Fresh Thoughs On Faith And Fuel

I just thought I would send you a quick update on previous prayer requests.

Emma
Emma (Marol's newest teacher) safely landed in Wau on Friday and made her way to the village in a large, grey fifteen ton truck. I hope she was not too disturbed by her welcome. But it has been a blessing to meet her and pray with her. She's about my age and from a village north-east of Nairobi (Kenya). She seems filled with faith about what God will teach her during her season in South Sudan. I'm just praying that she keeps her vision of seeing God in everything and that it is not blurred by the dust of South Sudan. She will meet her classes at Marol tomorrow so pray for her as she steps out in faith.

Fuel
Fuel remains in decreasing supply throughout Wau and the villages. Large numbers of Southern troops are also passing through Wau on their way to Abyei (the border region recently occupied by the North), chasing a sense of peace from the city.

Please pray for South Sudan in this crucial, crucial month. There are just forty one days until this land declares its independence.

Prayer for Faith and Fuel

This is a small, urgent request for prayer tonight. Emma is a young, maths teacher from Kenya. Motivated by faith and a call to South Sudan, she has volunteered to come to join us at Marol. Despite the stories of war filling the papers, she's still had the courage to come. She's now in Juba, waiting for a flight to Wau. Yet, the battles that are taking place in Abyei have interrupted the fuel supply coming from the North into the South. Although oil is drilled in the South it does not have its own refinery. Today we searched Wau and could not find a drop. Emma's flight from Juba to Wau was cancelled today for lack of fuel.

Please pray for:

1. Emma and her courageous faith.
2. Fuel for the flights. I am so hoping Emma can make it to Wau tomorrow. I am also hoping to travel in the next week.
3. Fuel for everything else. Joyce is especially reliant on the car to allow her to do her midwifery work in Luonyaker.

Thank you.

Abyei

As he returned from Lietnhom, Dut bought with him our first fresh fish of the season. Tied over the handle of the motorbikes and cooked on a fire on the floor, they made a perfect feast for all of us. Dut had gone towards the Toc pasturelands (and the fish) to get reports of security there. All was well and the militia have not raided again, although the armed, guarding youth are still on the highest alert.

But the news of the radio and websites is the news of Abyei:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-13491445

Yesterday, the North captured this town from the South, putting this nearly new nation on a war footing. Here, in Luonyaker, it is the talk of the market but there is not fear in the air. The last time the North captured Abyei in 2008, our region felt no impact. The neighbouring counties received displaced people but no fear of war. Therefore, there is little anxiety that war will reach us here. But Dut was originally from Abyei, before he was orphaned and moved south. His wife and little boy joined him here recently. Tonight, over skype, he spoke to someone who had news of his family at home in Abyei. Three of his wife's relatives were killed yesterday. "Dead" was the scribbled title on the top of the notebook page and the names were listed below.

Pray for South Sudan.

Thoughts From The Sound of Gunfire

South Sudan woke yesterday morning to the sound of gunfire as the people fired their AK47s into the air across the villages and towns. Yesterday, people celebrated the founding of the SPLA - the liberation army formed in the 1980s to resist the extremist, Islamic North. The wars they fought in have resulted in the imminence of the South's independence (on the 9th July 2011) and the final promise of peace. After fifty years of civil war, the people are ready to rest.

Yet, there has been heavy conflict in our pasturelands in Gogrial East in the last week, killing over a hundred. Cattle-raiders and rebel militia have been advancing, with armed teenagers as our defence. Even though this is meant to be an era after war, people are still dying from bullet wounds. There is still so much that needs to happen.

And I am realising at the moment, that God has to do it if it's going to happen, whether at Marol or building peace between the fighting communities; whether in enacting my dreams and aspirations or those of South Sudan. In the Bible it talks of how man can plant and water, but God makes it grow (1 Corithinians). In South Sudan, as the rainy season trickles in, conversation turns to cultivation. People talk of when, what and where they should plant. Yet, the soil is so dry and hard that man cannot plant until it rains. Plus, the water is so scarce that man cannot water until it rains. It is not just that God makes it grow, but his rain also allows man to plant and to water. We are dependent on him completely here, for everything.

At this time, please pray for peace for our Gogrial East and for South Sudan. As the new state approaches, there is growing restlessness. Old dissidents of the SPLA are reemerging. Pray for wisdom for the leaders and peace for the people.

Over 90 Killed in Our County

The number now counted as dead from Sunday's attack in our home county (Gogrial East) is now over 90 people. The cattle camps I visited last Wednesday were hit by the attack. The people of the Apuk Dinka are now officially in a state of mourning, with most people having lost a relative. Many more are injured. See BBC article: www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-13350791

Although the attacks were in the cattle-camps and limited to the swampy parts, it seems that the attack was not a normal cattle-raid but was conducted by Gadet's rebel force. Gadet has been a long opponent of the governing SPLA/M party. His base is in neighbouring Unity State and, under pressure from the SPLA (the governing army) to the east, he has been seeking to attack to the west (i.e. our Dinka Apuk people in Gogrial East). There are reports that further attacks may occur. Without significant numbers of SPLA nearby to offer defence and security, the teenagers of the county are left alone to defend themselves and their livelihoods.

Security, Secondary and Scripture

Thank you for your messages and prayers this week. Some days in South Sudan are filled with intense sadness. Other days are filled with the hard, continuing struggle beneath the sun: things that should be easy to achieve never get done; one moment beneath a cold shower or eating a bowl of fruit salad seems a cruel and distant fantasy; and people become lost in unrealistic expectations. Yet, somehow, there are moments that fill you with fresh awe at what God is doing here and how far we've come.

Update On The "Sadness of South Sudan"
Little Jok and The Truck
The truck has made it safely to Wau and now everyone is resting. Little Jok is obviously shaken and someone else is driving his vehicle for the time being. Yet, they are glad to be back in the safety of familiar faces and places.

Diing's Cousins
Both Diing's cousins have survived despite their severe bullet injuries. The boy who received five bullet wounds is still in extreme pain but they are confident that he will recover.

Please Pray For:
1) Peace and Security
The word in the market is that 5am this morning there was a Nuer raid on a village about half-an-hour north of Lietnhom. The raiders were shocked to find the cattle-camp defended and heavy fighting followed. Numbers are not yet known, but it is said that eighteen injured have already been taken to Lietnhom hospital (it is a small, brick building without doctors). The remains of the dead of other conflicts still lay scattered around this county, having never been buried. South Sudan has tasted endless violence and, as independence approaches, the conflicts are again mounting. Pray for protection for these people. Yet where we are, far from the cattle, I feel in no danger at all.

2) Marol's Secondary School
In its first weeks, the secondary school is settling into a rhythm. Yet, with uncertain syllabuses and inexperienced teachers, the challenges are still too high. Please pray, especially for Gordon, as he leads the emergence of this new venture and for Grace (a possible Kenyan, Christian, new recruit to Marol).

3) Little Bits of Scripture
A box of little, red New Testaments was once given and sent the thousands of miles from Berkshire to Marol Academy. Some of these were distributed to the senior pupils last week. They held them knowing they were as precious as diamonds and more weighty than gold. We will be reading these bits of scripture together in class but pray that God would speak through them.

The Sadness of South Sudan

Sometimes sad news falls too fast for it to really make sense. I have just received this news and I send it to you with a beg for immediate prayers.

Attack on Little Jok's Truck
When Marol bought its vehicle and when we need help moving things, Little Jok has always come to our rescue with his knowledge or his own big, green truck. When I am trying to buy things, he often comes to help me. And his charming smile has got us out of a muddle many times.

Today, as Jok travelled from Juba to Wau by road (carrying some thing for Marol), his truck was attacked. One boy was shot dead and another seriously injured. All their cargo was stolen.

Injured in Diing's Family
This season draws the cattle of different communities together as they seek common pastures and water sources. The cattle store the family wealth as if they were gold. Therefore, people defend them with their lives. Diing was once a teacher at Marol, yet his family is originally from Jonglei State (far south east of Luonyaker). Today, during the deadly raiding in Jonglei, two of his cousins were shot. One has five bullet wounds and lies in a critical state in Juba Hospital tonight.

In all of that, I am thankful that here we feel perfectly safe. Both dangers are far, far from our Marol and Luonyaker.