Tuesday, March 31, 2009
From David:
THE FOUNDATION IS DOOOOOOOOOOOOONE!!!!! Praise God! Praise God! Praise God!!! He is mighty, He is awesome, and He is in control!! I believe it was about 10:30 am central African time, that the last pocket on the last building was pored and completed! whoooo!! You don't know how good it felt! I was doing my morning quite time this morning before we went out to finish the foundation and God gave me this cool verse. I Cor 3:10, "According to the grace of God which was given to me, as a wise master builder (we) have laid the foundation." Glory be to God! For it is only by His grace!! Something else that was cool, the rain has been holding us up from time to time. And ourselves and all the mighty prayer warriors back home have been praying that the rain hold off long enough to get the foundation done. I kid you not, no sooner was the concrete dry, and it started poring! Thank you everyone for you prayers! continue to press in and pray, that as we have finished the foundation of the buildings, that God would continue to lay the foundations for the relationships he is calling these people into with him. God is really moving on the hearts of the people here. His spirit is stirring and God is beginning to speak! Pray for divine appointments! Pray for boldness!
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Monday, March 30, 2009
From Rick
I received word from William on Saturday that the team has completed the foundation work for all but one school building, which just a few weeks ago seemed an impossible task. God is certainly blessing the team with good workers and supplies right now.
We also received word that the final shipment has left
Please pray that the shipment and erection team reach Jalle safely this week and PLEASE continue to lift up David, Fred, Ty and William in your prayers.
In Christ,
Rick
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Photos!
**Note** Click on the photo to make it bigger :)
A layout of one of the buildings
Women drawing water at the well
Some of the elders
Distributing clothes to the children
How they get around..
Sudanese Sunset!
Pastor Jim, Rick Wood, David Wood, Ty Homer - ready to go to Jalle!
Children welcome the team!
A layout of one of the buildings
Women drawing water at the well
Working to fill the holes with rock and concrete
The inside of the tukel (hut)
Some of the elders
Distributing clothes to the children
How they get around..
Sudanese Sunset!
Saturday, March 21, 2009
From Rick
March 21, 2009
Forgive me for the brevity of this post but I wanted to get this short summary up before I get engulfed in my “real” job on Monday. I promise to get some pictures up soon.
On behalf of Jalle Team “B” (Jim Sterling, Ty Homer, David Wood and Rick Wood), I want to thank you for your prayers while we were traveling in and out of Sudan.
Each of our eight flights arrived early to their destinations and the 12 hours of driving to/from Jalle was fairly uneventful, although rough since there are no paved roads in South Sudan.
Once in Juba, we were greeted by Jalle Team “A” (Fred Beesley, David Green and William Majok) and several Sudanese leaders. We were allowed to walk through customs without our things being searched since one of our Sudanese friends is a high government official and they waived us through the line – not that they would have found much more than 5 duffle bags of children’s clothes and 4 trunks of supplies for David, Fred and William.
When we arrived in Jalle, we were able to walk the Jalle Community Center job site. Just for clarification, a community center in Sudan refers to several buildings while typically being a single building in the US. Fred and David have done a tremendous job in overseeing the manual digging of 320+ footers in solid dry, clay soil for the six buildings being constructed. We estimate that the pouring of the footers should be completed by the end of March. The Ugandan team that will be leading the erection of the steel buildings will also arrive by the end of the month to begin their work. We are hopeful that the team’s part of the project will be completed by the first of June.
By the way, Ty Homer will remain in Jalle until early April in an effort to help Fred and David complete the concrete work. Ty was an instant hero by identifying a way to reduce the time and amount of concrete required to finish each footer.
Overall, David, Fred and William are in good spirits and leaning on God’s strength daily to help them through this project. It is a tough place to live, physically, spiritually and culturally. In fact, William is the only one who has gained weight during this time, although David and Fred are looking lean and mean.
Again, thanks for your prayers. The team FEELS them and is what DRIVES them. Please continue to lift them up! Pray that they have plenty of workers and materials to complete their work. Pray for their health. Pray that they will have the opportunity to speak into the lives of the young people working with them (Many Sudanese know they are Christians but don’t fully understand what it means to have a personal relationship with Christ).
More to come…
Rick
Forgive me for the brevity of this post but I wanted to get this short summary up before I get engulfed in my “real” job on Monday. I promise to get some pictures up soon.
On behalf of Jalle Team “B” (Jim Sterling, Ty Homer, David Wood and Rick Wood), I want to thank you for your prayers while we were traveling in and out of Sudan.
Each of our eight flights arrived early to their destinations and the 12 hours of driving to/from Jalle was fairly uneventful, although rough since there are no paved roads in South Sudan.
Once in Juba, we were greeted by Jalle Team “A” (Fred Beesley, David Green and William Majok) and several Sudanese leaders. We were allowed to walk through customs without our things being searched since one of our Sudanese friends is a high government official and they waived us through the line – not that they would have found much more than 5 duffle bags of children’s clothes and 4 trunks of supplies for David, Fred and William.
When we arrived in Jalle, we were able to walk the Jalle Community Center job site. Just for clarification, a community center in Sudan refers to several buildings while typically being a single building in the US. Fred and David have done a tremendous job in overseeing the manual digging of 320+ footers in solid dry, clay soil for the six buildings being constructed. We estimate that the pouring of the footers should be completed by the end of March. The Ugandan team that will be leading the erection of the steel buildings will also arrive by the end of the month to begin their work. We are hopeful that the team’s part of the project will be completed by the first of June.
By the way, Ty Homer will remain in Jalle until early April in an effort to help Fred and David complete the concrete work. Ty was an instant hero by identifying a way to reduce the time and amount of concrete required to finish each footer.
Overall, David, Fred and William are in good spirits and leaning on God’s strength daily to help them through this project. It is a tough place to live, physically, spiritually and culturally. In fact, William is the only one who has gained weight during this time, although David and Fred are looking lean and mean.
Again, thanks for your prayers. The team FEELS them and is what DRIVES them. Please continue to lift them up! Pray that they have plenty of workers and materials to complete their work. Pray for their health. Pray that they will have the opportunity to speak into the lives of the young people working with them (Many Sudanese know they are Christians but don’t fully understand what it means to have a personal relationship with Christ).
More to come…
Rick
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Update!
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March 18th
The second team arrives home tomorrow (Thursday) with the exception of Ty, who will be staying with Fred, David & William to assist in completing the project. Please continue your prayers for travel safety for the second team today & tomorrow and for Fred, David, William & Ty as they continue with their responsibilities, having been refreshed with the love & spiritual encouragement from their brothers in Christ.
As I mentioned in the last update, this team has been very focused on their mission and updates were few. As they return home & collect their thoughts, we will post an update from the trip.
Thank you ALL for continuing to pray & lifting up these teams, the project and the people of Jalle.
kathy
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March 18th
The second team arrives home tomorrow (Thursday) with the exception of Ty, who will be staying with Fred, David & William to assist in completing the project. Please continue your prayers for travel safety for the second team today & tomorrow and for Fred, David, William & Ty as they continue with their responsibilities, having been refreshed with the love & spiritual encouragement from their brothers in Christ.
As I mentioned in the last update, this team has been very focused on their mission and updates were few. As they return home & collect their thoughts, we will post an update from the trip.
Thank you ALL for continuing to pray & lifting up these teams, the project and the people of Jalle.
kathy
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Monday, March 16, 2009
Brief update
---------------------------------------------------------
March 13th:
Spoke to Rick and son David briefly this evening on the satellite phone. Both teams are doing well and glad to see each other. They have had very productive days on the site and will be meeting with the Elders tomorrow. A big celebration is being planned in their honor and David (Wood) commented that the children have been practicing their songs & dance for days...:-)
Rick confirmed the rumor that David & Fred have grown beards...:-)
The team is focused on their mission, so calls & details from them are few at the moment. The blog will be updated as soon as more info is provided.
Please continue your prayers for both teams as they work together with the people of Jalle to ensure the completion of this project in the time frame that has been allotted. Please also continue to pray for safety in all things & for their continued good health.
kathy
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
March 13th:
Spoke to Rick and son David briefly this evening on the satellite phone. Both teams are doing well and glad to see each other. They have had very productive days on the site and will be meeting with the Elders tomorrow. A big celebration is being planned in their honor and David (Wood) commented that the children have been practicing their songs & dance for days...:-)
Rick confirmed the rumor that David & Fred have grown beards...:-)
The team is focused on their mission, so calls & details from them are few at the moment. The blog will be updated as soon as more info is provided.
Please continue your prayers for both teams as they work together with the people of Jalle to ensure the completion of this project in the time frame that has been allotted. Please also continue to pray for safety in all things & for their continued good health.
kathy
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Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Safe Arrival!
Received a text late today that the team has arrived safely in Kampala, Uganda! We are grateful for the Lord's hand of protection over them during these long flights. They will spend tomorrow in Kampala and then leave on the 12th for Juba, South Sudan. Please keep them in your prayers as they continue in their travels.
kathy
kathy
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
They are off!!
March 9, 2009
THEY ARE OFF!
The second team left for Sudan this afternoon around 1:00 with expected arrival in Uganda late tomorrow evening. Once there, they will among other things, obtain the mosquito nets and bibles with the donations that were given and then leave for Sudan on the 12th. In addition to the trunks of supplies taken for Fred, David & William, there were FIVE large canvas duffel bags filled to capacity with clothes for the children of Jalle!! The response from this request and the donations for mosquito nets were overwhelming and we gratefully thank each of you for your outpouring of love and generosity toward these children & the families of Jalle.
This second team will be resupplying many items needed by Fred, David & William and checking on the progress of the building project. Please keep Rick Wood, David Wood and Ty Homer in your prayers as they travel and as they bring spiritual refreshment & hugs from back home, to the guys.
Kathy
-----------------------------------------------------------------
THEY ARE OFF!
The second team left for Sudan this afternoon around 1:00 with expected arrival in Uganda late tomorrow evening. Once there, they will among other things, obtain the mosquito nets and bibles with the donations that were given and then leave for Sudan on the 12th. In addition to the trunks of supplies taken for Fred, David & William, there were FIVE large canvas duffel bags filled to capacity with clothes for the children of Jalle!! The response from this request and the donations for mosquito nets were overwhelming and we gratefully thank each of you for your outpouring of love and generosity toward these children & the families of Jalle.
This second team will be resupplying many items needed by Fred, David & William and checking on the progress of the building project. Please keep Rick Wood, David Wood and Ty Homer in your prayers as they travel and as they bring spiritual refreshment & hugs from back home, to the guys.
Kathy
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Friday, March 6, 2009
From Rick - Sudan Politics
We have had a few concerns communicated to us regarding the political situation in Sudan since the United Nations’ Criminal Court issued a warrant for the arrest of Sudan’s President Bashir the other day. I would like to briefly comment on this issue.
Sudan is currently a single country running two functioning governments. This is a result of decades of civil war and a peace agreement signed in 2006 separating the warring parties. The Government of Sudan (GOS) is ruled by an Islamic regime, including its president Omer Hassan Al-Bashir.
The Government of South Sudan (GOSS) is run primarily by African Christians who took up arms against the government of Bashir when Islamic law was being imposed upon them. Under Sharia law, the southerners would have been required to convert to Islam. The Christians vigorously declined this “invitation”. The GOSS is the authority under which we are working in Jalle. They have a military and these troops patrol its border with the GOS. Could war start again? Sure, but this would not seem to be the event that would start it. Here’s why:
Bashir is responsible for encouraging and, possibly, supporting the current genocide going on in Darfur where over 200,000 have been killed so far. This is why there is a warrant out for his arrest.
Bashir is also responsible for the conflict in Southern Sudan where we are now working. Since 1987 or so, over 2,000,000 were killed due to Bashir but he was never tried for his crimes due to an international law requiring that crimes against humanity be brought forth within a certain timeframe after which the crime was committed. This time limit has passed.
To make a long, complicated story short, the ICC’s arrest warrant isn’t due to the crimes Bashir committed against the South. They are for crimes he committed in Darfur, which is located far to the west of Jalle. There is no rational reason for Bashir to restart a war with the South due to an arrest warrant initiated from an unrelated area of Sudan.
One thing I can tell you is that the Southerners who suffered under Bashir unanimously support this arrest warrant.
I hope this helps unravel some mystery behind Sudanese politics.
Rick
Sudan is currently a single country running two functioning governments. This is a result of decades of civil war and a peace agreement signed in 2006 separating the warring parties. The Government of Sudan (GOS) is ruled by an Islamic regime, including its president Omer Hassan Al-Bashir.
The Government of South Sudan (GOSS) is run primarily by African Christians who took up arms against the government of Bashir when Islamic law was being imposed upon them. Under Sharia law, the southerners would have been required to convert to Islam. The Christians vigorously declined this “invitation”. The GOSS is the authority under which we are working in Jalle. They have a military and these troops patrol its border with the GOS. Could war start again? Sure, but this would not seem to be the event that would start it. Here’s why:
Bashir is responsible for encouraging and, possibly, supporting the current genocide going on in Darfur where over 200,000 have been killed so far. This is why there is a warrant out for his arrest.
Bashir is also responsible for the conflict in Southern Sudan where we are now working. Since 1987 or so, over 2,000,000 were killed due to Bashir but he was never tried for his crimes due to an international law requiring that crimes against humanity be brought forth within a certain timeframe after which the crime was committed. This time limit has passed.
To make a long, complicated story short, the ICC’s arrest warrant isn’t due to the crimes Bashir committed against the South. They are for crimes he committed in Darfur, which is located far to the west of Jalle. There is no rational reason for Bashir to restart a war with the South due to an arrest warrant initiated from an unrelated area of Sudan.
One thing I can tell you is that the Southerners who suffered under Bashir unanimously support this arrest warrant.
I hope this helps unravel some mystery behind Sudanese politics.
Rick
From Rick
Fred, David, William and all those involved in the Jalle project want to express their gratefulness to everyone who has donated clothes and cash for the children of Jalle. We are absolutely AMAZED by your response to the team’s request. There is no doubt that Grace Chapel is filled with God’s people, that is, those who not only see and hear the need of the suffering but who respond by giving sacrificially.
As Team # 2 prepares to leave on Monday for Sudan, we will not only be resupplying Team # 1 with a large supply of Sweet Sue Chicken, MREs, Gatorade, clothes/shoes and SOFT tp, but we will also be taking 4 large, crammed-to-the-brim duffle bags of clothes. These bags represent about 800 shirts, shorts, dresses and underwear you have donated for the children of Jalle. We also plan to purchase a large number of mosquito nets when we arrive in Kampala to take to Jalle to help reduce the risk of children contracting malaria. Again, all of this is possible due to your compassionate hearts and generosity toward a people you have never even met! This is truly what it means to be Jesus to the poor and suffering.
We will be bringing home many photos to post when we return on March 19th so stay tuned!
Please also keep both teams in your prayers.
Gratefully,
Rick
As Team # 2 prepares to leave on Monday for Sudan, we will not only be resupplying Team # 1 with a large supply of Sweet Sue Chicken, MREs, Gatorade, clothes/shoes and SOFT tp, but we will also be taking 4 large, crammed-to-the-brim duffle bags of clothes. These bags represent about 800 shirts, shorts, dresses and underwear you have donated for the children of Jalle. We also plan to purchase a large number of mosquito nets when we arrive in Kampala to take to Jalle to help reduce the risk of children contracting malaria. Again, all of this is possible due to your compassionate hearts and generosity toward a people you have never even met! This is truly what it means to be Jesus to the poor and suffering.
We will be bringing home many photos to post when we return on March 19th so stay tuned!
Please also keep both teams in your prayers.
Gratefully,
Rick
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