News
|
Index:
|
|
|
Tina's Secret Sudanese Super Cereal - ( A.K.A Missionary Muesli )
|
|
|
Now, you too can experience some of the food we have when we go out into remote Mission Fields. Here's how:
for two weeks keep your room heater at 45 degrees celcius, then eat nothing else except this delicious (for a couple of days anyway) food. Of course if you are lucky, you could have a bit of open fire goat. To be really authentic, use tin plates and get a bit of dirt and sand in it. Wash it all down with some sun heated water from an old food oil drum and your meal is complete.
Have fun trying it out.
Now the recipe
Dry Mix
400 g oats,
100 g chopped nuts,
50 g dessicated coconut,
50 g sesame seeds,
100 g cooking chocolate grated ,with dried fruits (for Example Raisins).
Heat up
150 g honey with ¾ cup of oil in a pot till foaming , then put out on a baking sheet!
Sread the dry mix over it, heat it all up in the oven at 150°C, turn from time to time with a big spoon, until it goes crispy and light brown!
Add
200 g Cornflakes after the cereal cools, if you like, you can add some sugar too.
Bon appetite!
|
|
|
In the Refugee Camp of Kakuma
|
|
|
|
90.000 People from 7 different nations live in this Camp. Most of them are Somalis and Sudanese. Each nation here lives lin their own village community within the Camp, separated by fences of thorns bushes. Despite the prescence of Security Guards, there is constant violence, murders,thefts and other crimes. Many times we saw the U.N ambulance raceing along the muddy streets, lights flashing. Small Boys threw stones after us and did minor damage, one of our vehicles was sabotaged with nails through the tyres. The U.N decided to release the Sudanese back to their homes. So we came with the Gospel of good news, to offer these people a personal life changing Relationship to Christ. Many places in southern Sudan are unreachable for us because of the missing infrastructure. Now many people from different tribes came to our Celebration and could experience that Jesus heals as well as forgives. For example a blind man could see again, a half paralyzed woman could now move freely. Those who were healed testified in front of all what Jesus has done! We were very exited to welcome to our seminar,many new believers and those who wanted to learn more. What we saw was amazing! The face sof people changed, they now saw a purpose in their lives, and testified that they would go back to their homelands and would preach the love of Jesus, because they had experienced it themselves!
|
|
|
|
|
Mission to Jungulei, Sudan
|
|
One of the largest projects the Government of Sudan (GOS) had diligently been working on was the building of a 2nd Suez Channel. The Channel was to divert the Nile River from Bor due north to Malakal. This sounded like a fantastic idea at first and would have made water transport of goods lucrative. No longer would the boats have to go through great distances in the Sud water lands. Unfortunately, what many did not know was that the channel was set out to cause an ethnic cleansing. It would have dried out the vast (SUDan) swamps and water land and many would have lost their homeland. On top of that, it would have been a direct route to the south and Islam was at the top of the agenda. It was a well thought out strategy to Islamize Africa by force. In 1994, the war was at its peak, as the people in this area resisted the channel from being built. About 3 -5 Km was still to be dug as huge machinery came to a still stand. The result was that whole villages were wiped out through air and ground attacks from the north. The Antonov airplanes, heavily loaded with bombs targeted the whole region. Neighboring tribes were paid to kill.
It was in this most affected area of the war between the north and the south, that we felt God lead us with the word of reconciliation and discipleship. We focused our efforts on both sides of the unfinished channel. We sensed things were still tense in towns like Pukdap, as containers, old winches and caterpillars lay strewn around the place. Bullet holes could be seen and marks of a past heated conflict. We showed the JESUS film and had opportunity to preach to what looked like 80% soldiers. As a ministry (GFI), we have discovered in the past, that the Gospel is not only made for the human ear, but has been designed to tear down demonic strongholds. We just need to take courage and proclaim it. The result of the Gospel of Jesus Christ may not immediately be seen at first glance. Sure, people pray the sinners prayer and allow God to move into their hearts and lives. But we have witnessed that, following such a meeting, more happens in the supernatural. Attitudes, change of heart and a different mindset begins to set in. People allow God to change things in their lives, which in turn gives room to real development. Homes get healed, marriages start to work out, a strong sense of responsibility develops, and destroyed relationships get a spark of hope that could lead to genuine reconciliation. This only God can do.
Our mission to Jungulei in February was a real success as it touched people who were still suffering from the results of the war. Traumatized men, women and children heard the Gospel and the churches in the area received encouragement.
|
|
|
Kenyan Cost regions, Mtwapa and Kilifi
|
|
Never before, had we seen so many children at our crusades, some were even involved in the prayer tent and as ushers. We meet girls between 8 and 12 years of age, who are now caring for their families because of AIDS, a by product of the huge sex tourism industry here. Only about one third of the crowds were adults, and even these were mostly under 35.
One night of the Celebration was spent ministering to those who had thoughts of suicide. People ran forward for prayer to heal there desperate minds, most of them were woman and girls. During the prayer the Lord begins to heal, many of them simply start to cry as Jesus touches them. As always, there was healing from sickness's of the body. One woman, who came in a wheel chair, was able to take her first steps. Many former prostitutes and former Muslims came to our daily Faith Seminars in the morning. They wanted to start a new life and learn how live it, with the help of the Lord. Some of them are in a three month Faith-Training course and participate in teams which are spreading the life changing love of Jesus.
|
|
Drinking Water for Karakamuge
|
|
|
|
For the citizens of Karakamuge (Sudan) the 21st July 2006 was an historical day.
In 2005 a GFI team came into the little villiage of this poor Toposa tribe. Far from civilisation we found people ? most of them naked, a few in goat skins ? cut off from the outside world by the war which had raged for decades.
These people lived only on their goats and a mud hole from which they fetched the water for the whole village.
They had never seen clean water and had no school or church. That night we stayed in their village and showed the Jesus Film (the first movie they had ever seen) and ate a fried goat together with them at the camp fire.
The next morning, we where shown the source of their drinking water. A mud hole in the middle of the desert where the rain collected during the wet season. Guarded by watchmen, with bow and arrow, the water was strictly rationed. Kids where drinking the stinky green water, little wonder the whole village suffered from disease and parasites (Guinea-Worm). With much prayer and faith during the past year, we raised funds in Australia and Germany. We are very thankful to all our donors, that we where able to provide these people with a water bore hole. For two days the whole village gathered around the noisy drilling machine. It was an exiting celebration when the first water gushed up under high pressure. The first clean water ever seen and drunk by this villagers.... ever.
The borehole is equipped with a heavy duty hand water pump, this provides a low maintainance, high output , easy to operate water source for the whole village.
|
|
|
|
|
Unbelievable things happening in Lira
|
|
|
Three years ago, the town of Lira (northen Uganda) looked very different. Rebels where in the region doing their evil work. Thousands where seeking refugee in this little town which became their new home.
Still today there are many refugee camps, each holding up to 50�000 refugees living in the most primitive circumstances. Most of them traumatized, some crippled and sick. Even today they fear to go back to their villages, either because some small rebel groups are still around or because their villages were burnt down.
We have recently returned from our Jesus celebration in Lira. It was a great Celebration and as always, God responds when we go out to preach the gospel where people are suffering. Almost 5000 registered decisions for Christ we counted and handed over to the local churches for follow up.
Already during the preparation weeks our Prep Team showed the Jesus Film in 14 different places around the town and showed Films about AIDS awareness in the refugee camps.
The preparations for the Celebration were not easy. Foreign aid organisations do much good work, but, can have a less than positive effect on some people. It was hard to encourage people to do any kind of voluntary work. Even some Pastors and Leaders were not willing to do anything without being paid. Because we are unable to so, we gave thanks for and worked with only 8 Pastors from over 50 Churches.
But it was exiting to see, what God did! People were delivered and healed. The testimonies we heard ? some of them where even hard to understand.
Two women brought a little child wrapped in blankets shortly after midday to our field and asked for prayers. When they unwrapped their blankets we immediatly saw, the child was dead. The body was already cold. We prayed with them and wanted them to go. During that time the childrens program was taking place on the stage, the biblical story of lazarus was told, how Jesus raised him from the dead. The two ladies heard that and insisted, that their girl shoud rise as well. It was not until later in the evening, when prayers for the sick took place. Suddently the girl was up on her feet ? healthy and happy as if nothing had happened. We had never seen anything like this before and the joy was overwhelming. The large crowd went wild with happiness and excitement.
Other wonderful testimonies followed. Some even brought documents from doctors and hospitals, to prove their healing. But the greatest miracle of all are the thousands of decisions for Jesus.
|
|
|
GFI now in Switzerland
|
|
|
We�re very happy to announce that our GFI family has grown again. On the 7th of May 2006 the founding of the society, GFI Switzerland, took place in the beautiful hills of the Emmental.
On the board is Director Heidi Grädel, Secretary Beatrice Bieri and Treasurer J�rg Schenk. GFI Switzerland is based in Dürrenroth (Kt. Bern)
>> Click for contact detalis
|
|
|
In the Capital City of South Sudan
|
|
|
For 21 years no open air Gospel meeting had been
allowed to preach the life saving message of the bible. Such a thing was
strictly forbidden by the Arab Islamic backed northern government of
Sudan. Years of oppression and fighting had given way to mounting
expectation and excitement as the GFI Celebration Crusades rolled
on for 13 days.
By day, the GFI team partnered with 3 other ministries to teach 800-1,000
pastors and leaders, some who had walked up to 240 kilometres to be a part of this
revolution of life. And by night, up to 30,000 people packed the stadium to hear
messages of life. In this city of around 200,000 who have lived daily with
deadly bombs, tanks, and mines, the Gospel came bringing life, healing,
peace and joy to a city that has only known the horror and devastation of a
civil war. Until recently, Juba had witnessed the kidnapping of children and
youths into slavery to be raped, beaten and tortured. Others, because
of the colour of their skin or belief, were thrown alive to the crocodiles in
the River Nile. As the Team arrived in town, temperatures soared to between 42�
and 46� C and the air was filled with a dusty fog of disease laden powdery
dust. An outbreak of cholera hit the city in the short time the GFI Crusade
was there and more than 60 people died, having drunk from the polluted waters
of the Nile. But what a wonderful light that shone these last few weeks as
the life changing message of the Gospel impacted the city.
Miracles were unheard of until now when the joy and excitement showed in the
faces of the people as the power of God struck. Thousands of men, women
and children of all ages surged forward night after night to receive Jesus
as Saviour. Counsellors were overwhelmed with the masses of people desperately
hungry for a touch of God to change their lives, give them peace and bring
meaning to an otherwise hopeless situation. Even those who called themselves
Christian "�because I fight Muslims�" responded to the message of God�s love to
likewise love their enemies. Many miracles were evident as Jesus healed hearts
and bodies alike. Of those recorded, at least 3 children who were completely
paralysed on one side received total healing, while many blind eyes and ears
were opened. One elderly woman who had been completely blind since 1984,
received back perfect sight. As usual, many other miracles happened that stirred
up real faith. Then at GFI�s invitation, Vice President Reik Machar and some of his
government ministers came to the closing of the conference and were blessed by
what they saw and heard. The GFI team, along with the other evangelists,
also had an amazing opportunity to speak in the Parliament about the fighting
and corruption, and how a Godly leadership style can be implemented. GFI was
privileged to have helped pave the way for CfAN�s Reinhard Bonnke to visit Juba
in July this year to further capitalise on the work that God has done among these
forgotten people. Please pray for the thousands of new
Christians in Juba as they are discipled by their pastors.
|
|
|
|
The Dinka tribe in Duk Fadiet
|
|
Some of these people have never seen as many as four white men
together before, so when we stepped down
from the MAF plane
onto what may be loosely termed a runway, some of the children hid shyly behind
their mother�s dress. Goat skinned drums, a banner and a �Salvation Army� of
women and children greeted us to their war torn region. Duk (meaning
high sandy plain) Padiet has been ravaged by war and at first glance it can
be easily seen that there�s a distinct lack of middle aged men, most of whom
were killed in recent hostilities. Their widows and children struggle to fend
for themselves while the community rallies to support.
Evangelist Peter Franz and his Aussie team (Rod Winter, Garry
Pratt and Dave Vivian) settled in for 10 days of working closely
with the people and local pastors, many of whom had walked two or
three days to be there. Camping in mud huts or elephant grass shelters, we chased
away a snake, dozens of rats and the occasional scorpion, not to mention the
odd spider or two. We ate much of the local�s food including sorghum (a grain),
goat, chicken, monitor lizard and the African favourite� ugali. As usual the
nightly film showing was a big hit with up to 1,000 turning out to see the 10
Commandments, the Jesus film and the AIDS Awareness film. Cinemas, generators,
bottled water, hand mirrors and the �magic� of things like scissors are just
some of the many wonders of the western world that have not yet been experienced
by this inquisitive, yet quiet and happy Dinka tribe.
Many people came to know the Lord and all the pastors went away refreshed and
with a new vigour to be able to minister to their people. Please pray for these
Dinka pastors as they become the leaders in their people in an era of uncertain
peace.
|
|
|
Gun and Gospel Explosions in Sudan
|
|
The roads in Sudan were quite the experience, especially in areas where the Gospel had not yet penetrated. The people were very receptive as the Jesus film left a great impact. The towns in Ndidinga that we visited were Chukudum, Kiklai, Lotukei and Lorema. After a great time of ministry to the Ndidiga people we moved on to Kapoeta. In Kapoeta you could see the results of the war. Houses were mostly totally destroyed. The old post office, now a church, still stood but with only three walls and one roof. Everywhere bullet holes could be seen and on one day a land mine went off just two hundred meters from where we were holding an open air meeting. This was a normal experience for the people of Kapoeta. Land mines go off every now and then and there are certain areas in town that people try to avoid. Many times the victims are animals and children. We were told that a Land mine clearing company was present in the town, but work in clearing such mines takes a lot of time and expertise to remove. Again the Jesus film left a lasting impact as many came to hear the gospel. People were encouraged as many received Jesus Christ as their personal saviour.
We were often approached by the local authorities to get involved with schools, dispensaries and water projects, as there were great heartfelt needs in Sudan. Many times the spiritual aspect of preaching and teaching the Word of God was not held in honour, as many were still completely un-reached to the Gospel and saw now reason for preaching in the midst of all the actual needs present. What people even in the west need to know is, that the physical always will depend on the spiritual foundation. Wherever the Gospel penetrates it will sooner or later cause a positive transformation. Minds and hearts of the people are changed for the better, this in turn will give any kind of development a better foothold and the people will be able to appreciate what NGOs invest into certain areas. The gospel causes people to be transformed from the inside, loving their neighbours where that was not possible before. Families get in tact. Marriages get healed and people get free from the bondage of alcohol, which in some areas in Sudan is a real problem. The Gospel gives people a reason to live and a fresh outlook on life as a whole, even after such a terrible war. It was a joy and a privilege to work hand in hand with International Aid Services IAS, a NGO that has been registered in Sudan for many years. They too lay emphasis on reaching the whole person, not just the physical needs. But working together with such a strong humanitarian Aid organisation helps us as an Evangelistic Organisation to be able to meet certain goals of need that we see desperately need our attention in the physical. We look forward to continue doing great exploits in Sudan and see that people get the help that has long lasting effects and is effective. May the Holy Spirit of God create in the hearts of these traumatised people a fresh hunger for God and a readiness to forgive those who have in the past caused so much pain and oppression.
We pray that the peace accord which was signed mid January 2005 will really bring the big changes that people are hoping for. May peace be a reality!
|
3 1/2 weeks in missions
|
|
Our Website offer for a "Mission emphasis week", soon was booked out, as seven enthusiastic Europeans showed their interest in Missions. The team after arrival in Nairobi, soon experienced Kenya like seldom a tourist has seen the country. It was not long after arrival and off to the unreached peoples in the Turkana semi desert they went. All along there was excellent discipleship training and the trip soon went to the northern coast of Kenya. The five Germans and two Swiss experienced a lot with God during this time. Here a report of one of the participants (shortened and translated into English from German) David reports:
Time passes so slowly at Airports, especially when your waiting for your next flight! I (David from Ansbach)am sitting at the Amsterdam airport and am waiting for my return flight to Nuernberg. As I wait for my next connection, some of my fellow team members are already on their flights to Switzerland, to Berlin or are traveling via London to Stuttgart. We all had said "yes" to visit Gospel Fire International and to learn more about missions work there. We were excited to travel the beautiful countryside of Kenya, see the wild animals and get to know the Kenyan people.
Our program read: Seminars, visiting a mission base in the turkana desert, visiting the Lamu island in the Indian ocean, mass evangelistic meetings at the coast, go to a national park, as well as relax at a beautiful beach resort.
Sammy and Tina Franz and all the GFI staff welcomed us warmly. We were given a lot of valuable information on culture and were briefed on how to remain healthy. For example, fruits and vegetables had to be bleached before you ate them. Also we received great advice on how to behave when going to the market. We learned to bargain and get reasonable prices when dealing with some of the hard line hawkers on the roadside.
The first night in Africa, we spent in a simple guest-house in Nairobi. It was my first time to use "Autan" (Mosquito repellant). The next morning, (after finally meeting up with our last team member Hans, 68 years old, who had involuntarily spend the night at the Hilton Hotel) we traveled to Eldoret by matatu. At the GFI Mission base after having a refreshing shower, the whole team met for dinner, to talk over the next 26 days that we would spend in this exiting country.
The first couple of days went as follows: Every morning and evening we had different seminars on different topics. There was a chai break at 10:00 a.m., thereafter we were free to go shopping in the buzzling town center of Eldoret. I just couldn't get over the number of people I saw in town. To get to town we had the opportunity to try out a new means of transport. We learned to ride on the back of a boda boda. After our town excursion we were glad to relax in the hot afternoon sun. Then came the opportunity to do ministry in a remand home for children. Kenya still has a lot of street children even though the government is trying hard to handle the on going challenge. Many of the street children that had gotten involved in crime were put in such remand homes. It was a joy for us to bring them the good news. With just the simplest means, one can go far to make the gospel known and give them lasting hope for their future.
On Friday morning early we all got up for an at least 12 hour drive to Turkana. Again we were able to catch a matatu. This time our trip went to Turkana, a semi desert in northern Kenya. On a extremely rough road, we drove up to the main Turkana town of Lodwar. Lodwar looked more like a western town from out of the movies. On arrival, we greased our chin with some kind of potato chips and continued our journey in an ancient old Land Rover pickup. We stood on the back with our baggage between our feet, the back door had to be wedged shut with an crooked iron bar. During our ride, many "experienced" mechanics had to go to work to keep that vehicle running. Through sand filled riverbeds we went, sometimes not even able to see where the tracks were we were to follow. On we went enjoying the beautiful Turkana scenery, watching out for drooping thorn tree branches along our pathway, smelling the exhaust gases from the old guzzler. Finally we could see Namuruputh in the distance. Truly the end of the world. Deborah Sirjoosingh, the Canadian nurse came out to welcome us. We soon realized how important she was to the people there. It was amazing to me, how an actual foreigner could be so loved and respected by the indigenous people. The Turkana region is like a hopeless stone desert. Shortly before our trip there, it had actually rained, and so there was some vegetation. The goats, camels and of course the Turkana people were very happy to have had some rain. I discovered that Africans love to sing. In Turkana the singing was not always at the right level in pitch, but loud and from the heart. It was interesting to see, how the Turkanas live. Although the region seemed hopeless and dreary, the people were very friendly and open.
|
|
These people live such a simple lifestyle. I many times caught myself comparing their way of life to our western prosperity way of living
Then it came time to move on again. It was Saturday, again we were up early, this time to travel to Lamu, an Island off the coast of Kenya. On our way through the beautiful country side of Kenya, we had the privilege to see some of its price wild animals. In the Nakuru National Park we saw plenty of animals. Lots of Flamingos lined the shores of the lake like a pink ribbon. Lots of different birds like Marabous, Pelicans, etc. We also saw a lot of antelopes, giraffes, zebras, rhinoceros and monkeys.
Lamu meant relaxing days for us at the beach with hunting Crawfish and slurping fruit shakes.
The great evangelistic meeting in Mpeketoni was the highlight for us in those weeks. We went from Lamu with an old and overcrowded bus to Mpeketoni.
|
|
|
When we reached Mpeketoni town in the evening, a gigantic crowd approached us with singing and rejoicing. A march for Jesus was in process, where almost the whole town participated. We spent the following day working hand in hand with the GFI Kenya team setting up the equipment for the next events, which were to start the following day. Then came the climax of anything I have ever experienced! What happened from then on is hardly to describe in words. After the preaching from Ev. Peter Franz, crowds came forward, to give their live to Jesus. During the prayer for the sick, our team was also involved in praying for the sick and needy. Deaf started hearing, blind eyes opened and lame could walk. On Sunday the place was very crowded. I went to the prayer tent and was surprised, how many where supporting the whole event by praying. Peter preached about receiving the Holy Spirit and many received him. So Sunday was the best day.
|
|
Monday we had again a short opportunity to jump in the refreshing waves of the ocean, before packing our suitcases again and leaving for our long trip back home to Europe.
Result:
I never saw Kenya as the destination of my dreams. But this East African country has now grown very much to my heart. A country with beautiful people, where the sun shines 12 hours a day and everything moves Pole Pole. For us all, it was a great time to contemplate and rethink many things concerning life's purpose and vision. In short we had the opportunity to see our lives in another light. Our team got along very well with each other and the trip was well organized.
Kenya, I'll come again!
|
|
Small lexicon:
bleached = to disinfect fruits or vegetables with chlorine
Matatu = 15 seater bus driving as a collecting cab the official means in Kenya
Boda Boda = Bicycle taxi
Chai = Tea brewed with lots of milk and even more sugar
Turkana = desert in northern Kenya, Turkanas = Nomadic tribe
Pole Pole = slowly!
|
Mass Events 2004
|
|
In looking back over the past year, we can truly be very thankful! We had started the year with the desire and goal, to reach as many as possible with the good news of Jesus Christ. I think we have reached that goal, as more people attended and participated in our mass Gospel meetings than ever before.
There were times we stood amazed and asked ourselves, "where do all these thousands of people come from"?. Students occasionally sat in trees inside there school compound, just to catch a glimpse of what was happening on our stage. Others came from as far as 100 km on foot, just to take part in the celebrations and services as was the case in Lokichoggio, at the Sudanese border.
Our main Gospel thrust goes to regions, where usually evangelists do not dare to go. That's why our vehicles and teams have traveled thousands of miles on often extremely rough and dusty roads. But only in this way is it was possible, to reach the masses with the great gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.
We where amazed, how 12'000 people could gather in a single meeting, in a small town like Mpeketoni. That was almost 100% of the population.
We thank God for the many miracles we saw. Many lame, deaf, blind and sick got healed and we thank God for his grace and healing power. But also many churches experienced a big boost. In some churches like in Lodwar the amount of believers doubled.
During our celebration weeks, we offered different seminars for pastors, leaders, and church goers. These workshops helped the churches in the area of marriage life and family, Leadership subjects, Evangelism and unreached peoples, as well as follow up procedures. In this way the new believers would be followed up in a proper way and have the chance to be ushered into a Bible teaching and caring church fellowship.
Other towns like Kitui experienced a deep reconciliation move of God among the local pastors, leaders and churches.
So we traveled through Kenya, beginning with the northern Turkana desert, via Kitui and on to Bukoba (Tanzania). This town is positioned at the shores of the huge Lake Victoria and is connected to the rest of the country by a single 400km dust road with a weekly ferry connection.
We also did ministry in our hometown Eldoret. The meetings were called Eldoret Harvest 2004. It was not always smooth and easy going. In Eldoret we had to go against some great resistance, but still walked away with the victory as many people gave their lives to Jesus. Challenges caused us as a team to be welded together more tightly.
We continued up to the coast of Kenya to the Indian Ocean. In this mainly Islamic territory we had great opportunities to preach the freeing and miracle working message of Jesus Christ. In the many mighty miracles we experienced we saw God's hand and had the privilege to be where God wanted us to be.
|
Hunger help in the Turkana desert
|
|
Last year, many regions in East Africa suffered because of a very short rainy season. The missing rain brought hunger and starvation, even in the region of the one dispensary, we often support with flights with our small Cessna aircraft. This was reason enough to organize a humanitarian transport. In collaboration with other organizations, mainly the PAOC (Pentecostal Assemblies of Canada), it was possible, to organize 200 sacks of a flour mixture(maize, soja, minerals and vitamins), and for once our semi-trailer was not loaded with equipment to preach, but with all the material, we can not bring by air. Food, as well as cement, building materials to build a small medicinal laboratory and other urgently needed materials where loaded onto the truck. For several weeks, our base and offices in Eldoret where busy organizing, coordinating and packing. Finally, we stood before some uncertainties which gave us some sleepless nights. The road through the desert is known for robbery and hold-ups. But also the weight of the truck gave us some headache. It's not too easy to bring a 50 ton vehicle through 54 riverbeds, some of them very sandy. Thanks God we made it! We were not robbed, but we did gain more experience in shoveling sand. One very sandy and wide riverbed took us more than a day of hard work to cross. But finally we arrived Namuruputh probably as the first ever semi-trailer in history to reach that village.
To not bring people in total dependence on foreign aid, the food was not distributed without a clear plan. Elderly people and the sick got the first aid and food for free. But those able to work, worked on a 20 km road (better said a pathway) to reach a completely unreached area in the Loima Hills, so we can build a urgently needed water borehole. It is also planned to build a school and a church in the village of Lokwatubwa.
In one way, such efforts are always very satisfying for us. We could not imagine a more satisfying work. It is exiting to work together with other mission organizations and to reach a common goal. The hungry where helped and in the same time we could work on reaching an unreached tribe with the Gospel. On the other hand, such efforts do not pass without leaving there marks on our vehicles and health.
|
Film team in Southern Sudan
|
|
Our team just made it back safely on a MAF flight from Buma. This town in Southern Sudan looks a lot like Yambio, except that the poverty was more than in any of the other places we had ever been before. No Hospitals, no schools and almost no churches. The buildings were all not permanent. The only building there that looked somewhat semi permanent was the AIC Church (Africa Inland Church) there.
ACROSS, a Christian organization involved in training teachers for Primary schools collected our people from the Airstrip in their Land Cruiser and the days were fully packed out. Early morning devotions, Leadership training until 2.00 p.m., then an open air meeting in the market places, and film shows in the evening. The climax for our team was to show the Jesus film to the GIE tribal people in a far out village. Almost three quarter of the people were naked and had never seen a film before in their lives. It was a challenge setting up the Screen for the film show. The people kept touching the screen because they had never seen something like it before. Our microphone was THE attraction! Imagine you can speak into an object and the voice comes out somewhere else!! As the JESUS film was being shown, the women and children started weeping out loud as Jesus was being crucified. The men became angry and started having a hot discussion among themselves. At the end of the meeting, so many responded to the message of Salvation. The people were so receptive to the message! It was like Jesus had visited their village! Never had they heard the message before! We have left the AIC church with a lot of work to do now, in discipling the newly saved GIE people. It will not be easy, but maybe a branch church can be planted there. .
Some important background Information. The GIE people honor a He-goat and treat it like a King. Women and children will sit around it and sing songs to the Goat. The Goat has a special matt on which it lies. When the time comes for the people to have their Sins be washed away, the He-goat is led to a river. Heavily decorated with ornaments, and with He-goats from other GIE villages, the animals are led into the river to drown. This ritual is an Animistic way of trying to have their Sins washed away.
Can you imagine what a breakthrough it was for these people to hear that JESUS came once and for all and died as a ultimate Sacrifice! We are so glad, we can bring the Gospel to these precious people at this time!
|
|
The New Year Celebrations in Lokichoggio and Lodwar
Peter Franz reports: I just got back from Lokichoggio, Turkana (Kenya/Sudan Border). The meetings were so powerful! Many people received Jesus as their Savior, Blind started to see, Crippled walked and awesome things took place. The Workshops also touched many peoples hearts. Over 120 people alone were in our "marriage and family life" workshop and quite a number of broken marriages were helped, counseled and prayed for. Pastor Kasii (our ministry coordinator) and his wife Susan did an excellent job. You wouldn't believe some of the challenging questions they had to try to answer. There are such immense needs in the area of marriage. The Leaders Workshop also was well attended including our "Evangelism to the Unreached" workshop. We all were greatly impacted as the African Church was encouraged to get involved in Missions as well. Our main focus was Sudan and North Africa. The meetings were a real blessing. The unity among the pastors and leaders in Lodwar was exceptional. Over 56 Pastors and Leaders came together on the Monday following the Crusade to express their thankfulness to God and to us as a team. The City had been shaken as over 40% of the population attended the meetings. So many found Jesus and the Lord moved powerfully. We had an awesome time in Lodwar. People left their crutches and wheelchairs at the side of the platform. People with blind eyes started seeing and many other wonderful miracles took place. The people were hard to control as many crippled started to walk. We must have had over two thousand decisions for Jesus. Praise God!
Rod Winter (GFI Australia) reports: Lodwar for me was an awesome experience with many people coming forward to receive Christ with a powerful healing anointing present in the celebrations. The highlight to me was the second night as 20,000 people started jumping, singing and dancing when the cripples began to walk. The atmosphere was electric and we were in the middle of the crowd as the miracles continued - we were witnessing the Book of Acts all over again. The teaching sessions during the day (and it was hot) were all well attended and many Pastors and Leaders were challenged and equipped to fulfill the great commission. I'm sure Lodwar will never be the same again and many Pastors testified that their church congregations doubled in that 1 week.
|
|
Signs and wonders followed them that believed
|
|
(A report by Otto Albeck)
It was a great privilege and honor for me at my age of 77 years, to have been able to be a part of the Gospel Celebration in Lodwar. Lodwar is in Turkana District in the Northwest of Kenya. It is a town that is known for its high temperatures. For us as Europeans it is a climate that specially takes time to get used to. It is absolutely amazing how the GFI team can do these missions in such difficult, hot and dusty regions and still stay healthy. The morning hours were filled up with different seminars and workshops (challenge of Leadership, marriage life and family, challenge of Children ministry and how and where to reach the still unreached peoples of the world). In the afternoon at 3.00 p.m., the children's hour took place. Hundred of children came from all directions to be ministered to. Immediately thereafter, the great new years celebration kicked off and sometimes even went until about 9.00 o clock into the evening. There is no time for being bored. People stood in the heat of the afternoon tentatively listening to the Gospel message. Occasionally you could hear people actually confirm what the Evangelist was saying by loudly shouting "Yes" "preach it" and "tell us"! At the call to commit ones life to the living God, hundreds flocked forward as a sign of wanting to leave their sinful habits and receive Gods forgiveness. Many times the councilors were totally overworked. The work of the holy spirit could actually be felt, as many cried out to God in repentance. Then came the mighty miracles! Suddenly a man would call out of the crowd "I can see, I can see!". A little boy that had had Polio and had never been able to use his right side starts doing something he never was able to do before. Here he was walking on the platform back and forth for everybody to see joyfully waving to the crowd. Or the mother and son, who explains that her son had been suffering for a long time under epileptic seizures and since coming to the meeting the seizures were no more. When such wonderful miracles take place, clouds of dust raise up into heaven as the crowd jumps for joy. The flood lights shine a dusty red as the rays of the light mingle with the dust. You feel almost like you have been taken into the Era of the early church, where for example in Mark 16:17 it says that signs and wonders followed them that believed. I will never forget this powerful experience and am so thankful to God for letting me have this great opportunity.
|
|
