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Andrew Chard writes: In June last year I was thankful for the opportunity to spend some time with the Training in Ministry Outreach (TIMO) team working amongst the Lopit people of South Sudan. Reflecting on that time, there are four things that particularly encouraged and inspired me.
National Leadership
Joshua & Justina from Kenya are the Lopit TIMO team leaders. They both studied at the AIC Missionary College in Eldoret.
The team leaders, Joshua & Justina Musuva are Kenyans who were members on the previous Lopit TIMO team. TIMO has always had the philosophy of having national team members on teams, and now we are seeing those team members becoming team leaders in increasing numbers. That is fantastic but what is even more significant here is that the Masuvas are team leaders from Kenya serving in South Sudan.
Multicultural Team
On the team there are Kenyans (Joshua & Justina and Robert & Carol), Brazilians (Guilherme & Marina), an American (Ashley) and a New Zealander (Marlene). This is a powerful demonstration of the diversity of the Church. It is a very powerful witness to the Lopit to see believers working in unity together!
A Prodigal Son
This past spring, Abel*, decided to leave the church. However, after leaving the church, he fell into a downward spiral of drinking and quarrelling, ultimately ending up in jail. Despite the efforts of church members reaching out to him, he no longer wanted any association with the church.
Yet recently God did something amazing in his heart. One night, Abel had a dream of Jesus, calling him back to himself and to the church. Disturbed, he woke up and began praying for several hours, asking for meaning from God. As he went back to sleep, Jesus came to him again in a dream to call him back to himself. The next day, Abel came to our team leader to seek forgiveness. He then came back to the church to share his testimony and how he wants to follow Jesus again. He continues to be excited about reading God’s word. Abel also continues to come to church, is active in helping, and has joined a Bible Study with Guilherme. Pray for God to continue to reveal himself to him and help him, as he wrestles between the Lopit culture and the life God desires him to lead.
Servant Hearted
I was struck by the way in which the team members were proactively looking for ways to serve their neighbours and the wider community. Some members had started to cultivate a small allotment next to their house. This allotment not only provides vegetables for their own family but also produces enough seedlings to give to their Lopit neighbours so that they too can plant and have extra food for their families.
Gospel focus
The team is committed to sharing the gospel with the Lopit. They are doing exactly what Paul wrote in 1 Thessalonians 2:8, not only sharing the gospel with their lips (in the Lopit heart language) but with their lives as well. This is a powerful way to share; not an easy way, but a very effective way.
Their work is happening in the context of instability and conflict in South Sudan so please continue to pray for that nation as well as for great gospel opportunities and much fruit among this people group who are dearly loved by our Lord.
