Monday 7 October 2013

Planes, NO TRAINS, NO AUTOMOBILES but Donkey Carts

Simon and another MAF pilot flew a team from Every Village up into South Sudan last week.  This team will be spending time learning the local language, evangelism, ensuring the Chr*stian radio station continues to broadcast,  community health projects amongst other community service ministries.   I had written a report up about it but just found out that Kerry Henderson, Every Village Director who flew with Simon had produced an account of his journey there so here it is.....




 Dear MAF Partners,

 Nasir Team on the Ground!!!

 First of all we want to thank MAF for all your hard work to get these missionaries to South Sudan!  It was a group effort from all of you to make this happen, from Ops, to Pilots, to mechanics, to finance, to Kajj help, prayers from all of you, and we appreciate all the extra time you all took to make this happen, you all are such a blessing to us and all missionaries working here in Uganda, Congo and South Sudan!!

We were able to leave the ground in KAJJ early Friday morning to head to Nasir.  We received a favorable weather report from Nasir (the plane can't land or take off if the airstrip is wet due to the sticky cotton soil)  and the team cheered with excitement to be headed to their new home!  Simon and I went on the cargo plane and left first and then the team left shortly after us.  After a stop in Juba Simon and I landed in Nasir which was dry on the runway with a covering of grass but the rest of the area was still covered with scattered puddles.  We began unloading the plane while we waited on the team to get there.  I was able to organize three donkey carts to carry all the supplies which would eventually take them two loads each to get it to our compound.

Once the Team arrived, it was a celebration for me and them as we knew they had finally arrived.  After over a year of fundraising and training they were finally on the ground where God had called them.  Although they were very excited there was still floods of emotions, anxiety, uncertainty, but they still had a peace that God had called them and He would work through all the emotions and struggles to get them up and running.

We loaded the donkey carts while Dallas and Simon stayed with the rest of the luggage and planes and we started our trek to the compound.  It took about 45 minutes to get to the compound as we had to walk a zig zag course dodging the puddles  and lake Nasir on the way!  We finally reached the compound and they were able to see their homes for the first time.  I know they were excited but also stressed that it would take a lot of work to make them into homes, but again they were encouraged by God’s calling on them.  I was able to stay for a little while and look through all the houses and all the supplies that you all had hauled up for us over the past months.  It looked like everything was there so I gave them hugs and headed back to the planes and we headed back home.

Saturday after I arrived home I was able to communicate with them and they said that they were doing good but it was just a struggle to get everything done.  Jared said it took some time to get their phones up and running and to get the motorbike back to the compound so they didn’t get beds made until 11pm Friday night.  He said they had all prayed together that morning and they all were encouraged that every day would get better and better. 

I talked with them again on Sunday and they felt much better!  They had gotten a lot of things sorted out and were working to get the solar up and running as we spoke.  They had been able to worship together as a team that morning and everyone was in good spirits.  He continues to say that as each day comes it will only get better and better!!

So thank you MAF for all you have done for this Team!!  Please continue to pray for them.

-Pray they will continue to settle in well
-Pray they have all their supplies and if not we can get them up quickly
-Pray for language studies
-Pray for relationships to form
-Most of all for them to feel the Peace of Jesus resting on them all, knowing they are exactly where God wants them to be!

Thanks again and blessings to all of you!!!

Kerry Henderson

Country Director
Every Village


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