Real Rain

Last evening, we watched spectacular light shows far to the south and far to the north of us, but the sky to the east, from whence comes our rain, was clear, so I went to sleep under a bright, waxing – almost to the half – crescent moon. About 1:00am, the wind began to come up, and I could see lightning not so far off in the east, so I moved my cot to the Training Center (which is closed on east and west sides, but open to the north and the south).


All was quiet until a little after 4:00am, when the sky began to fall. It fell with noisy violence, and then it fell sideways. My thin sheet was soon damp from the blown spray, and the roaring wind kept me cold until well after daylight.


One usually expect these “first rains” to hit hard and pass on, but this morning’s rain just kept on and on. The wind kept up a bit, but the rain slacked off to a strong, steady downpour until well after 8:00. It was a “good rain,” and I knew that everyone who could would be in the fields today, tilling the softened ground for planting.


Although it was personally inconvenient, I was pleased with the rain, because one of the prime targets of the pastoral prayers yesterday had been that it would rain. The word is now out that the pastors met to pray for rain – and they got it.


Jermaine and Andrew got a later-than-intended start to a church they had promised to visit today. I remained behind to begin straightening out my things so I will know what to pack and what I can leave behind. Around 1:45pm, I set off with my GPS to show that walking through the bush straight to the Mustardseed hospital and airstrip is quite do-able. I have been encouraging the guys to establish a track that way for two reasons: it is half the distance of going by the main road, and in the event of some sort of emergency, such a pre-planned trail, free of military or police checkpoints, might be extremely important.


I am at Mustardseed now, waiting for Jermaine and Andrew to return. Times here in Africa are extremely flexible, and one never expects much of a schedule. However, I am sure the guys will be back in time for us to meet with the commander. If they don't come soon, I will just walk down to the encampment area.




Wednesday – Passing on Torches


This morning, a group of pastors from Akot-area churches came to the BTC for a time of sharing and prayer. It has been a particular pleasure and privilege for me to be able to have fellowship with these men. Most of them are very young – all of them are much younger than I – but several of them, in particular, have been through experiences in their Christian lives and ministries that have produced in them a maturity, authority and gentleness that is truly beautiful to see. It is a special delight to me to be allowed to speak some word of encouragement to and pray with such brothers in Christ.


A very interesting things about the assembled group was that I have no idea at all which of them were Baptists. Christians in South Sudan seem to have realized that our denominational differences, while, perhaps, important, are not usually essential, and they understand that our brotherhood in Christ far outweighs the causes of division that have so crippled the Church in the West.


By very intentional purpose, the Baptist missionaries here do their work in such a way so as not to create a dependency by indigenous Christians on foreign leadership or resources. It is wonderful to see that policy taking shape in the lives and ministries of men like the ones who were here this morning.


One way this counter-dependency policy is working here is that when one pastor has been taught some information or technique, he is expected to “pass the torch” to someone else, who will in turn pass it on. The missionaries, whether long- or short-term, intentionally do not do all the teaching. They enable and encourage, to a degree, but they know that for the Church truly to prosper, it must do so without continuous infusions of foreign resources.


The rain of last night sounded wonderful on the tin roof at Mustardseed Hospital, but when we came outside, we found that it had actually amounted to very little. I was able to sleep outside anyway.


Even that tiny amount of rain has greatly intensified the transition of the seasons here. Last night, for example, when I had to be up, my flashlight revealed two separate columns of driver ants. One column was passing right through where I usually place my cot, but for some unknown reason, I had moved last night. Driver ants would be a rude way to be awakened!


A second member of the Akot team has come down with giardia, an unpleasant water-borne intestinal illness with potentially serious consequences if untreated. Fortunately, both have been able to start treatment immediately, so they should be fine. Giardia is just one of the reasons I have tried especially hard to be careful about what I eat and drink here.


We found out this morning that the military commander we had become friends with is not really the top local commander. In the late afternoon we went to meet with the real commanding officer. We met with his deputy, but the Commander himself was indisposed, and we are to come back late tomorrow afternoon.