LATEST NEWS

There are 100 Native Sudanese, ordained Evangelists with college degrees preaching in their hometowns. They take turns today coming to Malek to teach 40 to 60 new Students in their own language at ABC. There are now a total of 160 Evangelists, including students, serving Christ in growing churches in Sudan. Prayers requested!!

Taking six steps back and then look ahead. By Paul

Sixty five years ago, in 1947, at age 20, I picked up the phone and called a Christian family in Portland. My begging voice quivered as I said "I need help and I know you have knowledge of Jesus Christ and I know I need a Saviour. Will you help me"?

I went to Elder Pop Shoemake's home to listen his testimony about Jesus. I knew this was the answer for me. I immediately took Christianity serious. At Church, the preacher said for us Christians to "Go" into all the World. All of us sat there listening, but no one was going.

I determined to go to a Bible college and learn to preach to win lost souls. San Jose Bible College here I come.

BUT Marilyn wasn't there. I needed a help mate! The next year my heart led me on a long 2000 miles journey in my 41 chevy to Ottumwa, IA for 4 more years of intensive Bible training at Midwestern School of Evangelism.

Hope you recognize this couple as in 1951

The men's dorm was on the 2nd floor of the cafeteria. Early one morning I heard the clack, clack, clack of a girl's shoes walking in frigid weather at daybreak to cook breakfast for the students.
Hello!! She lacked a car, I lacked knowledge how to cook. She knew what it was to work under adversities. I didn't need baggage but a helpmate for my life's work. Hmm! Thump, thump down the steps to the cafeteria. Hi, Marilyn! my name is Paul. Later that week I saw her playing the organ at a tent revival meeting challenging lost souls with songs. That pump organ had one broken foot pedal but Marilyn had no problem. I knew she was the one! We were made for each other with like goals.Ah, yes (62 years ago) I was asking "Will you marry me? Yes, we set the date May 14, 1950. You know the rest of the story.

I worked my way up within The Church serving as a Teacher, Deacon, Elder, Bible College Teacher. Then Public High School Teacher, University level teacher and then at sixty years old it was time for retirement. BUT God was not done with me yet.

A quarter century ago, Wow! In 1987 at age 60, I lifted my eyes to see a war torn country on a far away continent called Sudan. There was no one there to tell them of the Christ we knew. How could someone as weak and poor as I could make such a journey? To leave our children and grand children was a challenge. Years later we saw they were not left behind were closely following..

I knew with tools and help I could lift a car or a truck or even a house. I knew how to establish from scratch several congregations of Christians in Iowa, Missouri, Nebraska, and Oregon. We heard the call to be on a Mission field. I lifted my heart to God crying "Here am I ,Lord help me to go to that lost nation in the far away Africa Jungle".

In the wave of a mighty hand Marilyn and I were there in Khartoum. I blinked my eyes and knew we were in a place where we both needed help. God led us to Yournew Wol, a native very black man from the jungle of South Sudan. In turn, Yournew called out to his powerful friends Michael Wek and Kuac that wanted The Church in their remote area of Sudan that had never heard of Jesus Christ.. Again our quivering voices called out in unison to Christians we knew in America. "Will you help us!
Ah yes, you know the rest of the story.

Thank You, Marilyn for hearing my proposal. Thank You Christians that heard our cry. Thank You God for hearing your feeble servants cry for a display of power. Now will you help Marilyn and I step aside and write a book on "Letting God Work Through Us" Will it happen? God help us! Maybe at 85 God will help us retire to a new role. Marilyn is already working on her book.

Please Pray for us in a new retirement task. . Let me insert the update report of the growth of The Church in Sudan.

YOURNEWS WOL'S REPORT FROM SUDAN

The following id Yournew's own description of what happened in remote Sudan.
There has been a great increase of church congregations in the Aweil State In South Sudan. Our evangelists are very busy as God touches the hearts of those who surrendered their lives to come back to South Sudan from Northern Sudan.

RETURNING SOUTHERNERS
They find love and peace with God at home. All the communities in Aweil state, where Church of Christ is established have faith and adore the name of Christ and are dedicated to raise their children in the Love of Christ.

The ABC graduates are conducting inhome visits. They talk to each and every family member about Jesus Christ. They raise their hands together and pray above those who are sick. They give counseling to those who are widowed, those who lost their love ones and to those who have lost hope in life.

The common and simple answer they always get back from such people is, "Thank you, thank you so much for saving my life." And they always answer back, "Thank Christ the Savior and our Lord who sent us to serve them."

MANY WATER WELLS
Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) randomly settle at where their parents had lived. Some of those places don't have water sources. Those who got water wells drilled in their dry areas are giving thanks to South Sudan Church of Christ.

We are giving thanks back to our donors, and supporters, and SAM and all supporting churches that have saved them from thirst and deadly waterborne diseases of dirty swamp, ponds, and natural holes. Those diseases accounted for 20% of the deaths in the region. Where these wells were drilled, the influx of returnees (IDP)s we see sickness is still at a peak and we are continuing to request support for those who hopelessly return from Northern Sudan. There are more demands for safe drinking water than before because of many returnees coming back from Northern Sudan. Evangelists of the Church of Christ's help with settling those who come to their homeland. Our ABC Evangelists preach Jesus Christ words to those who never heard Him. They build faith in Christ who have no hope.

ABC (AWEIL BIBLE COLLEGE)
Aweil Bible College was started early in the year 2003 and has graduated over 100 evangelists. There are 70 graduates actively engaged in church work. They are spreading the gospel of Christ in their own villages. They have helped so much. Most of African traditional religions in our region turned to God the last 25 years. Each Grad's Church has baptized more than a hundred people this year. The growth of our churches has distinctly employed our young evangelists from ABC. Those in ABC classes now hardly have time for study in Malek.

MALEK CHRISTIAN HOSPITAL( MCH)
Malek Christian Hospital is located in area with an estimated population of more than 300,000 people. More than 2000 from northern Sudan came to Malek County alone. Dr. Garang reports that most of these people are living on the church compounds and are treated at Malek Christian Hospital. The Church is providing water, food, shelter and medicines to thousands free of charge thanks to you donors.

RELIEF FOOD Past year Summary report
The fund sent by SAM donors and supporting churches has been helpful to those returnees who return with no relatives to settle them. Malek Church helps returnees by providing food for the family of those returnees for three weeks until they find a relatives or a place to settle. They praise God and give thanks to all our churches and to donors who support us do the spiritual and physical works. The children are given to us by God! Food paid for by you contributors and cooked by ABC Bible College students and compound workers.

CHURCH BUILDING Summary report
We give thanks to all our supporters for raising part of the funds for our church building construction. The cement blocks of about 17,000 pieces (big size) are bought. We to purchase of the cement, and to contract the construction company to start the church construction. It is common for 1000 to meet under the trees and tents. We pray that we will be able to start church building soon.

We thank you for your continuing supports to people of South Sudan. God bless you. Yournew Wol.

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