Blog Archives

Update from Yei - Todd and Patricia

I’ve placed all three of Todd’s updates in this post. Click, Read More to scroll through all of them.

Stock photo of Todd, not from this trip.

Sorry for the lack of updates from Sudan.  Even here in the big city of Yei, Sudan, life is a bit of a challenge.  The ?roads? here turn even a one mile journey into an adventure.  4WD and motorbikes are the only transportation that works.  It was supposed to be ?dry? season in Yei.  However, it rained immediately before we arrived and has rained once since we have been here.  The rain fills the 3 foot deep holes with mud and accentuates the ravines that cross continuously.

Not surprisingly, our accommodations for the week at the ECS Guest House have been comfortable, if not a bit stark.  We have a…

Jewel Gruer - Director of Women’s Ministry for e3 Sudan

I am so excited to announce that the Lord has raised up Jewel Gruer to be our Director of Women’s Ministry for e3 Sudan. I’m sure you’ll hear lots more about, and from, Jewel in the future, but here’s a short interview with Jewel about the budding Women’s Ministry in Sudan.

What do you believe the Lord is doing in Sudan through Rose (The Sudanese Women’s Ministry Director) and the women?

I believe that the Lord has equipped Rose and the women with a desire to improve their lives.  Rose is a very compassionate woman who has the necessary leadership qualities to tenderly lead the women through Bible Study and life skills to help them heal and to prepare them to face whatever the future holds for them. It is a privilege to help encourage them in any way possible to reach the goals that they have set for themselves.

Ox and Plow Teams

Why Ox and Plow Teams are Strategic

Before the specific nature of why these teams are strategic, context is important. Let’s remember that Sudan has been at war, first from 1955 to 1972, then again from 1983 to 2005. Southern Sudan in the latter war saw 2.5 million deaths and 4 million displaced peoples. There are virtually no paved roads, no electricity, no running water, and the economy is very small and very basic.

The war also wiped out a generation of male leaders, this includes church leaders. Combine the lack of church leaders with a minimal economy and you have congregations that tithe either little, or not at all. When a man agrees to plant a church, his act of faith is significant.

How long will e3 work in Sudan? No one knows; however, we hope for a long, long time. David Kaya and I talk about generations. In fact, the Bible verse that First Baptist Kajo Keji has painted on their sign and cling to is Isaiah 58:13 “You shall raise up the foundations of many generations;”

The Bible School

How and why did we start a bible school in Sudan?

In August of 2006, my journey in Sudan began. David Kaya, Dana Crawford, Bob Funk, and I went to Rumbek, Sudan. Through Dana we had a connection Rumbek we were going to explore. Since I don’t know if that connection wants his name published, I’ll leave it out. Once on the ground, we teamed up with a local church and held a church-planting/EvangeCube training. In less than two days, the church gathered about 35 folks together for this training. In the 40 or so countries e3 Operates in, part of our model hinges upon this training. At its best and most basic, you gather pastors and church leaders together for a three-to-five day conference. Leaders who “get” the vision for church planting tend to bubble up. We connect with those leaders and continue to help them with church planting. Part of that connection is to bring a team of Americans. Those Americans partner up with members of the church and translators. Together, they go to the area where the local pastor/leader wants to plant a new church. For a week, they share the Gospel and gather and disciple the new believers. The new believers become the beginning of the new church that is shepherded by the first pastor’s disciple, associate, or the pastor himself. 

Africa Photos

The great Ky Azlein just returned from Africa. He spent a week with me shooting video and photos. Here’s a small sample of his time over there.

http://gallery.me.com/kyazlein#100069&bgcolor=black&view=grid

Another Report from Heather in Sudan

Well this week has been a challenge and a little frustrating. I’ve been sick all week! But, being sick has also been a blessing because it’s allowed me to spend more time With Mama Gloria. Our relationship has really deepened the past few weeks and for that, I am so, so grateful. I’ve started teaching her how to type and have also set up an email account for her so she can communicate to all her sisters in the States.  It’s so rewarding to be able to,in a small way, ‘repay’ her for all that she has taught me about Sudanese culture and women. She has been such a valuable resource of information during my stay here. She has taught me how to wash clothes, make bread, and many other things. She has also shown me amazing hospitatlity, truly making Kajo Keji feel like home and truly being my Sudanese Mama!

September Trip in Photos

The trip in photos. Click Read more to see all the photos....

At the orphanage, playing with the kiddos.

Partial team shot

Orphans and the Drunk

Every so often here in Sudan, I feel totally helpless. Tonight was another one of those times. The team took a field trip. After everyone returned from the field where they spent the day evangelizing, discipling, praying, and so forth, we went to the orphanage in town. There are 86 kids there. They have neither the room nor the funds for any more. We went to the baby room where everyone grabbed either a baby or a small child and held them. We threw them in the air, we sang to them, we just walked around and held them. Some were alive, others were numb and despondent from the trauma they’d experienced.

Heartbreaking. James 1:27 comes alive.

Update from Sudan

Before you plant seed, plow the ground. For us, the seed is the Gospel and the plowing is prayer. This team spent all Saturday prayer walking their areas--four of them. Sunday they worshiped, today (Monday) they went out to sow seed. Meanwhile, the microfinance project is beginning to take shape and the women’s conference kicked off. Here’s a few highlights:

Emily and the Kiddos

As so many of you know, ‘the kids’ are usually among my favorite people on the trips I go on. This trip has certainly been no exception. Last Friday, we went out to a place called ‘Limi’ to teach the area women our usual lessons. But, this day was unique in that we also were going to be doing a children’s program for a large group of children from two areas. I was excited, to say the least. During our first week, we were given a schedule of locations. When I saw the ‘children’s program’ listed in our schedule, I knew that day would be among my favorite.