Newsbreak: Reporting live from South Sudan. Thank you
Shalom my brother and Sister in Yeshua, I pray and hope that this News report finds very well in the Lord. Iam report lives from ONMI's Bethlehem Mission in Bethlehem, Kerepi, EE South Sudan. I have been here Since May 1, 2022. I left the USA for South Sudan via Turkey, Rwanda and Uganda. My trip was a very a long one, but it went well. Many people were wondering whether one has to get vaccinated before travel. No, you don't have to get vaccinated. Your PCR Negative Test result between the USA, Uganda and South Sudan is sufficient. Other countries like Turkey, requires full Vaccination to enter and leave the country if that is your destination. Otherwise, they don’t bother with those on transit. Upon my arrival to Entebbe, Uganda, ONMI's sent a driver and ministry vehicle from South Sudan to pick me from the airport. I officially arrived on the ground on May 5th. Upon my arrival, I was received by ONMI country director Pastor Timothy Levi and the entire ministry staff here on the ground with Jubilant reception both at our Yerushalayim Summit Center on Mt. Gordon & at Bethlehem Mission center.
The entire Mission staff expressed their gratitude and appreciation to you and your family for your prayers and massive undertaking in your gracious and tenacious financial support to the work of ONMI here in South Sudan. The impact of your generosity and prayers is well received here. Word alone can't describe the magnitude of your continuous support to ONMI on behalf of the brethren here on the ground.
It has taken me more than 2 weeks to gather a comprehensive field report since my arrival from the USA. This has been in part due to several factors here on the ground such as getting the Internet steadily working and ability to integrate access protocol getting into my blog from this end. Thank God today, I managed to get the report out. I appreciate your prayers. This was indeed answer to prayers. ONMI is run solemnly on availability of internet and telephone line with mission staff on both ends in the USA and in South Sudan. It these few days, I realize the vitality of communication with our donor base in the USA, Therefore, if read this News report, please, please note that your support has been instrumental.
Overall, since my arrival, there has been so going on. On My first day, upon arrival, I stopped at Yerushalayim, Summit on Gordon Mt. There I visited NTC 97.3 FM Gospel Radio staff in charge of running the station. Station Manager Mr. James Madrama and those staff who work under him gave us some warm welcome. They walked us through the office of NTC 97.3 FM, checking on studio, utility room, water, music room, staff, and their families. The staff of the station has high moral and enthusiastic spirit. We prayed and proceeded to Bethlehem Mission headquarters 34 miles north of Yerushalayim Summit.
Today we returned to Yerushalayim Summit on Gordon Mountain with team of Madi Burulo translators led by Bishop Nikolao Vuni, the chairman of the translation team, we shared with the general community the importance of translating bible into local language which are getting extinct to encourage the community to read the bible in their own language. This is a challenging situation for this pastors who are using their own time and resources with a minimum support from ONMI to make this happen,
Upon our arrival at Bethlehem Mission Headquarters, we were received jubilantly by at least 200 people residing in the mission compound two weeks after students were sent home for their final semester. I was over joy by the kindness of the believers here.
The people have heart and mind to work together in Unity just like in the days of Nehemiah engaged in rebuilding the wall of Jerusalem during trial and tribulation.
So I spent the last 10 days here at Bethlehem Mission headquarters with staff and at the Israel Farmland up in the highland of Akko Mountain where 99 % of our food is produced. Here at Bethlehem, the Lord is doing remarkable things. I noticed the unity and the bond of brotherhood among the people living here daily. You have various ethnicities from all over South Sudan and Uganda working together as one man. There is daily prayers and fasting going on every evening. Biblical Messages of of correcting and exhortation are brought forward every night. There are wonderful worship and teaching the word of God going on every day. At least 7 different evangelists under the directive of Pastor Timothy have been tasked with bringing the Good News every night. I'm witnessing the growth of the believers here at the Nile Beth Israel Messianic center in South Sudan. These evangelists are also schoolteachers. Last Sabbath, I taught the congregation about keeping Messianic Sabbath and we had communion, the Nile Beth Israel Messianic Congregation in Bethlehem, South Sudan. We have Fellowship on sabbath morning and communion. Teaching on Sabbath. Entering that rest Hebrews 4.
There are a lot of work going on here simultaneously and impressively. These are permanent structure here depicting ONMI's here to stay and the community across South Sudan who are fully aware of this facility are resolved to bring their children to learn in this quiet restive place. Parents are bringing their children from Juba, Torit, Nimule, Uganda, and every village around here. Despite the most recent problem involving cattle rushing, people are resolved to press on with their lives and praying for God's protection and for government to take the right course of action to protect the civilians.
Thanks to your prayers and support because we could not have done this without your effort. I haven't seen anything like it around here in term of unity, love and hardworking among the brethren even though he challenges are far beyond our capacity. It is only by the grace of God that we press ahead every day. The menacing challenges here are health of the children. Malaria and typhoid fever are real and rampant among the residence here both men and women, and children are struggling with this. But ONMI's field Clinic continues to provide medical care to those who are desperately There is not a dull moment here in all the three Mission centers of ONMI : Yerushalayim, Bethlehem and Beth Israel farmland.
We have 45 men working on construction of Bethlehem schools building. The central building is 90 % done children are now learning inside the first 6 classrooms on the first floor. The second floor is just about done. Early next week, the Iron sheet will go on the roof and that will change the land escape of the mission compound here, Nursery school building with 4 rooms is also under vigorous construction reaching to the beam level as we speak. but We have women and men tasked with hospitality and catering to the feeding of over 700 people congregating in the compound every day. There are 3 different kitchens used simultaneously every day used to cook for the ever-growing number of children. There are 30 staff tasked with teaching of 520 school children living here in the boarding school. The students need dormitories to ease congestion in sleeping arrangement. School desks are in urgent need right now as we are completing the first school building. We have a field clinic serving and treating at least 45-50 patient’s everyday majority of which are children.
ONMI has Nursery bed project here in Bethlehem mission compound for production of fruit and timber seedlings. There is massive on-going work at the Beth Israel Farmland. We have 10 workers and two tractors expanding the field for the plantation of fruit trees, timber trees, and vegetable. This season is marked with flowering orange plantation and harvesting of mangos. Festo Otim, the coordinator of Beth Israel farmland, designed a plan to clear 70 acres this year to produce 50 tons of grain. This is not to mention vegetables, fruits and bee keeping products. We have tasked two people to take care of this Nursery bed project. In the technical sector, we have welding department, established to produce doors and windows for the news school building. We have Electrical and It Department, responsible for providing power and internet services to the mission, and mechanical department tasked with keeping vehicles, tractors, and backhoe operational on the road. You have women and the mothers likened to Proverbs 31 woman tasked with making juice from fruits grown in the Beth Israel farmland. They bottle the juice and sell them to the local community on to earn a living.
Construction Department
Every day, the work is going on at the site of Bethlehem Primary school construction project. The main building is almost done. You will be impressed when we deliver the final product. This building is massive and impressive in every way. The building is self-contained. It has 12 big 8 classrooms, office, Computer rooms and conference hall. Therefore, they are teaching the word of God as well as equipping students.
