Blog Archives
More Stories, Francis and the Baptism
Read More | Posted by on 08/24/09 at 08:19 AM
But here’s the twist. No one knew Jesus.
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Read More | Posted by on 08/17/09 at 09:29 AM
Stories, pics and video from Lenexa’s Trip
Brian Nelson
It’s very hard to put into words one story that stood out since there were so many. I have never experienced something so moving. The one experience I will never forget is the young boy about 14 or 15 years old accepting Jesus. He stood back working very hard with his mother in the field. When we approached, he put on a shirt and sat down, knees pulled up, head hung. My heart was immediately sad for him. He listened to our story and I prayed the entire time for him. He told us that he suffered from seizures and night terrors, which he thought was from demons but actually he had epilepsy. He gave his heart to Christ and attended the bible study with us. —Karen Essary
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Read More | Posted by on 07/28/09 at 07:48 AM
Greetings friends from Kajo Keji Sudan!Much has occurred since my last update and God has been so faithful to answer the prayers of His saints. First news to report is that I have started a young women’s discipleship group that meets MWF mornings. We are going through the 7 Basic Commands of Jesus, studying how Jesus’ teaches should transform our lives as believers. The hope is that the women of this group will not only be encouraged by our study of the Word, but will take this teaching and start women’s groups all over Kajo Keji County! Pray for our group that the women would grow into multiplying disciples and that these last two weeks I have with them will be fruitful!
Also, Tuesday, Thursday, Saturdays, I have been traveling to various churches in the area, teaching the local women’s groups. I have been challenging them that in the dark times of life to 1.Remember who their God is, and 2. Remember who they are as daughters of the King. It is a lesson I have been learning myself. The response has been overwhelming; one lady at the last church stood up and said she believed that God was speaking directly to her, encouraging her to trust Him more. She said that her life was changed and she had new hope. Praise God!!!
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Read More | Posted by on 07/20/09 at 08:41 AM
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I’m not sure if what I experienced would be considered atypical for a missions trip, but it was definitely life changing. I’ll try to give a brief summary of each day. Let me first start off by saying that I recently revealed to many of you that I had wrestled with alcohol addiction in my recent past. To many of you, that was something completely unknown. Little did I know how much God was going to use that experience on this trip!!
-I was able to catch the recovery group meeting in late afternoon today. Great experience and introduction into the powerful work which God is doing through so many broken people who have used alcohol as their escape or coping with so many devastating issues, from murder, genocide, poverty, sickness, etc. To see some of these people delivered from complete addiction one day (virtually passed out drunk when they were met) to be able to be up working and sober for more than one day, given their conditions is a miracle in itself.
July 1st - Wednesday
Today is when things become somewhat atypical for me and my experience on this trip verses the rest of the group. Today is when I stopped going out with my group back to the village we started at. In general, teams went to the same areas all week long, to evangelize, to disciple and teach, and to lead worship services. Today, I went out with John Elmore and Rob Sherman (a non-profit professional counselor who is working with E3 across Africa). Rob just happened to be close enough to come into Kajo Keji for the week to sit in on the development of the recovery program...admist offering other valuable tidbits of insight! John, Rob, and I went out into the town of Woo Do. This is probably the closest thing to a city which we can relate too. Streets are densely populated, vendors of various merchandise and homes are scattered throughout. I do have pictures, but that is another email!!
-What I can tell you is that God started to show me the need for me to be able to testify about my experiences with addiction on this day. After I stumbled through some of my testimony, I realized that I was sharing more intimate details of my life with total strangers, most of whom were drunk as as skunk, than I have with people who I’ve known for years. The first two men we witnessed to were Jackson and Balerie. We effectively testified to God’s deliverance from alcohol for us, his comfort, his love, and that we were starting a meeting of people similar to us who had quit drinking through mutual support and deliverance through a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Jackson followed us around the rest of the day and attended the meeting, professing a desire to take the first step and admit he couldn’t control his drinking and his life had become unmanageable. Balerie was finally able to make it to the group by Friday. We witnessed to others this day, but Jackson and Balerie were the ones who eventually made it to our recovery meetings.
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Read More | Posted by on 07/15/09 at 07:20 AM
Michael has been HIV/AIDS positive for 17 years and alcoholic for most of those. He lost all hope and purpose in living and started numbing out the emotional and physical pain. He’s probably in his early thirties and speaks raspy English from years of smoking. He’s in the nearby town of Wudu doing contract work for a HIV/AIDS hospice house called Loving Hands. After that meeting, he took the first step - admitting he is an alcoholic and that life has become out of control.
We hadn’t seen him since until today
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Read More | Posted by on 07/13/09 at 01:14 PM
The entrance of the Bible School Graduates.
Kajo Keji Theo Seminary Graduation March from Mike Congrove on Vimeo.
Read More | Posted by on 07/09/09 at 08:03 AM
Photo Essay - June/July Trip to Sudan
My photo journey of my trip to Malakal and Kajo Keji....
A church plant. Is there a more beautiful thing than a baby church getting started under a tree? Morgan, Josh and John listen to teaching/preaching.
An indescribable feeling of humbleness and fulfillment.
Read More | Posted by on 07/08/09 at 09:16 AM
After wrapping up a great time in Malakal with Fellowship Bible Church, I flew to Juba got into a Landcruiser with Heather Sumner (Microfinance), Rob Sherman, and the Chuck Norris of Sudan: A guy named Mawa. We drove seven hours over the equivalent of dry creek and river beds. But when I arrived in Kajo Keji, my heart exploded with joy.
We have the largest team I’ve ever brought to Sudan, and the cool thing is that Steve Grote is really leading them. Discipleship, I’m reproducing. We’re working in nine villages, five of those are new church plants!
- But also, we have Holly Lungren doing women’s ministry.
- John Elmore leading an alcohol recovery group, which I’ve attended and wanted to weep throughout the entire meeting. It was so powerful, real and authentic. Celebrate Recovery 12-step program with a great spirit.
- David and Missy Williams, along with Heather and many others are setting up a broadband Internet cafe along with their microfinance program.
- Will Nix and David Reyerson are digging a well by hand--percussion method.
- This Friday the first 17 men graduate the Bible School.
The activity is energizing and the team reported great acts of God today.Please pray for us. Everyone is healthy and this team has a fantastic attitude!
Mike
Read More | Posted by on 06/30/09 at 02:38 PM
You know what’s fun? Team teaching with a television commercial director and a psychotherapist in Sudan. The Director, M.L. Nelson, is in Sudan for the first time. He’s been a Christian for 5 years, (He’s a shade over 60) and God is blasting his socks off. He said this is the first time he’s talked about God in front of a group this size. It’s cool to watch, and he’s a natural.
Rob Sherman, the psychotherapist, is fun to behold for other reasons. In addition to our standard curriculum, he has already delved into the root cause of tribalism, spousal abuse, and sex. He has the pastors convicted, spellbound, and laughing so hard the room shakes. He gets right to the core of things. It’s fun to watch.
Carol Zeigler and Amy Carenza are in their wheelhouse. Gifted businesswomen in America, they’re teaching 13 women the fundamentals of starting, marketing, running, and prospering a business. They’re a blast to hang out with here in Sudan.
We are in a very strategic place in Sudan. This is as front lines as it gets. How front lines? A good friend of mine who just returned from a little farther North reports of families accepting payments to put their children in Islamic schools in the North. 82 children were taken to these schools recently. Again, where is the Church? I could rant, but I’m saving it for now.
I taught the pastor’s today, and I’ll teach again tomorrow. My heart is stirred for this place. Pray for me and David Kaya. The challenge here feels overwhelming.
Pray for our e3 Team who leaves for Sudan on the 26th. I’ll be flying down to meet them on Saturday. We’re praying we can plant seven new churches that week.
And to those connected to my family, remember Ali and the kiddos. This is a long one for husband and daddy to be away.
God bless,
Mike
Read More | Posted by on 06/24/09 at 11:56 AM