Ultimately, evangelism is not a technique. It is the Lord
of the Church who reserves to Himself His sovereign
right to add to His Church.
John Stott
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
Thursday, May 8, 2008
Medical & Vision Report From February Trip
Dr. Len Renfer /Trip Leader Seeing Patients
Our team of 21 people was divided into a medical team and 4 evangelism teams and along with the Sudanese nationals we were able to start 1 new church and strengthen 5 recently planted churches in and around Kajo Keji.
This year we had only one doctor with us, Len Renfer. Len and Claudia Adame were our trip leaders. Claudia trained team members to do the testing and fitting of the eyeglasses and on how to dispense the prescriptions for pharmaceuticals.
Obviously we could use other medical professionals to go on these trips with us. The medical component is a great tangible way of showing the love of the Lord to those villagers where we have or are going to start new churches. There is a tremendous shortage of opportunities for any kind of health care in
If you know of someone in the medical profession that might like to use their skills in this manner, please let me know.
760 People Were Treated in Medical Clinics
280 People Were Fitted With Glasses
Each person that sees the doctor or is fitted with eyeglasses also has the opportunity for spiritual counseling and to hear a presentation of the Gospel.
Wedding Dresses in Sudan (Jewel's Story)
The Women’s Ministry Project started out when I met some ladies last year under a tree while Pastor Joshua and I were walking to see another pastor. Joshua said we should ask the women what they wanted, so we did. They wanted to get together on a weekly basis to have a Bible Study and work on needlework. They had a place to do this but needed help with the study and they had very few materials like needles, crochet hooks and thread to work with. I told them that Lord willing I would return and bring some things with me to bless them.
On the last day of our time in Sudan I talked to Pastor David, who is the e3Partner in charge of Sudan, and I asked him what else I could do to bless the women. He replied “Bring some wedding dresses.” This seemed like a strange request. Little did I understand how this would be an outreach tool and would also demonstrate to the women how precious they were in His site.
This year I was so blessed seeing how excited the women (mostly already married) were just to put a dress on and see how they looked in the photo on my digital camera. I told them that was the way they truly looked to the Lord as He saw them when He looked at them because they truly were Daughters of the King.
In addition to the Wedding Dresses, I collected a lot of embroidery needles and thread and well as crochet hooks and knitting needles that I presented to them as gifts from their sisters in America. Therefore I want the craft project to also be a part of our outreach to these dear sisters.
I printed and framed the following to dedicate the Wedding Dress Ministry
The Perfect Marriage
A marriage is based on faith. A man and a woman have faith in one another, and make a verbal profession of that faith before God and man. This union results in the creation of a new being, the husband/wife which lasts until death separates them.
Our union with Jesus Christ is exactly the same. We come to know Him and believe His proposal and we make a verbal profession of our faith before God and man and enter into a new creation that lasts forever because death will never separate us for he who has entered into life if free from death
When we are united with Christ, we join together with other Christians all over the world to form The Bride of Christ and someday we will meet together at the ~~~~~~Wedding Feast of the Lamb~~~~~~
Report From David Kaya About Recent Death of Someone That Accepted Christ in February
David Kaya & Joel Dima
From: kaya david
Sent: Tuesday, May 06, 2008 2:44 PM
Subject: Result of our work.
Sent: Tuesday, May 06, 2008 2:44 PM
Subject: Result of our work.
Today at the evening hours, I received a called from the Pastor of Kiri that one of the believers died. He was calling on me to come and do the burial. So I called the pastor of the First Baptist Church to go to the site. He came back with a big heart of praise for what the Lord did for someone who has died within the year after accepting the Lord as his personal Savior.
Thanks for your work in Feb. All the people in the family of the late believer were happy knowing that one day they will meet with their brother in heaven. This is possible as a result of the ministry work which you did here in February.
Glory Be to His Name.
Pastor Kaya David Daniel.
E3 Country Director Sudan
Isaiah 58:12 - You shall raise up the foundations of many generations.Fruits of Our Labor
New Believers in Sodogo2340 Gospel Presentations Delivered
670 Professions of Faith in Jesus Christ
1 New Church Started
5 Recent Church Plants Strengthened
760 People Treated in Medical Clinics
280 People Were Fitted With Glasses
505 People Received Discipleship/Follow-up
Little Girl Carrying Her New Baby
Sweet Little Girl in Kajo Keji
The little girl in the picture is the daughter of one of the ladies that helped to prepare all of our meals. When I gave her the baby doll she took it to her mother and she wanted to put it on her back like all the mothers do! Her mother took an onion sack, folded it and tied it around her so she could carry her new baby!
New Church Plant in the Village of Kiri
New Believers in KiriWe had the privilege of working with the Lord to plant one new church in the village of Kiri. Each of the evangelism teams were able to work in this village one day and of course the medical and vision team spent a day there. We shared the Gospel with a very large group of students at a school in Kiri, and we saw many receive Jesus as their Savior as we walked about in the village going hut to hut. As the picture shows, we nearly always gathered a group of people wanting to hear what we had to share outdoors, on a mat and under a tree (usually Mango) They graciously gave us stools or chairs to sit on if they had any. To me, under the tree is a serene and and almost holy place that Lord provides for us to share in. It is a cool and relaxing reprieve from the sun. I love visiting with the people and sharing with them in this manner.
Sodogo Christian Church News
Pastor Samuel & Good News Club Kids
Over the past year the church that we started last year in Sodogo has changed locations in the village. They think that where it has been moved to will be a much better location to build on. The church has grown and there are approximately 50 to 60 in attendance. The pastor of the church that was there last year has left and moved to another village, but the new pastor, Samuel Ochean has been very well received and the people seem to love and respect him very much. I was delighted to see that Samuel has started what he calls a "Good News Club" and that he really has a heart for reaching the children. While we were there the children all came together and sang songs for us and Linda told them a Bible Story. They were just precious!
Sodogo Village Revisited
It was so good to be able to return to the village of Sodogo, it is the village that I and my partner Bob Cloyd worked in last year. I had the opportunity to take three new team members with me this year, Linda, Jessica and Eric. Linda is the mother of Jessica and Eric is the husband of Jessica. We had a great time visiting with everyone I worked with last year and then we met many new people too.
We got to see the plow and cart that had been donated to the village, but the oxen that go with the plow and cart were out in the fields being trained. We did get to meet the trainer of the oxen when he came in for lunch. When their training is complete the oxen and the equipment will provide support for the pastor and church through the work that they will be able to do. Hopefully they will help generate income to help build a building for the church to meet in .
We spent two days in Sodogo and while there we were guest and asked to speak at a funeral where we had the opportunity to share the Gospel and console the parents whose small child had died. Most of the village people and government leaders and pastors in that area were attending. We had many people come to us for prayer after we shared our testimonies and comforting words from the scriptures. The second day in Sodogo we went from hut to hut and shared the Gospel and saw more people repent and accept Christ as their Savior. On our last day in Sodogo our brothers and sisters in Christ gave us a "going away gift" of a live chicken. And you know what......we had that chicken as part of our dinner the next night!
Linda & Mary Dancing in Sodogo
Greetings Everyone,
I must begin by apologizing for the long delay in getting this newsletter out. When I returned from Sudan in February I had to "hit the ground running" as we were scheduled to close on the sale of our home in Pearland on March 1. Before I left for Sudan we had not been able to find a new home to move our belongings too, but we had prayed that the Lord would provide and show us the right location and right house. I returned from Sudan on February 23 and on the 25th we found the home that we moved into on March 2. It was quite hectic packing and moving in the time frame that we had to accomplish it all in, but by the grace of God we are all settled in our new home in Grand Prairie Tx. I will provide our new mailing information later in the newsletter.
This years return trip to Sudan with e3 Partners Ministry was just as rewarding as last years. With another team of 21 people we traveled much the same route as last year but stayed at a different place on our arrival in Entebbe, Uganda. It is still a long trip across the Atlantic to London and another long flight into to Entebbe, Uganda. We did overnight again in Entebbe before traveling on to Moyo, Uganda. At this point in our travel things started to vary from last years trip. This year we stayed on the Sudan side of the border in Kajo Keji in a very nice compound with dormitory type rooms. This dormitory is in the same compound as David Kaya's home. David is the e3 Partners national coordinator for Sudan. By staying in Sudan we eliminated the lengthy border crossings and passport checks and were able to get an earlier start evangelizing or in setting up the medical clinics in the villages. We had all of our meals prepared for us in this same compound by ladies from the Kajo Keji Baptist Church. Overall it was a very comfortable place to stay and lots of opportunities for fellowship with each other and the Sudanese nationals. Each evening we had a time after dinner to share our stories and adventures of the day. It was another GREAT trip and I am ready to go again now that we are moved and resettled. However, there is one other thing that has to be overcome before I can go again. In the process of moving, I broke my left foot and it is still in a walking cast. This has been really difficult for me to cope with in that I LOVE to walk and usually walk about 15 miles each week. Please pray with me that this foot heals quickly and perfectly so as not to inhibit my walking in "the fields that are ripe for harvest " in Sudan or wherever else the Lord might lead me to.
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