Sudan Schedule

This is a email from Don Rogers our team leader

Hello again team,

I pray that things are coming together well for the upcoming trip.

I will be in NY for a few days and then leaving for Kenya on the 4th to be there ahead of you by a few days.

A tentative schedule for Sudan:

11th - Leave Nairobi and arrive Padak, So Sudan

Travel by truck one hour to Kolmarek (ELI Site)

Fellowship with Stephen and staff.

12th - Visit with community / home visits / Explore ELI training center / help with construction

13th - Visit School / Visit Cattle camp

14th - Sat.- Children's games and simple Bible story - Meeting/Discussions with local Pastors

15th - Sun. -Church - Discussions with youth - Rest

16th - Mon - Final Video takes - Possible follow-up with teachers and pastors

17th - Tues - fly from Padak to Eldoret and to ELI Kenya Training Center

Everything is coming together well. There will be times for ministry with the children in Sudan. A couple of parachutes have been ordered (Thanks Kevin and Jennifer) which will provide some amazing interaction with children. You may want to bring a few other things like a few jump ropes.

Tim - can you bring those uninflated soccer balls in the office and an air pump?

Visual Bible pictures / flannel graph story or two would be a bonus.

We will have a Kenyan nurse traveling with us! Bernard Kiptoo has been to Sudan before and will be a blessing to have on the journey with us.

Much of our time is dedicated to Listening and Learning. Having a few light tools for spontaneous ministry to children is good.

I'll communicate more within a couple days from NY.

Keep covering this trip with your prayers.

Looking forward,

Don

Missing my buddy….

Going on this trip is exciting and scary at the same time. Last year when I went, Gordon was my biggest encourager. He kept saying “the Lord is going to bless you. He is not going to let any harm come to you.” When I was gone last year he told me that he prayed every day for me on this trip and when I got back Gordon was the first one I saw (besides my wife). I remember I told him “It’s you and I next year buddy!” It will be a year next month since he passed away. I’m still going to wear his hat in Sudan that he gave me last year. But I will miss his prayer covering and his words of encouragement, and his friendship. As we are approaching Easter we are reminded that we serve a risen Savior. Jesus is the one that majors in resurrections. I baptized Gordon a few years ago and baptism simply means death to ourselves as we begin a new life in Him. On April 29^th 2006 Gordon died. But, on April 29^th 2006, Gordon was given a new resurrected body that will last forever. One day I will see Gordon again according to the Bible. That’s what brings me Joy when I miss my buddy.

A Day of Shopping

Yesterday and today we started our shopping for Sudan. Where we are staying is going to be very remote. I don’t think people get how primitive it is there. There is no running water, no electricity, and no toilets. There isn’t even a store around. I have this idea of a reality show. 5 young adults that live in the West Side live in Sudan for two weeks and see how they would survive. It would be a great show. We are going to be in the Sudan for five nights. We bought our tent, air mattress with a battery operated pump, and sleeping bags. We have to buy new clothes for the trip for a few reasons: That we need to have long sleeves, no shorts, and Jennifer has to have long skirts. The temperatures average 100 to 120 during the day and 90 to 100 at night. This is the summer season in Sudan. The reason we are wearing long sleeves is protection from the sun and mosquitoes. When we leave Sudan we will leave all of our cloths there (with the exception of the ones on our back) because there is such a need for clothes. We bought extra batteries for the digital camera as well as the video camera. Please continue to pray for Jennifer and I as well as the other team members that are joining as. We are a week and a half away from Easter and leaving for Sudan.

Our Anniversary

After church we hit the road. We drove north up interstate 101 to a small town on the beach called "Cambria." We are staying at the "Blue Dophin Inn" until Wednesday. I don't know if this is a good or bad thing but neither of our cell phone has reception. We have to drive 2 miles from the hotel to get reception and 32 miles to the closest Starbucks which is in Morro Bay. But, it's a beautuful area and a nice room with a fireplace. We're celabrating 7 years of marraige.

A Good Morning

As you know, when I started my sermon series “Mind, Body, and Soul” through the book of Colossians, I told the congregation that one of my goals was that on Easter Sunday I can have my shirt tucked in without having a gut hanging over my belt. I have been walking 4 miles a day and have been doing sit-ups. This morning I decided that I was going to jog to the beach without stopping (2 miles). I did it! My calf and ankles hurt but I did it. When I was walking back there was a lady that I pass almost every day for the last 6 months and all we have said is good morning with a wave. This morning was different. When I was about to wave and say good morning she staring talking. I pulled out one of my earphones from my i-pod and said “pardon” and my morning was made when she said “You’re looking good” and rubbed her stomach. I said thank you and took this picture of her walking away. Talking about making your day!! A complete stranger saying three encouraging words. How powerful our words can be to encourage one another even if we do not know them.

Getting ready

I decided it’s time to start writing for my blog again. We are two weeks away from leaving for Sudan. I’ll try to keep daily updates on everything with the ministry, myself, and Sudan. One new thing I am doing is inserting videos in my blog . Tomorrow will be the first test video. If it works I’ll post it tomorrow evening. The reason I’m trying this is that I can post videos from my trip in Sudan and give you more of a feeling of being there with us.

Apel Mary Mading (10 months) and Aguto Elijah Mading (3 years) (True orphans)

Mary and Elijah with their grandmother, who takes care of them
Aguto Elijah Mading (Age 3)

Apel Mary Mading

Elijah and Mary live with their grandmother, who also takes care of
two other grandchildren. Their father died in the war, and their
mother died of typhoid when Mary was just two months old. Their
grandmother tries to plant some sorghum, but has hardly any income
from that. We provide her with the necessary means to be able to care
for these two children.

Abraham Ngong Kueth (Age 12)

Subject: Abraham Ngong Kueth (Age 12)



Abraham grew up with his uncle. "I hear my father and mother are
around, but I don't know... My mother was wife number 2 to my father,
and they got divorced. My uncle took care of me, but then he took me
to a cattle camp. I stayed at the cattle camp since I was small. I
don't have any brothers or sisters."

Abraham is in Grade 1. He likes to play football, and wants to be a
doctor when he's big. Why a doctor? "Everyone says, 'I'm sick, I'm
sick!' But there are few doctors around. I want to be like the people
who came and helped people by making them feel better."

(He was brought to the home by Abraham Mayan.)

Rachel Amer Kuol (Age 11)

Rachel's father was a soldier in the SPLA army and was killed in the
war. Her mother was abducted by guerillas. "I don't know my mother,"
she explains. "My grandmother took care of me. But my grandmother
doesn't care about me. So when I heard about the school, I decided to
come here. I decided by myself. My grandmother didn't care."

When asked what she liked about school, Rachel replies, "I like to
think, think, think!" She also likes reading in the afternoons.

"When I'm big, I want to be an evangelist!" she says.

David Luar Banchol (Age 9)

David grew up in a cattle camp with Peter, one of the other boys at
the children's home. "I don't know anything about my family," he says.
"I cannot remember them at all. I've always been living with the
cows."

David likes school. He also likes to dance and play football. He
doesn't like to have to wear clothes!

Asked what he'd like to do when he's big, David answers without
hesitation, "I want to be a headmaster!"

Peter Mango Akuch (Age 11) (True orphan)

Peter has lived in a cattle camp for as long as he can remember. "People tell me my parents were killed in a raid during the war," he says. He has no siblings. He was brought to the children's home from the cattle camp by Zachariah Maluk, the principle of the ELI school in Sudan. "Peter has some problems with his stomach from living with the cows so long, so I brought him home," Zachariah explains.

Peter likes learning. And he loves?playing football! "I also like helping people. I like it when they call me to help!" he says with a smile.

When he grows up, Peter would like to be a pilot. "People will know me," he says. "They will know that I'm special."

Mary Diyo Akech (Age 11)

Mary's father used to be a major in the SPLA before he was hit by a
stray bullet and killed. Her mother is in the hospital in Equatoria
due to sleeping sickness. Mary's sister Rachel also lives at the
childrens' home in Kolmarek. A relative brought the two girls from
Equatoria to Juba, from where they were put on a motorboat to Bor. In
Bor they lived in a cattle camp where they were responsible for taking
care of calves. Their grandmother heard that there is a school in
Kolmarek and brought the two girls to receive an education.

"I like to study," this first-grader says. "I also like cooking. And
to read and write."

When she grows up, Mary wants to be a pastor.

Kuol siblings (True orphans)

Monica Arok Kuol (Age 11)
Grace Adhiang Kuol (Age 8)

William Reech Kuol (Age 5)
>
> Monica, Grace and William's father died in the war. He was a soldier
> for SPLA. After their father's death, their mother committed suicide
> by drinking poison. William was about 2 years old when their mother
> died. The three siblings went to stay with their grandmother along the
> banks of the Nile River.
For Monica, the best thing about school is learning. Grace likes
reading, while William enjoys playing football with his friends at
school.

After school, Monica likes to help around the house. She usually helps
for at least an hour, then she likes to read. She doesn't know yet
what she'd like to be when she grows up.

After school, Grace likes to read. She wants to be a doctor when she
grows up.

Though William's favorite pastime is to play football, he agrees with
his sister Grace. He, too, would like to be a doctor someday.

John Mangany Mongrach (Age 9)

Mangany (pronounced Man-'gai) is an only child. His father died in the
war, and he does not know where his mother is. Until coming to the
children's home, he lived in a cattle camp. Mangany is in Grade 1. "I
used to play a lot when I was living in the cattle camp," he explains.
"But now, it's better to know to read and write." He dreams about
being a pilot. "You fly so high, and everyone can see you. They stop
and look at the airplane," Mangany says.

At the children's home, Mangany enjoys being with other kids and
playing with them.

Zachariah Machar Abraham Deng (Age 11)

Machar's father died in the war. His mother and older brother lives in
Malakal. "I heard about the school here and that there are orphans, so
I came here. I was staying with a relative at the time. I came here on
foot."

Machar likes learning. "If I have a good education, I'll have a better
life," he says. "I want to be a doctor."

When he's not in school, he likes to take care of the goats at the
children's home.

Samuel Gai Alier (Age 8)

Samuel is the oldest of three children. He used to have older
stepbrothers and -sisters (from his fathers marriage to other wives),
but his olderr siblings all died in the war. He has two younger
sisters who live with his mother in Equatoria, Southern Sudan. Their
father was killed in the war. Samuel lived with his grandmother, who
sent him to Kolmarek when she heard that there's a school. Now that
Samuel is able to go to school, he most enjoys reading and writing.
For fun, he practices to read and write. He also likes to invent new
games, which can keep him busy for long periods of time. "I also like
to play ball, and I really like to tell stories," Samuel says. "I like
being here because of school."

Rachel Yom Akech (age 8)

Rachel's father used to be a major in the SPLA before he was hit by a
stray bullet and killed. "My father taught me about Jesus," she says.

Her mother is in the hospital in Equatoria due to sleeping sickness.
Rachel's sister Mary also lives at the childrens' home in Kolmarek. A
relative brought the two girls from Equatoria to Juba, from where they
were put on a motorboat to Bor. In Bor they lived in a cattle camp
where they were responsible for taking care of calves. Their
grandmother heard that there is a school in Kolmarek and brought the
two girls to receive an education. "I like to be educated," Rachel
says. "I really like learning to read and write."

For fun, Rachel likes "playing carefully, with love. And I like
playing soccer. But I don't like fighting."

David Manyang Amor (Age 10)

Like all the other children at the children's home, David is in Grade
1. He came to Kolmarek because he heard that there was a school.
David does not know where his parents are. "I last saw them when I was
very small. I also have an older brother, but I don't know where he
is."

David loves playing football. His dream is to be the president of
Southern Sudan. "I want to be like John Garang," he says confidently.
"I want to learn so that people will respect me. I want to make money
so I can give things to other people."

Peter Makwen Samuel (Age 8)

During the war, Peter's parents abandoned him. He lived in the forest
with his uncle, hiding from the war. He is not sure where his parents
are now. He's in first grade, and he loves learning, especially
English. "I also like the respect that I see at school." After school,
Peter likes to read his school books. When he's big, he wants to be a
doctor.