What does Jesus look like?”

“How do I know I am saved?”

“If the Bible says we should
confess our sins to one another, why should we confess to God also?”

“Is it everyone that can
hear God’s voice?”

“How does God discipline His
children as a father?”

 “What does Jesus mean by saying he has come to
bring division with families in Matthew 10:34-37?”

“If it’s true that we are here to help others, then what are
the others suppose to be doing?”

“Why do men have nipples when they can’t breastfeed?”

The ultimate aim of every question should be to shed
light on what is unknown or misunderstood. Questions should prompt knowledge,
truth and action.

We all as students of life use questions to nurture
our relationships, process our judgments, search for truth, expose error,
establish our faith and so on.

Jesus asked one that was not answered, “My God, My
God, why have you forsaken me?”

When last were you asked a question you had no response
to? What’s that question you are seeking answer to?

As I watched the primary school kids here at our base in Yei, South Sudan study and play, I recalled my primary school days and wondered at my most memorable moments at Ekulu Primary School in Enugu. My work here has led me back into schools, engaging young minds and I can’t but pause to reflect. This will be my world for a while to come.

I’m having two primary school experiences in one life time. In the first one, I played more than I did anything else. The best times of my day were when the bell rang for recess and when it rang again for departure. I thought I was created for such unfettered fun; swinging from one fruit tree to another, kicking one football in any direction with other 300 kids, reading comics, making the girls cry and doing whatever I was warned could be harmful.

In this recent one, I’m praying and weeping more than the regular share. It’s fun too but not always. Times have changes and I’ve discovered what I’m here for. It’s for something more than mere fun.

Primary school here is nothing compared to what I enjoyed in my time, but it’s school and great fun all the same for these kids. Many of them trek several miles to attend; and classroom for some is under a mango tree or in a make-shift grass house or within iron sheets. Imagine those in rainy seasons or when it hits 47 degrees centigrade outside.

But what I see here is more than the poor learning conditions (which can and will be improved); I see raw enthusiasm. I see potentials and opportunities. I see hunger for education and great desire to achieve something more than what presently is reality. These kids don’t want to be left behind.

I’m asking myself, “How can I access this hunger and ply it towards Kingdom exploits?” “There’s something more than school in here, but can they see it?” “How can I show it to them?” “What will be the most remarkable and unforgettable experience for them within the few years they’ll spend here?” “What will it cost?”

In less than 10years from now, most of these kids will be making life-long choices that could affect them, their immediate families and the community at large. They don’t know it yet; they don’t think of the future that beckons, they don’t see the danger of an unplanned and unprepared life. I do. But how do I make the alarm bell sound as clear as the one that just rang for their recess?

“And if the war bugle gives an uncertain (indistinct) call, who will prepare for battle?” (1Cor 14:8 Amp)

I have many people to thank for investing in my youth. But God used just one man to set my life on the right track. I can be that one man for one kid here today or tomorrow. I must not waste this chance.

A great door has been opened to us in the secondary schools and now, Junior Scripture Union fellowships are spring up within the primary schools here but is that enough? What perspectives do you have for me? How can I be more effective?

I’m praying for God’s help.

When one of the lead facilitators of an important ministers’ training I attended here asked, “…why are there no women here?” his query seemed to suspend airflow in the room briefly. Our befuddlement was salvaged by a quick response from one participant, urging him to proceed without waiting for an appropriate answer on this worrisome question.

No excuse could suffice for the absence of a single local female in that meeting. But were they considered and invited? Were they needed there? Who really qualifies among them to attend anyway? In a meeting where the youth, church growth, discipleship and children are on the main menu, it’s sad to imagine that local women were absent.

Brothers and Sisters, we have a largely unengaged battle field before us here in South Sudan. This is another Macedonian Call! Who’ll come to our rescue?

We are in dire need of Women whose heart the Master has touched; disciples of Christ to whom women here can run to for godly counsel. Our future is doomed without local mentors who have been through it and withstood the heat, arising from the complex issues that bedevil today’s Woman.

Let me attempt to give you an idea of what we are wrestling with here.

Early this week, I had this chat with a pastor friend, who told me he was just returning from seeing his brother whose wife passed away.

“Was she sick?” I inquired.

“Well yes, she had a mental illness for some time and just committed suicide… she left the man with five children.”

“It seems the case of suicide deaths is on the rise here…?”

“Yes my brother, we have an average of 65 cases like this every year here… many of them are married women with children and a good number of young girls too…” he added.

During the debrief session after our evangelism thrust last Sunday; Rose, a heavily pregnant and yet energetic young leader in the church commented thus:

“It’s a pity we don’t have a lot of our women coming to go on evangelism with us. Many women in the villages are suffering seriously and looking for help. Since we started this evangelism I’ve seen that we have a big work to do amongst the women…”

Others concurred with her, sharing their experiences with women they’d encountered who were drunks, possessed of demons, with illnesses that have defied doctors’ help, in bitterness etc.

A 12yrs old girl was delivered of her baby girl just over a week ago.

Abortion is on the rise.

Some hospitals here now offer the service for quick money.

Many young girls are dropping out of school due to unwanted pregnancies.

Many women are being treated for depression. 

I’ll not talk about the rape cases, the abuse in the schools, the prostitution and so on. No one can minister to a woman better than a fellow woman. So where are the women? I mean local hands!!

When one of the missionaries here, a qualified medical doctor lost her baby during delivery, she connected fully with the women folk around her.

She told me her story, which ended like this:

“When I returned home, the women came running from everywhere but when I told them what had happened, they mourned with me. One put her hands around my neck and said, “…now that you know what we’ve been suffering, you are one of us.” This opened doors for my ministry to them.”

“If the war alarm gives an unclear signal, who will prepare for battle?” (1Corinthains 14:8 my paraphrase) We are at war on all fronts but it seems the church thinks otherwise. Many are doing ministry that’s not people focused.

* Do you have a heart laced with grace and yearning for solution to Women issues?

* Do you lead a thriving Women ministry with abiding fruit?

* Are you concerned for the next generation of Women leaders and wish to mentor some unto maturity?

* Can God use you and/or yours to stir up a response for His fame and Kingdom here?

* Are you burdened enough to seek a solution with and for us? Can you share this with some women in your church or network and solicit help for us?

* Can you sacrifice a few weeks of your life sooner than later to come bring joy to a desperate woman here?

If your answer is yes to any one of the above, please feel free to connect with us. Let’s plan your trip to South Sudan together. You could be Jesus in flesh and blood to someone in need here.

When I was a little boy I use
to read comics like Fantastic Four

When I grew up amidst the
hays, I slowly took to Hardly Chase

When I grew up just a little
more, Playboy and nothing more

When I grow old and gray, and
there’s no more room to play,

Then I’ll take the Holy Book
and give God a holy look

Just in case it turns out
fine I’ll turn my readings all divine

But just in case I turn out
blind, I’ll replay Playboy on my mind.

I
heard a preacher use this poem recently and I was awakened to the challenge of pushing more Bibles into Sudan for all that need it and can read it. Memorizing and quoting God’s
word was a daily exercise for me and my friends in our younger days. We had great fun making statements with scriptures in almost every discussion. I may be wrong but it seems to me that present day young disciples spend very little time in the word. I don’t hear it in their communication.

Despite
the abundance of the Book in nations where it’s not forbidden or burnt publicly
and even with the vest array of translations in English language today; less and less of
it seems to be read and memorized by those that call it theirs. We prefer to
wait until Sunday Service to listen to the Pastor read a portion and teach
something out of it. Somehow, we feel it’s his job to read the thing and know
more of its message. Pity!

Our
kids learn and sing more of the lyrics of the Top 10 secular songs in town and
on TV than the memory verse shared in churches that still promote the supremacy
of the Scriptures. They know great details of their favorite sports personalities,
sport clubs and entertainers than they do of key characters in the Bible.

Our
plan to put God’s word in the hands and subsequently in the hearts of every
student in South Sudan by getting them from wherever we can, creating platforms where it will be taught,
memorized, and put into action is still on course.In fact, we got a major boost this week.

I
met Brother Nelson, a representative of The Gideons International in Entebbe,
barely 9hrs after arriving Uganda on Wednesday. He’s a brave and lovely
disciple with a beautiful life testimony. He has offered to make available to
our ministry among the students in Sudan as many Bibles (NOT the KJV) as we
need, FREE!! So, freely we’ll receive, FREELY we’ll give. Praise the LORD!!

The
challenge was once the lack of Bibles, then the need for those in simple
English; now, it’s the logistics of moving thousands of easy to read Bibles
from Entebbe in Uganda to Yei in South Sudan. When I get the chance, I’ll
update my CV with the title- Bible Pusher (BP). I love my life!!

God
continues to approve of our projects and vision with provision. It’s all about
Him. Our Every Student a Bible Project is on course. If there was ever a time
we needed to move more Bibles into Sudan and put them in the hands of students,
it’s now. If we delay, Mr. Hugh Hefner’s material and others like it will cross
the borders before us and that stuff don’t need interpretation to understand.

May
God find among them, those that will say like Job and Jeremiah, “…I
have esteemed the words of his mouth more than my necessary food.” “Your Words were found, and I ate them; and Your
Word was to me the joy and gladness of my heart; for I am called by Your name,…” (Job 23:12, Jer. 15:16)

When the news got to me that
Esther had adopted three month old orphaned Rebecca, I was ecstatic. I knew
this was something she’d always wanted and felt God was involved. See the story
here.

Few months ago, some wonderful friends
developed this web page to help raise funds for Esther and
Baby Rebecca to solve their accommodation problem and also start a small
business. I highlighted this in another blog –The challenge of childless widows.
 

The target is $6,000 and $300 has
so far been raised. The deadline is this month and we are still hopeful that
God will stir someone’s heart to help Esther move to a new home, start a small
business. This is an opportunity to make a difference in this woman’s life such
that she’ll be good example among widows in Yei.

Many widows in Yei resort to prostitution,
brewing and selling local alcohol to survive and take care of their
responsibilities. Esther’s story will be different. We are committed to this
and our confidence rests in God’s unfailing word and grace for women like her.
We believe she’ll be a great mum and friend to Baby Rebecca. 

What would you do if Esther was
your sister, aunt, cousin, a neighbor or just a friend? Esther is more than
these to you and I; she’s a disciple of the Lord Jesus, a member of the
greatest and largest family ever conceived.

Please kindly connect to her
life story and help. No amount you’d give will be too small to give. Feel free
to direct all enquires on Esther and Rebecca to her Pastor, Stanley LoNathan:
stanleylonathan@gmail.com or call him on +249-955-04-8894

“What God the Father considers to be pure and genuine religion is
this: to take care of orphans and widows in their suffering and to keep oneself
from being corrupted by the world.” James 1:27

While planning for the Students’
Holiday Camp in Yei on my last trip, someone asked, “Uche, since you’ve
been holding these meetings with students, over the years, how many have
committed their life to Jesus and are still standing today?”

Initially, I
was tempted to think the question was cynical and somewhat sarcastic than
constructive. But I shrugged off that thought and chose to see it as an
opportunity to bring this fellow and others there alongside us as we prepared.

So, I
responded immediately using some statistics to buttress my assertion. But as
soon as I laid out my points and facts, I felt strange. I knew this was not
right. Not that my claims were false but my reason for the response was simply
pride. I loathed myself. I’d been stuck with this “numbers” thing,
counting how many came, how many filled the slip and made a commitment. The
more the merrier they say; but there’s another serious aspect to consider.

The gospel
does not only have a quantitative side, the qualitative side is the second side
of the same coin. Jesus’ command to go make disciples in all the world,
preaching to every creature and the gathering in of a great multitude which
no man could number speaks of quantity; yet He longs to present  everyone
of that great number to himself, as a glorious church, not having spot, or
wrinkle…; but that it should be holy and without blemish, is indicative
of a set quality. Both are necessary in the big picture.

There’s a
corporate effort in both cases. We preach, He convicts and converts. We make
disciples as He works in them to will and to do His good pleasure.

I have one good reason to return to Sudan when the stage is set. It will not be for
numbers but for members, for QUALITY.

Some young
disciples that had unique encounters with the Lord during the Student’s Holiday
Camp and also at the Coach Me classes are pressing into Him for more and I long
to be part of it.

Their
honeymoon period may be over soon and the euphoria could fade anytime but we
need to plow deep and hard for a lasting harvest. Pastor Stanley is doing a
great job maintaining the momentum in his church and I’ll be returning to
assist him.

Discipleship,
which is the process of maturing into the image of Christ, could be as arduous
as it could be complicated.  Converts soon realize it’s a narrow way and
the temptation to return to a known path and a comfortable environment seem
more appealing as soon as challenges come banging with both fists on issues
from the past that don’t just go away without a fight.

Precious souls
like Sister Tabita were at the camp. I long for more for them. I desire a
deeper, richer and more meaningful relationship with the Lord and with the
world He loves.

As I
listened to radiant and joyful Tabita share her experience (see the clip below)
and observed her expressions of hunger for truth after that Holiday Camp, I
knew we’d struck the right cords. I said to myself, “… if this camp was
designed just for you dear girl, it was worth it.”

I’ll be
going back to help fan the flames of this fire in her soul. Thankfully, she’s
not alone. There’s a good number pressing in. That fire must spread. God
helping us, we’ll be at the furnace, working the hole and hoping to see the
dross give way for pure gold to flow forth.

When the Lord said, “Let us go
back to Judea.” (John 11:7) His request didn’t go down well with any of
His disciples. Worse still, His reason for that dangerous trip seemed ridiculous
as far as they were concerned. But we know how it ended. A certain Lazarus had
in his sickness, death and eventual resurrection, the platform for one of the
greatest miracles in the Bible. 

Great glory could be waiting to
spring forth but on whose account? Even people close to us may think we need to
see a psychiatrist when God prompts us to take certain actions in faith and we
go public with it. How scary is that task God is nudging you to undertake for
Him?

As I continue to ponder on these
and on that one strayed sheep from the ninety-nine, I’m persuade
that Tabita alone, though not a straying sheep (far from it), is enough
reason to return to Sudan. I’m not finished.

Our ministry here in
South Sudan is 85% youth based. Raising vibrant youth and Christian students’
movements for the global harvest out of Sudan and for Sudan, is one of our
primary objectives.

 We’ve seen tremendous growth in the last 5years.
We’ve seen many students come to Jesus. We’ve seen them graduate and continue
in The Way; being channels of blessing to their families, churches and
community. We’ve also had huge difficulties following up on hundreds of converts.
I beg to leave this to your imagination.

But we believe we are at the threshold of
something great; we cannot find a word for it yet, but we sense the Lord is
nudging us to take this work to another level by focusing on breeding disciples
which is quite different from making converts. We see our greatest challenge to
date, here.

This necessitated a change
of strategy; thus, the proposed students’ camp this season; instead of our
usual one or two day(s) conference meetings. The camp is scheduled to hold from
23^rd to 29^th May 2010 at the Yei Teacher Training College. We
hope to organize one every year subsequently.

Our students’
conferences in the past have awakened the students to the need for prayer,
Bible study and fellowship. All 13 secondary schools and even some primary
schools now hold Scripture Union fellowships weekly. Some have theirs more than
once a week. We are looking forward to a time when it will be every lunch hour,
in every school, everyday. Com’on Jesus!!

But there must be something
more; more than just fellowship meetings with youthful singers, prayer times
and sharing of Scriptures. Deliberate discipling, with emphasis on intimacy
with Jesus and building trust relationships that will transcend the camp ground
with radical positive change are our goals. We will spend more time engaging the
participants in small groups, hoping to address their general and individual issues.

We have limited the number of participants to
200 students; from all 13 secondary schools here in Yei. It will be good to have less than 200; more than this will be a great challenge. But we welcome
every challenge with faith in a God that can do beyond our wildest dreams and
hopes.

Earlier this week, we
managed to negotiate the “unexpected” bill for the accommodation for
the camp (which we thought would be free) from $4,360 to $2,200 for 200
students. This is not inclusive of their feeding and other materials needed for
the camp, which we’ve budgeted at $5,500 bringing the total to $7,700. Our
initial budget was $3,000. We were misinformed.

$2,500 has been
raised so far, we’ll need the balance of $5,500 in less than 3weeks from now. God
is able! With an exchange rate of 2.75spds/$ things are pretty expensive here.
However, we believe every time and treasure sent and spent is worth this cause.

We are therefore appealing to you to
donate towards this camp here. This fund raising site
was created on our behalf by Adventures In Missions.
 All donations are tax deductible. If you prefer to send a check, please
send to: Adventures In Missions, P.O.Box 534470, Atlanta, GA 30353-4470
and PLEASE indicate in the memo line, “Students’ Holiday Camp in
Sudan” Kindly call toll free: 1-800-881-2461 ext 270 for confirmation.

For those in Nigeria, kindly pay into: GT
Bank Account No. 202-142979-110; Uche and Sola Izuora.

In anticipation of
your donations and prayers, we say thank you and God bless you!

Nigerian home movies and music are best sellers in many African
countries including the Sudan. Some songs by artists who are relatively unknown in Nigeria
are on radio very often here in Yei. some Nigerians in countries awash with
Nigerian entertainment products are thought of as talented entertainers. They
see us as very gifted artists. The name, “Oga” which means Boss or Master in
Nigeria is now used freely in other African countries.

I continue to be amazed at how far my language and culture
has traveled because of the growth of the Nigerian movie industry in the past
10years.

I was taking a walk sometime ago here in Sudan and from a
distance I could hear a dialogue in my very own local Igbo language from a load
speaker.

At first, I was shocked; then it dawned on me when I got
closer, that a certain movie center built with bamboo sticks and a grass roof
was showing a popular Nigerian movie. I was thoroughly amused when I arrived
there to see over 50 people crowded in that small “theater” watching “my
people” perform. The screen was a 14 inch colored television and the movie was
not even sub-titled.

I knew I had made an important discovery. The power of
audio visuals in a place like this is huge. This people love to see the
“outside” world, the world of their dreams and hopes. They also love to be amused
and entertained. It seems my jokes as a Nigerian are funnier. As they listen to
me preach, they always long for the comical moments. I try not to disappoint
them.

By the way, I learned very quickly that as a Nigerian
traveler within Africa, aside being correct; you’re better off being a bit
comical than critical. I’ve survived the heat and hate of other nationals that
way in the course of my international travels.

The people of Yei love entertainment, so I plan for that
in all my trips to Sudan. I always travel with my projector, much thanks to
Archie and Trina Wilson for gifting this projector to my ministry. I buy many Nigerian
Christian Home Videos especially from the Mount Zion film ministry. The influence of this movie
ministry and now many others like it has been tremendous. So many people have come to Jesus through their works,
broken lives and homes have been healed too. I have seen many viewers weep as
the movies played-out either their present hurtful situations or exposed their
secret sins, follies etc.

The opportunity to teach, counsel, pray for the sick and
lead sinners back to Jesus is ever present after the shows. We relish the
moments.

Can you imagine Osuofia, Aki and Pawpaw in Yei, with a
message from Jesus? I once traveled on the same flight from Nairobi with
Chinedu (is he Aki or Pawpaw?) and we sat in close proximity. As many
passengers came around to take photos with him and chat him up, I wondered what
it would be like to have them in Yei on God’s terms.

To all those Kingdom-minded actors, actresses and their
sponsors, I say THANK YOU for your great ministry to the Body of Christ and the
nations. May your efforts continue to honor Jesus and expand the scope of His
reign and lordship. May He delight in your sacrifices and append His seal to
them on that Day.

Do I have an AMEN in the house?

Yesterday as we drove by this small but unique village called Bazi on my way to Yei, I recalled my very first missions trip. Support for that trip and confirmation to
go arrived on the same day. I recall my joy and excitement that season.

Food meant nothing to me for days. I was too happy to relish any meal. It was clearGod was leading me into something greater than my dreams and prayers but I
couldn’t put my finger on it.

Though I didn’t know what to expect or even what to do when I arrive at the mission field; I just knew I had to go. My destiny was wrapped up somewhere out there and I was going to engage it with all my heart. Thankfully, my enthusiasm has not waned since then.

In the company of Pastor Stanley of Sudan for Christ Ministries (our host), Greg Ford, Gunter and Ellen ( from Victory Christian Center Tulsa), George Gregory from Kings Park Int’l Church USA and Stefan Radlich of Le Sea Feed the Hungry USA, we flew from Entebbe in Uganda to a small air strip in Aura north of Uganda and drove to Bazi in Southern Sudan.

The 40km ride took a little over 3hours. It was late June and the rains had just arrived. The road was in an excellent mess. But I noticed on-going construction works as we drove by
yesterday, thanks to God.

Bazi is beautifully set on a hillside. One part lies in Sudan and the other in Democratic Republic of Congo. The settlers are from these two different countries have plenty in common. The landscape was awesome. It still is. I was surprised to see how well the crops grew. The stories I heard of Sudan always included hunger and starvation. “If this is Sudan, there shouldn’t be hunger here.

This land is fertile!!” I thought.

On arrival, we were welcomed like war heroes.  Men, women and children danced with fresh leaves and ran after our vehicle till we stopped at a location where we eventually camped in the open field for five days. 

As we alighted, one of the local pastors lifted his hands and thanked God for journey mercies for us. It was a very passionate prayer. I wish I had it recorded. But you rarely plan for such moments. The joy in their faces brought tears to my eyes. It seemed they’d waited for so long.

We came with 50tons of food supplies which included corn flour, beans, salt and even washing soap, courtesy Le Sea Feed the Hungry USA. We packed them in 10kg weights for distribution to the people. 

The following day the pastors’ conference kicked off with over 80 pastors from Sudan and Congo. We began planning on how to distribute the food items and gather the people for the evening crusade. News about the food distribution traveled fast and further than we imagined. Before mid day, a long queue was formed and the 10kg bags of food items were handed out to almost 5000 people within 3days.  

The evening crusades didn’t witness more than 400 people each day. That was
discouraging to me. I can never forget the young boys that were amused at the
sight of Jesus’ sufferings when we showed the Passion of the Christ movie on one of the evenings. It appeared the food was more important to them than the message of hope and deliverance we came with. They could not connect the
sufferings of Jesus to their immediate needs.

In retrospect, I would say we did the conventional thing; which is- help needy
people, provide for their immediate needs so that they could accept our
kindness with the gospel we come to preach. “Social action and evangelism must work together in the third world for the gospel to thrive…” someone said recently.

I agree that when helps and the gospel travel together; a holistic ministry
could be birthed. I think that if Christian community development efforts
don’t integrate social action with deliberate church planting thrusts; mere
evangelism and open air crusades could amount to wastage of Kingdom resources.

We didn’t plant a church in Bazi. But we preached and served food. New communities of obedient disciples capable of multiplying themselves
must be our target if sustainable change and lasting transformation will occur.
Be it in a small village like Bazi or in a city of over 2million people.

This, I think should be the goal of all cross cultural missions and evangelism
efforts. What’s your view?