I've been able to cross paths with some South Sudanese these last few weeks in Kenya. Some are friends of friends that I've met helping out with a beading project in a slum area once a week. Another is a neighbor here, at the place I'm staying. He's well educated and was working for an embassy in Juba and is on evacuation status here with his family right now. He comes by to visit us and it is enlightening and saddening, usually, talking South Sudan politics with him.
Both he and these other guys that I've met invited me to a South Sudanese church nearby that has just started a few weeks ago. I was able to attend this past Sunday.
It was such a joy to worship in Arabic again! Many of the songs we sang were the same ones I'd sing with the girls at CCC, and one of them was even a song that I learned in Ktown with my boys there. Heart swell!
It was a powerful service. About 45 people. Crying out to God, praying for fighting to stop, for peace in their land, for strength in this new place.
After worship, a guy got up and talked about how important it is for the South Sudanese to be interceding right now. He said to pray for the country, for the government, for the opposition, for Kiir and Machar. He emphasized praying for peace. He told people to pray so that they could all go back home. Whoa.
So people started praying in their mother tounges. There was Arabic, Nuer, Bari, Dinka, and others. When he closed he talked about Genesis 18 where Abraham is interceding for Sodom. Where Abraham asks God if he finds 50 righteous if he would spare the city and God says for 50 righteous he will spare it. Then Abraham asks if he finds 45, 40, 30...down to 10. And God says if he finds 10 righteous he will not destroy the city. The man prayed, "God, find 10 righteous! Do not destroy South Sudan!" I had to dab my eyes and so did many others.
Throughout the service it was reiterated to be encouraged, to have hope, be strong, and pray, and pray, and pray. So many of us feel helpless here. I and my ex-pat friends in Kenya are saddened and confused. Angry. Eager to help but at a loss in many ways as to how. But we're standing with South Sudan in prayer and I ask that you would too.
I am grateful for the community of South Sudanese I've stumbled upon here and look forward to interacting with them more. I count it a gift, an answer to prayer. He is good. In light of so much that is beyond my comprehension, he is good.
Both he and these other guys that I've met invited me to a South Sudanese church nearby that has just started a few weeks ago. I was able to attend this past Sunday.
It was such a joy to worship in Arabic again! Many of the songs we sang were the same ones I'd sing with the girls at CCC, and one of them was even a song that I learned in Ktown with my boys there. Heart swell!
It was a powerful service. About 45 people. Crying out to God, praying for fighting to stop, for peace in their land, for strength in this new place.
After worship, a guy got up and talked about how important it is for the South Sudanese to be interceding right now. He said to pray for the country, for the government, for the opposition, for Kiir and Machar. He emphasized praying for peace. He told people to pray so that they could all go back home. Whoa.
So people started praying in their mother tounges. There was Arabic, Nuer, Bari, Dinka, and others. When he closed he talked about Genesis 18 where Abraham is interceding for Sodom. Where Abraham asks God if he finds 50 righteous if he would spare the city and God says for 50 righteous he will spare it. Then Abraham asks if he finds 45, 40, 30...down to 10. And God says if he finds 10 righteous he will not destroy the city. The man prayed, "God, find 10 righteous! Do not destroy South Sudan!" I had to dab my eyes and so did many others.
Throughout the service it was reiterated to be encouraged, to have hope, be strong, and pray, and pray, and pray. So many of us feel helpless here. I and my ex-pat friends in Kenya are saddened and confused. Angry. Eager to help but at a loss in many ways as to how. But we're standing with South Sudan in prayer and I ask that you would too.
I am grateful for the community of South Sudanese I've stumbled upon here and look forward to interacting with them more. I count it a gift, an answer to prayer. He is good. In light of so much that is beyond my comprehension, he is good.
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