Saturday - we FINALLY were able to get started doing what we came for!

Buagyi (sorry - it's a bit long; a LOT happened)

This morning, we were up and ready at our usual time to have breakfast at 7:30 and to be ready to leave the center at 8:00.  We actually left around 8:15 and started on the road to Buagyi - we were originally planning to visit this village on a different day, but given the events of yesterday, we had to shift our plans as we knew that we could get to Buagyi without too much trouble.  The ride there still had enough adventure with the treacherous places in the road and it seemed as if more and more drivers were being risky in trying to cross the muddy areas.  At one point, Agustina, our driver, asked us to all get out of the vehicle so that it would be a little lighter as he tried to cross the muddy road and then we would walk across and hop back in the truck and be on our way on the other side.  We were able to get some text messages out to friends and family to ask them to pray for no rain for the next few days due to the fact that we know if it rains anymore, we will not be able to get to the villages that we plan to visit because of the additional damage it will do to the roads.

Of course, we had to take advantage of a photo op here!!

As we continued on the way, there were other places that were a little "sketchy" (I think that's the best way to describe it) and we sped through the mud here.  But, if you've ever been driving in some thick, muddy roads, you know how trucks tend to react, so it pulled a little to the right and we almost hit the side of a parked truck that wasn't able to pass.  We would've literally T-boned that truck....we came within about 3-inches of hitting it.  So, to try and lighten the situation a little, as Agustina was backing up to go around the truck, Bethany and I began to sing "Hakuna Matata - it means no worries....." (I think my dad would be so proud that these words came out of my mouth since he tells me that all the time!!).

We arrived at the village around 10:45 and got settled in and met the Pastor, Chief, the ladies that Bethany and I would be spending time with and a few other people who were there.  The community health worker, Darius, was there and was our interpreter during the day.

Once all of the greetings were exchanged and those there had met our whole team, we each went into our classrooms to begin doing what we came here to do.  Don was in 1 classroom and was getting a map of the village to see where all the clans are located in relation to the significant landmarks (borehole, market, school, etc....).  Jack was in another classroom teaching the pastors and church leaders that were present Romans 1-8.

The ladies that came to talk to us in Buagyi

Once Bethany and I got settled, we moved right into the malaria teaching and Bethany did a great job leading this part.  The ladies seemed to enjoy hearing that, although they said that they knew most of it already.  Repetition is key here, though, so it never hurts to say the same thing several times and several ways to reinforce the importance of the point.  One of the things that we made certain we did was ask them if they had any questions about the information that we presented and they did.  I was excited that they spoke up to ask them, too.....even though we didn't necessarily have great answers for them.  One of the questions was how to get rid of/control mosquitoes in/around the latrines in the village.  Our best advice was "just go really fast," but, of course they had already thought of that one!  And, they countered it, too, so Darius took over and answered that question for us.  We were quite grateful!  To end the malaria talk, we had a game for them to play to test their knowledge on the information and they really liked that!!

After the game, we moved right into talking about another “sickness” that everyone on the planet suffers from and only 1 can cure!  I led this portion and started off with Genesis 1:26-28 and focused on the creation of man and the perfect relationship with God that was established and how God had already provided for every need even before He placed man on earth.  That was immediately followed with the fall of man found in Genesis 3:6-7 and that led us straight to Romans 3:23-24 to talk about the sufficiency of Christ to overcome sin!  The next topic we discussed was the necessity of faith and we focused on Romans 5:1-5 for this.  Then, I asked them if they were promised tomorrow and some said "yes" while others said "no."  So, we turned to James 4:13-15 to show them that no one is promised another minute and how there is an urgency to submit to Christ and His Lordship before the end of their lives.  They seemed to understand well what we had taught them.  At the end of this teaching, we asked them if they had any questions and the ladies present didn't really have any, but Darius spoke up and asked a few questions that he had.  Here they were:

What a great experience - answering Darius's questions with truth

• He has a friend who is growing weary waiting for the 2nd coming of Jesus and wants to know how to encourage his friend as he waits and looks for Jesus. (we took a quick journey through scripture to find the answer to this one)
• Darius asked if people who go to hell will, after a time, be allowed to come back and rectify their lives?  Or, after a time, will they be allowed to go to heaven? (I pointed him to the story of the rich man and Lazarus to answer this question)
• He asked if the thousand year reign had already begun - For this, we went to Revelation, which led to other questions!!

Every time that he asked a question and we answered it, Darius would interpret the question and the answer for the ladies present to make sure that they also got the knowledge.  During this conversation, too, Darius made some great points about Satan being limited by God's authority.  This was awesome news for us to hear that he understood this concept.  However, he didn't completely understand that bad things can happen to people even if they aren't living in sin - so we took a journey through Job for a little more explanation.  This went on for about 1.5 hours!!  What a great interaction to have today after yesterday having been so frustrating.

When we arrived back at the compound in Mundri, we had a little time to take showers before dinner.  For dinner, we had "greens," rice, and bread.  Don asked Paul (Archbishop of the whole world - please see posts from November 2011 for explanation), "back home, we call these greens, what do you call them?"  Paul answers, "Greens."  Then, he continued, "Agba is our word for green."  So, I chime in and say, "instead of Louanne, which is very hard to say, you can just call me Agba since Green is my last name."  And, so goes the accumulation of names for me in South Sudan!

It didn't rain today!!  YAY!!  However, it was quite hot on the journey to and from the village.

We took a little time to debrief tonight from the day's events and even talk a little about future trips to this area and focus points of those trips.  When we had been doing this for about 20 minutes, the gentleman that was our security at the compound came in and turned off all of the lights to the compound and told us all to be very quiet.  About that time, we heard a gunshot, then another.  He told us that we had needed to turn off all lights so as not to draw any attention to ourselves.  So, there we sat for over an hour in the compound, dark and trying not to talk above a whisper.  Can I tell you that those 60+ minutes were probably 60 of the longest minutes I can ever remember?!?!  During this time, the security guard walked around the premises simply making sure that no one got into the compound where we are. 

After this (it almost felt like time stood still, so I don’t know how long it really was), our security guard came back and told us that all was clear and that the police had found those responsible and arrested them.  He also told us that the soldiers had gone without pay for 3 months now and they received their pay this weekend and some of them came into town and drank too much alcohol and began to shoot their guns in the air.  They finally told us that it was all clear and we were good to go.  We asked if we could use the latrine and they said that we could - then, I'm pretty sure that they were making fun of us when we asked if we could use our flashlights.

Just before going to bed, I told Bethany the one scripture that came so easily to mind was Psalms 46, which reads:

“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.  Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way, though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea, through its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble at its swelling. Selah. There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy habitation of the Most High. God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved; God will help her when morning dawns. The nations rage, the kingdoms totter; he utters his voice, the earth melts.  The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.  Selah.  Come, behold the works of the Lord, how he has brought us desolations on the earth.  He makes wars cease to the end of the earth; he breaks the bow and shatters the spear; he burns the chariots with fire.  ‘Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!’ The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.  Selah.”  (emphasis added)

That is one thing that this event forced us to do since we have been so eager to complete what's on our schedule and get everything done and He has challenged us each day with something....yesterday was rain; today was misbehaving soldiers.

Tomorrow, we plan to attend worship services at 2 different churches and then will come back to the compound, have lunch and Jack will spend 3-4 hours with the local pastors talking with them about creation and the fall of man and using that to lead him into teaching from Romans 1-8.