Saturday, November 30, 2013

Family Time

This year I had the extreme joy of taking my wife and oldest son to Pajok, South Sudan with me. As followers of Jesus Christ we are called to serve as a family.

It is approximately 19 1/2 hours to Uganda and then another 1 1/2 hours to travel by bush plane to South Sudan (2 days total time). This is the first time it was possible to fly directly into Pajok. This saved 2-3 days of travel time!

Mission Aviation Fellowship plane (Cessna 208 Caravan) ready for take-off...

Lake Victoria View Guest House. Entebbe, Uganda
Luke trying to smile after 1 1/2 days of virtually no sleep! 
Somewhere in this aerial view is God's Tender Mercy. We are fairly close to the Atebbe River. I am unable to pinpoint exactly where we are.
Pajok town center toward top of photo...don't blink
 
Even though it is a long journey, it is exciting to arrive in Pajok! It was a bit intimidating for Luke since the primary school abandoned school to check out the new arrivals and were all waiting for us on the airstrip! Personal space is defined much differently there. They were touching Luke and his hair, pointing at him, laughing and talking very much in their language (Acholi). They probably had never seen an American boy before. It was very exciting for them! Luke wasn't so sure...

 


The first thing Luke did when we arrived at the orphanage was to play football (soccer) with the kids and Samuel. Samuel is always one of the first people I see when arriving in Pajok. He loves visitors and never misses a meal with us!
 
Luke & Samuel
 
Kids playing soccer at GTM orphanage
My first official duty was to setup our lodging. If you ever need a tent that absolutely does not leak, no matter how hard it rains, I would recommend a Kelty! This tent and my smaller version for only myself did not leak no matter how hard it rained. Going to bed without a shower is much better when you are dry. :^)
 
 
Stay tuned for further trip updates. Grace & Peace in the Lord Jesus Christ!
 

Wednesday, November 6, 2013

The Word of God....How sweet it is!

Last year I took a new Proclaimer to the Orphanage. It plays an audio drama of the New Testament in Acholi (their language). This year it is still a beacon of light and a ray of hope in the village of Pajok, South Sudan. Almost every day you can hear the New Testament being proclaimed! The kids will turn it on and sit down around it and listen to it over and over. They will rewind certain portions to listen again. One particular account is the demon possessed man and the pigs. The one that surprised me the most, though, was them listening to and reciting the genealogy in the beginning of Matthew! They will recite it, rewind it, and recite it again! Who says genealogies are boring???




David's aunt Angela will sit all day long and prepare greens, beans, or rice for dinner and listen to the proclaimer.

Praise God for His word!

Hebrews 4:12 For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.


This picture of Peter holding the Proclaimer is near and dear to my heart. He has the look of a boy with full understanding that he is hearing the eternal word of our Almighty God.