COMMUN ITY HEALTH EVANGELISM AT WORK!
What does it cost $ to develop a community for Christ ?
answer: Love for the People and Time! Neither of which run out!
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Tony and Merle
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I have just returned from a 14 day trip to South Sudan with our Africa Leader Merle Wiens where we took part in the EFCSS 2012 conference where a new Moderator, Vice Moderator, Secretary and Treasurer (1st woman in EFCSS leadership) were chosen. I spent much of my time traveling to many different EFCSS ministry areas with Pastor Moses. The ministry in South Sudan is continuing to grow and the pastors of the EFCSS are showing great spiritual maturity. The trip was truly a blessing for me and an encouragement as well.
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Pastor Richard
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Pastor Richard
Kerepi, South Sudan
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Kerepi Primary School
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Six years ago Calvary Church in Trumbull CT began a partnership with a South Sudan community called Pageri. They sent a team to that community twice a year for the first three years and once a year until present. Pastor Richard, from a neighboring community attended every CHE training and began to implement what he learned in his community. For pastor Richard, it wasn't just a training on how to develop his community but it was a totally different way of thinking. Pastor Richard had what he calls "Poverty of the mind". " I have nothing, therefore I can do nothing". After realizing the resources available to him in his community, and with no outside funding Pastor Richard built a simple church from tree posts, mud bricks and thatch for roofing. Completion of the church building encouraged him to reach out to the people in his community to build a primary school. Together, he and the community built six classrooms (shade structures with thatch roofs). Currently 300 children attend the school. The South Sudan government took notice of what he and the community accomplished and is now paying the teachers. Each day, Pastor Richard holds chapel in his church for the children and also teaches them Christian values in the classroom. He is using the funds that he raises from school fees to feed the students a morning breakfast of oat meal and maintain the school.
Pastor Richard watched what others were doing with what they learned in CHE, discussed their successes and failures, and used that information to improve the lives of the children in his community. Pastor Richard is helping his community in a very Physical and Spiritual way.
Pastor Moses
Pageri, South Sudan
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Leader from Pastor Moses Church
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His church is doing very well; however, getting men to attend has been challenging. Alcoholism is very common among South Sudanese men. Pastor Moses is looking to begin a men's ministry in Pageri that reaches out to those with Alcohol addiction. Using the Micro-enterprise CHE training material that I used in training the pastors for managing the Seed Bank programs, he hopes to begin a business training course that will teach men the basics of business management. Upon completion of the course the men will receive the basic tools to begin a business together. For example, a block making press that they can use to produce and sell high quality compressed construction blocks. If anyone attends the class drunk then they will be asked to leave. After three dismissals they will be asked not to return and their spot will be given to another man. I plan to work closely with Moses on this as he begins the first class.
Moses would also like to offer to the women of Pageri, the opportunity to store bags of maze from their harvest (early in the season) and then sell the seed at the end of the season and at a higher price when the demand for maze rises. The women will then make a good profit on their seed and have money for school fees or clothing for their children.
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Guest House
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As you can see from the picture of the Guest house, it is coming along very nicely. Considering that the only outside contribution was $2500 for doors, windows and roofing sheets, you would have to agree that it was money well spent.
The Pageri women's groups are meeting in the Guest House for their revolving fund program which has expanded to 5 groups of 25 women in each group.
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Moses' Seed Bank
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Moses has also begun the first Seed Bank and is doing very well at managing the business. Many have benefited from the Seed Bank and expressed their gratefulness while I was there.
This is just two stories of what Community Health Evangelism is doing in South Sudan. As word spreads about CHE then so does the demand for trainings. Along with the trainings come frequent travel to the training locations. Please pray for my (busy) travel schedule.
July 31-Aug 6 Travel to Burundi to facilitate a CHE vision seminar to 30 pastors and church leaders.
August 13-15 Travel to Kigoma to facilitate a CHE vision seminar to 30 pastors.
August 16-18 Travel to Nyarugusu Refugee Camp to facilitate a CHE vision seminar to 30 Congolese refugee pastors.
Sept ? Travel to Uganda to meet with the new EFCSS leader to discuss organization of the Churches in South Sudan.
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Mama Christopher
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Holly is currently on the road, traveling to Olbili (Maasai village) to continue the women's health trainings and will return on July 23rd.
HELP!
It has been said that, "If your visibility goes beyond your ability, you will lose credibility!"
