Visitors from Richmond

The West End team has arrived safely. They arrived on Tuesday bringing with them a care package from my mom, cards from all the women in my Richmond Bible study, and gifts from friends. I received a trunk full of practical things I didn't know I would need until I got to Mundri, plenty of new books to read (including Anna Karenina), and surprises that made me laugh, smile, and even shed a few tears.

The next day I joined the team for a prayer walk through Mundri. We visited Mundri Relief and Development Association (MRDA), the secondary and primary schools, the health clinic, and some local businessmen. After our visit with MRDA, some of the team had an opportunity to join the Bishop to pray for a witch doctor who had renounced demonic control and believed in Jesus, so we split up into two groups for the remainder of the day. Although we learned a lot about how to pray for Mundri and the needs in the area, the highlight of the prayer walk for me was seeing Joseph, a Moru man who lives and worships in Richmond, see Mundri for the first time in 20+ years. As we were walking through Mundri, Joseph reconnected with so many friends and family members he had not seen since before the war. After enjoying tea and good conversation in the afternoon, we walked with Joseph to his family’s land on the other side of town. He was reunited with his brother on the land he lived on as a child. It was a powerful moment as we prayed with them and heard some of the story of their family.

The next day we had the opportunity to see a hand pump repair at a borehole, visit a local women’s business project, and visit the theological college where the team would be teaching over the following days. Friday and Saturday the team taught on discipleship, leadership, business principles, and several other topics. Some of the men also had the opportunity to meet with the local chamber of commerce for several hours. I was encouraged personally by the teaching, but I was also encouraged by the dialogues that took place during the question and answer time. The students from the theological college and church staff that were in attendance had some difficult questions about spiritual gifts, suffering, and the things that they encounter on a daily basis as Sudanese believers. Their struggles may be different than mine, but I was so encouraged by the discussions because we have the same hope.

Sunday we split up and the team preached at 4 different services in the Mundri area. Hearing Kevin preach at the church that I attend in Mundri was a great blessing. It was familiar and comforting to hear him share the gospel. The church services were beautiful and powerful and God was glorified. If you are reading this and live in Richmond, talk to one of the men on the team about their experiences at these churches, because I don’t know how to express in a few sentences the joy, humility, gratitude, dependence on God, and hope that is felt at these worship services.

Sunday night the World Harvest team got to together to have a goodbye party for Kyle. He will be leaving on the same flight that will take the West End team home on Tuesday. It was a night full of laughs, prayer, and sadness. We will all miss Kyle dearly. Tuesday will be a sad day when the team from West End and Kyle leave together on the MAF flight.


Here are some ways you can join us in praying for Mundri:
1. Hope – Our theme for the week was that the gospel brings hope to Southern Sudan.
2. Pastors Training – Pray for the men who are students at the theological college who desire to be educated despite many challenges, especially being separated from their families.
3. Elections – Pray for the upcoming elections where most people will be voting for the first time in their lives and will be casting 12 ballots with up to 71 political parties on the ballots.
4. Teachers Strike – Pray for the teachers strike in Mundri which has been going on for nearly two months.
5. Water – Pray for access to clean drinking water for the people on Southern Sudan, especially in the more rural areas.
6. Girls' Education – Pray for education for girls who often do not complete their primary education due to family responsibilities.
7. Health – Pray for health services in Southern Sudan, and pray for a disease that has been affecting many people in the Mundri area has no known cause or cure locally called nodding disease.
8. Business – One of the major challenges to business in Mundri is the fact that there is currently no bank in the area.