Ezekiel found a piece of torn cardboard and started pretending that it was his “Bible.” Then he decided to draw pictures of Bible stories inside to make it legit. There is the fall, Sampson, Triumphal Entry, Jesus Ascending, and lots of others…He even told us a story from his Bible during family Bible time.
One of the biggest struggles in missions is that when the missionaries leave, either for home assignment or because God has called them to move on, the ministry that they have worked so hard to establish often dies. Often one of the biggest reasons for this is that we do ministry in a way that is not empowering the locals to do ministry themselves. We set up ministries in the way that we would in the US, with Americans on the stage leading. Another reason is that many local churches can’t or don’t support a pastor, so the leaders’ time gets divided between ministry and sustenance (which usually wins).
Justin has always had a passion for business. In his spare time he often thinks up business plans, calculates expenses and the margin of profit. I (Amy) have wondered why, having this tendency/gift, God has called us to South Sudan. Just about anything that you would buy in a market is unavailable in the village, and the nearest market is at least 4 hours away. During our first term, every time we went to town, loads of people would ask us to bring specific items back for them (salt, sugar, shoes, etc.). Unable to manage all these requests, Justin began our second term by bringing back a truckload of basic items to sell at cost. What’s even better is that he is partnering with Paul to sell these things together, each in their own respective villages!
Paul is learning how to run a business, make sure he’s making a profit, calculate costs, etc.! Today Paul told Justin that he has a bunch of goats. His plan was to sell them in town, but the first two he sold brought a low price, so now he is planning to trade them for cows, hire some to walk those cows to town, and sell them at a much higher profit. He is trying out new business ideas, on his own, to figure out what works! We are tremendously excited because this is another way that he can support himself, without being dependent on outside help, and continue to disciple and evangelize his tribe!
I (Amy) am making effort to take the boys out daily to play with local kids, or sometimes the kids just come to our house to play. This has been a huge learning process – years – during which I am learning how to shepherd my boys to love local kids, despite cultural differences and challenges.
Please pray for our boys as God is using this to shape them and teach them to give up their own rights (like the right of not being a spectacle), for the sake of the Gospel.
I am also continuing to take Teresa to Lolonga so that she can teach a Bible story to the ladies in the church there, as long as the road conditions allow for us to go. Justin is continuing Bible education with Paul, and we are both studying language.
Please pray for us as we and the boys learn language and culture, and for the people God has placed in our lives. To God be the glory!
Until the whole world hears,
Justin, Amy, Ezekiel and Caleb
Ezekiel wanted a slingshot like his local friends, so they helped him make one.
