Status on Sudan Trip

“Africa, oh Africa, the Lord your God has risen upon thee!”

Greenery and Scenery

          Our team has been gone now for just over two weeks, encountering such breathtaking beauty and gaining new exposures throughout the land of Africa. After heading up to Pretoria for a few days to attain visas and sort out our final preparation, we headed across the border of Zimbabwe where we encountered such amazing views; from electric storms each afternoon, to the rugged rock structures and wild cloud formations. The mixture of lush greenness, winding mountains, and rugged valleys was breathtaking! On our journey northward, as my dad well described in recent update, we had some really neat ministry opportunity, and Hunter (22 yrs) has made and printed tracts for us to hand out along the way, which has led to several fruitful discussions. In addition, just within the first few days out of the country, we saw a tremendous amount of wildlife such as buck, hippos, birds of all sorts, monkeys, long horned cattle competing with us for their road rights, and even a wild bore. We continued through Zambia, Tanzania, currently in Uganda.

On the Shores of Lake Victoria

          One of the nights in Tanzania, we had to sleep on the side of the road in a mountain pass, from which we had a view of the wide stretching Tanzania expanse and a beautiful sunset. Hiked down with a couple of the locals who were heading into the valley to fetch honey from a hive there. I hadn’t put much thought into views being more stunning than Zimbabwe’s rugged terrain, yet again found several of my breaths stolen away as the land changed a full set of colors into a new unique array as the sun found its rest beyond the horizon. We found that Tanzania had little desire of wasting paint, and thus, kept road lines to a minimum. While getting some fixes on the vehicle, Hunter and I had a great chat to a Muslim about the Bible compared to his preconception of it. He was very open to hearing, and we opened up the Bible to show him what its verses actually said. Then last night we camped on the shores of Lake Victoria, the eye of Africa, with front row seats to a dark golden moon rising from among the clouds and a developing thunderstorm across the lake. We woke up this morning amongst a raging storm and, after a quick swim in the lake, packed up gear and continued on.

Kampala!

          Then we said our farewells to Tanzania and headed into Uganda. As is the northern part of Tanzania, the scenery is unbelievably green and lush! We hit Kampala tonight and had a hysterical zigzag of chaos on the way in. Lanes weren't even a thought as motorbikes whizzed in and out of vehicles holding to the single law of the road: "Bigger bumper beats all." On several occasions we were cut off by a trucker coming the opposite direction, overtaking a biker or another truck in our presumed lane. And one of the bikers, trying to squeeze through two large trucks, actually breathed in and straightened his back as he made himself more worthy to fit through. And this is all normal and accepted; very rarely did we actually hear a horn. We suspected that the traffic lights would have been stoned to death within a few hours of construction, and for the couple we did see, the only rule was that if there was a red light in your direction, you merely had to honk before proceeding. All this was watched and approved by a single police, standing in the middle of the road...what a city!

Interests of Prayer

          We will be crossing into South Sudan shortly and starting our courses and camps with the folk there. God has been so evident throughout the duration of this mission and we pray that we will continue to follow His guidance as He shows us what we are to do and say. Praise God for His mighty work for allowing such harlots as ourselves to take part in this mission. Praise Him that we aren't the ones who can change a man, but rather God in us; for if it were left up to blind to lead the blind, we would be an entirety of a lost world. Praise Him for His sacrifice and salvation which can cover sin, with which is the only way to present ourselves holy sacrifices. Please pray for the soon approaching courses, for the final preparation and review of lecture notes and sermons. Pray that the Lord will speak His mighty Word through us vessels, and that in the experience we ourselves will become more broken and more chipped away; that God would make us merely windows through which He is seen. Pray that God will do a mighty work in South Sudan, that the people will grow in fear and reverence toward the Almighty; then being spurred on to a deeper relationship and love for Christ, will go into their surroundings and continue spreading the Word of Life, the Gospel of Salvation. May His Name dwell in the land!

          Col. 3:1-3 - Therefore since you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God, set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth. For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God.

"Just A Weaver"

My life is but a weaving,

between my God and me,

I do not choose the colors,

He worketh steadily. 

Ofttimes he weaveth sorrow, and I in foolish pride Forget He sees the upper, and I the underside. Not till the loom is silent, and the shuttles cease to fly, Will God unroll the canvas, and explain the reasons why The dark threads are as needful in the skillful weaver's hand As threads of gold and silver in the pattern He has planned.

~Benjamine Malachi Franklin

We had a call from Daniel...

this past week from his cell phone. They headed north at the beginning of the week after having obtained all the necessary travel visas in Pretoria. Daniel says he started to almost feel embarrassed at how often he was commenting on the spectacular natural beauty of the northern part of South Africa, especially the part around Pietersberg and the Magaliesberg mountains. This is the land of the massive baobab trees whose trunk widths match those of the giant sequoias of California. The strange looking boabab tree looks as if its been turned over with its roots up in the air. This is "Jock of the Bushveld" country with its giant ant heaps, some of which are as high fifteen feet.

          Later they crossed over the crocodile infested Limpopo river which forms the boundary between South Africa and Zimbabwe. Here the mood and vegetation change to classic African savannah with mile upon mile of umbrella tree forest and massive dolerite bolder rocks, some as high as three story buildings. Pressing on past Lake Kyle and the Zimbabwe ruins, a large stone fort that dates to the time of Solomon. Was this perhaps the land of Ophir from which gold was sent to Mesopotamia and Israel?

          As Daniel and team approached Harare, they encountered a fatal accident in which two people had died and were still trapped inside a small truck after it had collided with a massive big truck. The Frontline Fellowship team were able to offer assistance to one involved in the accident and took them to Harare where they could receive help. They have been able to witness to that person and to a number of others as they move north.

          Later in the week, Daniel's truck with trailer crossed into Zambia at the Kariba Dam and spent the night camping next to Lake Kariba. The beauty again was stunning and interesting. A hippo calmly came browsing up to within 15 feet of them. A small crocodile kept a lazy watch on them, perched on a rock nearby.

          As a parent, one wonders how these young men are coping with just two changes of clothing each and their luggage paired down to the minimum - for two and a half months. Why? They had to cut down on their own stuff so that they could fit in more books and material for the folk in the Sudan.

          Please pray for a fruitful witness to all on their way north. Please pray that God will prepare the folk who receive the material to help build the new country of South Sudan in a manner that pleases God. There is also the need of those Christians in the four or five provinces that could not hold independence elections because of the ongoing violence against them from the radical Islamists in the north.

Thanks for your ongoing prayers for the team.

Richard & Margie de Villiers