To listen to a radio podcast on this article, click here
To see a video on how South Sudan became an independent country, click here.
 
Independence
9 July, marks a monumental answer to prayer as South Sudanese celebrate the 10th anniversary of their successful struggle for self-determination and secession from the Arab North. It was a major victory against the oppressive Sharia law of the National Islamic Front government of Sudan.
 
Date with Destiny
9 July, in South Sudan, marks a date with destiny. It celebrates the culminative effect of many years of intensive prayer, worldwide publicity, international pressure and missionary partnership with courageous persecuted Christians in South Sudan and the Nuba Mountains.

​Churches Burned and Christians Bombed in the Nuba Mountains
As the people of South Sudan celebrate the 10th anniversary of their hard fought independence the security situation in Abyei and the Nuba Mountains remains uncertain. Churches have been burned and Christians targeted by deadly air strikes and ground attacks. Arab militia shouting “Allah Akbar” have opened fire on congregations gathered for worship. Church property in Kadugli was looted.

“For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8:38-39
 
Mourning in Moruland
Our very good friend, Rev. Canon Kenneth Kilaki Baringwa, of the Episcopal Church of Sudan, has gone to be with the Lord. He died in Juba at Freedom International Hospital and his body will be transported back to his home town of Mundri for burial at Christ Cathedral. He was born 1 January 1946 and passed into eternity on Tuesday, 28 January 2020.

Macedonian Call to Moruland
It was Rev. Kenneth Baringwa, who first tracked me down and gave me the Macedonian Call, in 1995: “You must come to Moruland!” he declared. Kenneth Baringwa was aware of my work on behalf of the persecuted church in Mozambique and Angola and was convinced that I would be a friend in need for the Christians suffering in South Sudan.
 
Emergency in Equatoria
He wrote to me and we managed to meet during my mission to East Africa in 1995. I had just returned from Rwanda and it was in Nairobi, Kenya, that we first met and he explained the desperate plight of our brothers and sisters in Christ, in South Sudan. Their churches were being bombed by the Sudan Air Force and Arab forces were waging a scorched earth campaign against their communities in Equatoria. Crops were being burned, livestock stolen, or killed, pastors were being executed and they had no Bibles and no medicines. Their children were growing up without schools. The communities were in desperate need!
 
Working Together in the War Zone
It was Rev. Kenneth Baringwa, who organised the first Church Conferences for pastors and Seminars to train schoolteachers. He also brought to me the first Chaplains for training for the Sudanese Peoples Liberation Army (SPLA). Kenneth Baringwa was an invaluable guide, translator, organiser and enabler, who made things happen. We can safely say that it was Rev. Kenneth Baringwa who challenged me to make South Sudan a central focus of my ministry for many years. He was the one who organised hundreds of church meetings and outreaches in many villages and ministry amongst the military.

​Bibles and Textbooks for Teachers
By God's grace, we were able to deliver hundreds-of-thousands of Bibles and Christian books into Western Equatoria and restore the Bishop Gwynne Bible College. We helped to equip over 100 primary schools and a Christian High school with quality Christian textbooks.​

The Hospital in Lui
From that point, it was clear that Samaritans Purse was committed to establishing a hospital in Moruland. Within just a matter of weeks, they were back, fully laden with everything necessary. Within days, they set up a fully operational hospital, with surgery, equipment and specialist staff. It was impressive! Initially, they only planned to be there for 6 months. As Ken Isaacs explained, “We seldom are anywhere for more than three months at a time. However, we will commit ourselves to South Sudan for six months.” Ten years later, they were still running the hospital in Lui. The longest running and most successful medical operation in the history of Samaritans Purse. They saved tens-of thousands of lives and treated hundreds of thousands of patients. None of that would have happened without the Macedonian Call of Kenneth Baringwa and the integrity of the Christians in Moruland. 

Pray for the Baringwa Family
Please remember in prayer, Rev. Kenneth Baringwa’s wife, Grace and their children: Lexton Ndio Kenneth Baringwa, Slyvia Surah Kenneth Baringwa, Vivian Koleva Kenneth Baringwa, Hellen Kayi Kenneth Baringwa, Late Siti Victoria Kenneth Baringwa, Atana Kenneth Baringwa, Adari Anderson Kenneth Baringwa and Lako Kenneth Baringwa, along with his grandchildren: Loyo Francis Baringwa, Edita Dawa James Timon, Aya Doroka James Timon, Benjamin James Timon, Maria Riya Baringwa, Koffi Annan Baringwa, Shida Mary Baringwa, Raymond Zakayo Baringwa, Ladu Leben Baringwa, Lucy Aguli Baringwa, Alice Khamisa Baringwa, Kezia Ongo Baringwa, Simon Brian Baringwa, Chokote Vailes Baringwa and Adalla Labari Baringwa. Reverend and Mrs Baringwa were blessed with 8 children (4 sons and 4 daughters) and 15 grandchildren (7 boys and 8 girls).
  
A Faithful and Fruitful Servant of God
We praise God for the life and legacy of Rev. Canon Kenneth Kilaki Baringwa. He was a good and true friend. A tireless Christian worker, dedicated to the Episcopal Church of Sudan. Kenneth Baringwa was a patriotic South Sudanese committed to Freedom and Independence for his country. He was courageous, dedicated, dependable and diligent. Truly, Canon Kenneth Baringwa can declare: “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the Faith.” 2 Timothy 4:7

​To read this report with pictures and maps in PDF format, CLICK HERE

"All the ends of the world shall remember and turn to the Lord and all the families of the nations shall worship before You. For the Kingdom is the Lord's and He rules over the nations." Psalm 22:27-28

Below is contained a report on our most recent mission in January and February to refugee populations from the worst holocaust of the 21st century, perpetrated by the government of Sudan on the peoples of Darfur, the Nuba Mountains and Blue Nile. The journey began in Juba, South Sudan and quickly moved North into Sudan and then Chad.

“Cush will submit herself to God.” Psalm 68:31

In the Bible, the land of Cush (present day Sudan) is referred to 52 times, making it the second most mentioned place in Scripture. People of Cush have been submitting themselves to God for centuries. In fact, Southern Sudan is the oldest Christian community in Africa. For more than 60 years now, they have been a bulwark holding up the southward expansion of Islam in Africa. The first leg of the mission our team moved over 1400lbs of Bibles, solar powered Bibles, Jesus Film kits, ECS courses and other discipleship materials from Juba, South Sudan to Yida Refugee Camp which is approximately 14 miles from the border of North Sudan. Below is an overhead shot of Yida Refugee Camp, home to over 90,000 homeless people from 65 tribes and approximately 90 people groups.

​“The Law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul.” Psalm 19:7

Upon arriving in Yida, we quickly made the necessary arrangements to move North into Sudan. This June will mark 6 years since the government of Sudan began again terrorizing Christians in an area known as the Nuba Mountains. A month before South Sudan achieved its independence in July of 2011, the government began to carry out a new campaign of aerial bombing, rape, mass murder and scorched earth policies on this island of Christianity in a vast sea of Islam. The purple region in the map below known as Southern Kordofan is the region in which the Nuba Christians are located.

Revival or Islamisation
“Will You not revive us again, that Your people may rejoice in you? Show us Your unfailing love, O Lord, and grant us Your Salvation.” Psalm 85:6-7

There is no doubt that Muslims around the world are set on making Sudan the cornerstone of the Islamic Caliphate in North Africa. The agenda of president Omar Al Bashir in Sudan is clear. Since he came to power in 1989, he has slaughtered millions of Christians in what is now South Sudan and ethnically cleansed other black African tribes in the Darfur and Blue Nile regions while exploiting the oil, precious metals and gold mines. In early 2016, the Sudan Armed Forces mobilized over 40,000 men composed of ISIS operatives, Lord’s Resistance Army fighters from Uganda, Boko Haram from Nigeria, al Shabaab of Somalia, Mali Jihadists along with the Sudan Armed Forces. Right now, they are currently mobilizing over 150,000 jihadists from the above listed groups as a “Final Solution” to complete the destruction of black Africans in Darfur and Christians in the Nuba Mountains, as well as an overthrow of the government in Chad. If this objective is attained, it will change the map of Africa. The area from South Sudan to Mali would constitute an African Caliphate.

According to intel from various sources, the full scale cleansing was scheduled to begin in January 2017. The governor of Nuba has requested help from the outside world but no help has yet come. In addition, the world’s newest nation, South Sudan, which declared its independence from Islamic Sudan back in July of 2011, is facing one of the worst humanitarian crisis this world has ever seen. As of last week, over 7 million people were on the brink of starvation. With the war escalating in the North and absolutely no infrastructure in the South, plus the hostility of the UN in general towards Christian mission work, it presented us with a wonderful opportunity to trust the Lord.

“Then Jesus came to them and said, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age’". Matthew 28:18-20

“’Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit,' says the Lord of Hosts."Zechariah 4:6

Some of the highlights from the first leg of this mission included Scripture book Evangelism amongst the soldiers (pictured above) and a visit to Karkari where just weeks before this Christian village was destroyed in the name of Allah and Islam. Both of the churches were shot up and many homes were bulldozed. The same government Obama eased sanctions on recently sent an army to destroy this Christian village and surrounding civilian settlements in a brutal pre-dawn attack that sent the entire population to flight. Horror stories of the sick, aged or children left behind out of necessity, or lost in the midst of the chaos abounded.

“Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven. Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. Rejoice and be glad because great is your reward in Heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.” Matthew 5:10-12

If you’re reading this and you’re a Christian that attends a Bible believing church, “the question is not whether or not we will be working to spread the Gospel around the world, but what role we will play in this. A church that is not devoted to the cause of Christ around the world is not a Church in the Biblical sense” (Multiply, Francis Chan). It is past time to step up and take action. If you’re a Christian, you’re either a missionary or a mission field. You can’t be neutral. Business as usual is not going to cut it. The status quo just isn’t working. Especially in places like Sudan where many Christian agencies have pulled out.

“His Word is in my heart like a fire, a fire shut up in my bones. I am weary of holding it in; indeed, I cannot.” Jeremiah 20:9

This Sudanese tank on the above right made it to within 500 yards of the village before the SPLA – N (soldiers protecting the Christians) destroyed it. On the above left is a picture about 6 miles from the village of the community that was displaced from the attacks. We had the privilege of ministering to and sharing with them.

“And now, compelled by the Spirit, I am going to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there. I only know that in every city the Holy Spirit warns me that prison and hardship are facing me. However, I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me – the task of testifying to the Gospel of God’s grace.” Acts 20:22-24

Suffice to say, hearing the direct account of the tragedy that brought them there was only overcome by the power of Christ sustaining them amidst the suffering. We offered words of encouragement and comfort from the only source of truth for those in the midst of such terrible persecution. Then we left our Bibles, mosquito nets, clothing, food and other items from our backpacks with them. It was probably the most inspiring, and humbling moments of the journey for me. Much different than just giving to Voice of the Martyrs .

“For I testify that they gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability…and they did not do as we expected, but they gave of themselves first to the Lord and then to us in keeping with God’s will.” 2 Corinthians 8:3,5

One of the other highlights from our time in Nuba was a visit to Kush Theological College. It was bombed relentlessly in 2013, 2014 and 2015. Due to necessity, its location is now in the midst of giant rocks and boulders. At this school the students ranged from Pastors who had never completed their education to “young Timothys” fresh off completing their secondary education. They are being targeted by their own government as enemies of the state, guilty of treason for preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ! Many of them pastor anywhere from 6-8 churches which have absolutely no budget and are lucky to have even just a few Bibles. Below is a picture from one of the training sessions early one morning.

“After we had been there a number of days, a prophet named Agabus came down from Judea. Coming over to us, he took Paul’s belt, tied his own hands and feet with it and said, ‘The Holy Spirit says, in this way the Jews of Jerusalem will bind the owner of this belt and will hand him over to the Gentiles.’ When we heard this, we and the people there pleaded with Paul not to go up to Jerusalem. Then Paul answered, ‘Why are you weeping and breaking my heart? I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die in Jerusalem for the Name of the Lord Jesus.’ When he would not be dissuaded, we gave up and said, ‘The Lord’s will be done.’” Acts 21:10-14

The way the Holy Spirit is working through these men brings tears to my eyes. After mapping every single unreached and unengaged tribe within the Nuba Mountains, they requested tracts and were strategically planning to go out 2 by 2 on foot to hike over 100 miles to some of these places with unreached and unengaged Muslim people groups. So, we loaded them up with Scripture books, Bibles, Solar Powered Audio Bibles and other tools to help assist them.

The next leg of the mission was very interesting to say the least. For the past 2 years I have been praying for an opportunity to reach Darfur for Christ. Darfur means “the place of the Fur people.” There are at least 36 main tribes in the region without one bit of Evangelical Christian presence. They are some of the least evangelized people in the whole world with no indigenous movement of Christianity whatsoever. After combing through thousands of pages in UN documents, talking with various humanitarian groups that have worked there in years past and praying for God’s guidance and wisdom, we believe we had found a way to achieve access. We caught a charter flight to Abeche, Chad and then continued the mission.

“Can that be called a sacrifice which is simply paid back as a small part of a great debt owing to our God, which we can never repay.... it, is emphatically no sacrifice. Say rather, it is a privilege!” David Livingstone
This challenge from Dr. Livingstone echoes in my ear and inspires me today.

Upon arriving in Abeche, Chad, we had a few meetings set up with local Pastors before heading to the border. One of the Pastors invited us to his congregation for a prayer meeting. Our evening with this Pastor and other leaders from the Chadian Church was exceptional (picture directly below). We spent 5 ½ hours praying together and listening to some of the challenges they were facing. We then opened up God’s Word and preached Christ.

A Strategy of Compromise and Cowardice
Prior to leaving the US for Africa, I had shipped 9 cartons of Arabic New Testaments and 5 boxes of tracts to a border town in Chad called Iriba. Through World Missionary Press, I had made contact with several of the local Pastors on the Chadian/Sudanese border working with Darfurian Refugees. These supplies were prepositioned so when our team left Sudan and arrived in Abeche, we wouldn’t have to worry about the logistics of transporting Bibles to a place we had never been. Our original plan was to hitch hike from Abeche to Iriba and then cross into Western Darfur. The missionaries that were supposed to host us though found out that we had shipped Bibles and tracts and told us not to come. We later found out that these “missionaries” who were supposed to host us were part of the “Insider Movement.” That would explain a lot. Are you aware that there are Christian missionaries who are telling the Muslims they work with they can become a follower of Jesus yet remain a Muslim? Absolute heresy if you ask me. Not only that, but they are producing idiomatic translations of the Bible by taking out things that would offend a Muslim and adding in words from the Quran to make the Gospel more palatable!

“Shame upon us missionaries if we are to be outdone by slave traders. Can the love of Christ not carry the missionary where the slave trade carries the trader?” Dr. David Livingstone

The effect this has had on the Chadian Church over the past few years has been devastating. Chad is a very large country, yet there are only 125 known Muslim Background Believers who have converted from Islam to Christianity. The devastating effects of the “Insider Movement” have been seen in other countries too. I am glad the Apostle Paul did not tell the Corinthians to go ahead and still sleep with the prostitutes of Aphrodite. Elisha didn’t tell the Baal worshippers they were worshipping the same God, just using a different name for him. And oh, how easy it would be for Daniel to bow his knee but turn his head from the idol.

Defeat and Retreat
Proponents of the “Insider Movement” are really propagating a defeat and retreat mentality amongst the local church in North Africa and the Middle East. We are losing ground in Central Africa due in large part to this strategy. When Christ is not exalted, and Muslims are not told they need to make a clean break with Islam, it’s not very hard to see why we are losing ground.

“For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of this world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.” 2 Corinthians 10:3-5

After our meeting with leaders from the Chadian Church, we had to alter our plans to get to the border just slightly since we were no longer welcome in the town we had planned to cross the border from. Just the day before, we had made contact with one of the Pastors from our meeting who was leading a church on the border town of Adre (approximately 6.5 hours by vehicle). We hired a vehicle and off we went.

Upon arriving, we got our bearings and met with a group of Darfuri refugees literally within 50 yards of the Western Darfur border. We engaged them with some Bible storytelling and explained a little more about our work with the Nuba people on the other side of Sudan (see pictures above). As we spoke, the crowd gathered until there were almost 50 men around John (my partner) and I. The translator and I took turns sharing with them. Amidst the opposition we had faced, we came to realize that God’s timing is perfect and if He wants to honor prayers or have something happen, it will. After a while, the men we were speaking with motioned behind us, and though I was anticipating the worst, Praise God it was not the authorities but a group of women that had come to listen at a safe distance just behind us under some trees.

We shared many different Bible stories. The crowd favorites were without a doubt the Prodigal Son and the story of Daniel. We are extremely grateful to God’s Story for supplying us with Solar Powered Bibles in the Fur language, which we were able to distribute to the sheik and imam in this particular tribe.

"I am a missionary, heart and soul. God had an only Son, and He was a Missionary and a Physician. A poor, poor imitation of Him I am, or wish to be. In His service I hope to live; in it I wish to die." Dr. David Livingstone

Ben Cohen
Email: ben@bcaa.us

Please continue to keep Sudan, the Nuba Mountains, South Sudan, Dafur and Chad in your prayers.

For the history and background of this colossal conflict, read Faith Under Fire in Sudan and view Sudan the Hidden Holocaust, Terrorism and Persecution DVD.

 

See also:

Abductions and Taxes Amongst Famine and Civil War in South Sudan

Civil War in South Sudan

Genocide in the Nuba Mountains of Sudan

  
Frontline Fellowship
P.O. Box 74 Newlands 7725
Cape Town South Africa
Tel: 021-689-4480
Email:  mission@frontline.org.za

To view the PDF of this article with pictures CLICK HERE

The enemy tactics of confuse, divide and conquer have created havoc in newly independent South Sudan. 9 July, marked the 5th anniversary of the Independence of South Sudan, yet there was little to celebrate as intertribal violence has continued to rage between the Nuer followers of Riek Machar and the government of South Sudan under President Salva Kiir. During the long war, Riek Machar and his forces served as surrogates for the Arab government of Sudan, who armed and aided them while they waged scorched earth campaigns against the neighbouring Dinka tribe, destroying vast amounts of cattle and looting livestock.

​Corruption Leads to Conflict
After the first year of Independence, President Salva Kiir reported that over US $5 Billion was missing from the public treasury - looted through corruption! Suspicion immediately fell upon his vice president, Riek Machar and barely two years after Independence, the vice president and most of the cabinet, were fired. This immediately led to violence between the Dinka and Nuer elements of the Presidential Guard. The violence soon spilled over into ethnic cleansing and full-scale tribal war between the Nuer and Dinka. 
Attempts at Peace Settlements Undermined
The churches of South Sudan have tried to bring about negotiations, reconciliation and numerous cease-fires have been declared. Unfortunately, these have invariably been violated and fighting continues.
Disastrous Consequences of Secularism
During this disastrous descent into civil war, the Arab government of Sudan have seized control of many of the oil fields close to the Northern border of South Sudan. Ministers in South Sudan express their frustration to us. At independence, ex-US president Jimmy Carter persuaded President Salva Kiir to appoint Riek Machar vice president. The new South Sudan government was also persuaded by Carter to declare themselves a secular state, to not have any prayer at parliament and to adopt the secular textbooks provided by UNICEF for their schools.
“Unless the Lord builds the house, they labour in vain who build it; unless the Lord guards the city, the watchman stays awake in vain.” Psalm 127:1 
Freedom Betrayed
After all the sacrifices of so many Christians to achieve the freedom and Independence of South Sudan, many feel betrayed by the secular humanism of the new nation and the devious and destructive counsel given by Jimmy Carter.
“Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the Word of the Lord may run swiftly and be glorified, just as it is with you, and that we may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men; for not all have Faith.” 2 Thessalonians 3:1-2

Peter Hammond
Frontline Fellowship
P.O. Box 74 Newlands 7725
Cape Town South Africa
Tel: 021-689-4480
Email: mission@frontline.org.za

​Cush
To the Egyptians, Sudan was known as the land of Cush: the source of ivory, incense, ebony, gold and slaves. Sudan was subjected to numerous Egyptian trading and raiding forays until the 8th century BC. Then Cush grew to be a great power, and under their King Piankhi the Cushites conquered Egypt in 712BC. The Assyrians later invaded and seized Egypt from Cushite control in 671BC.
 
Meroe
The influences of Egypt, Greece, Rome and India are evident in the temples, tombs and pyramids built in Northern Sudan. The cursive Meroetic script of the Cushite kingdom still remains undeciphered and so most of its history remains mysterious.

​Axum
In 23BC an invasion force of Romans - 800 cavalry and 10,000 infantry - swept into Sudan, sacked the capital Napata and annexed a large part of Nubia. The Romans withdrew in 297AD. Then the Christian Axumite kingdom of Ethiopia invaded and ensured the fall of the ailing Meroe kingdom. Over the next centuries the three kingdoms of Northern Sudan were converted to Christianity. Their united efforts blunted the first wave of Muslim invaders in the 7th century. Subsequent Islamic efforts to conquer or convert the Nubian Christian kingdoms failed.
 
Ottoman Turks
It was only in the 13th century that internal Christian squabbling and massive Arab immigration brought about the demise of Christianity and the rise of Islam in Northern Sudan. The Ottoman Turkish influence increased from the 16th century on.
 
Mamluk Invasion
At the beginning of the 19th century the Ottoman ruler of Egypt, Mohammed Ali, launched a series of attacks on Sudan. Mohammed Ali was a ruthless and power hungry army officer who had gained control of Egypt with the help of the Mamluks, a mercenary military class who were originally Turkish slaves. Later when the Mamluk leaders posed a threat to Mohammed's power he eliminated them all by massacring them at a banquet he had called in their honour.
 
Egyptian Control
Mohammed's 25-year-old son, Ismail, was sent off with 10,000 men to raid Sudan. Ismail's troops were promised 50 cents for every human ear they brought back. 3,000 ears and 30,000 slaves were sent back to Cairo on the first caravan (although only half of the slaves survived the journey). The Sudanese then counter-attacked, and Ismail died a fiery death in his own tent. Mohammed retaliated with more invasions, and by 1823 over 50,000 Sudanese had been killed. Sudan was now firmly under Egyptian control.
 
General Gordon
With the building of the Suez canal and Egyptian bankruptcy, Britain became the dominant power in both Egypt and Sudan. In 1873 the Christian General, Charles Gordon, was appointed governor - first of Equatoria province, then in 1877 of all of Sudan. General Gordon's campaign to stamp out the Islamic slave trade created a crisis. The Muslim community was enraged and declared that "the suppression of slavery was against the principles and traditions of Islam". Open rebellion erupted.
 
The Mahdi
A local Muslim leader, Mohammed Ahmad, declared himself "Mahdi" (a military messiah selected by Allah to lead a "Jihad" or holy war). The Mahdiyya Movement which resulted has continued to influence Islamic politics in Sudan to this day. The Mahdi besieged Kordofan and starved the inhabitants into submission. His forces then rampaged throughout Sudan. General Gordon made a courageous stand against all odds in Khartoum, which ultimately fell in 1885. The forces of the Mahdi were finally destroyed at the battle of Omdurman in 1898 and Sudan entered an almost 60-year period of peace where slavery was effectively suppressed.
 
Civil War
Along with independence in 1956, Sudan erupted into civil war - between the Arab North and the Black South. Military coups in the Muslim North in 1958 and 1969 only intensified the war. Then in 1972 the Addis Ababa Agreement temporarily ended the war by granting the South autonomy and religious freedom.
 
Shari'a
This uneasy peace was shattered in September 1983 with the dictator Col. Nimeiri's declaration of "Sharia" (Islamic law). Khartoum's liquor stocks were thrown into the Nile causing considerable pollution and the inebriation of many fish.
 
SPLA
John Garang (a graduate of Iowa State University) and a member of the Dinka tribe, then reactivated the Sudanese People Liberation Army (SPLA). Within 2 years the SPLA had 25 000 armed soldiers under its command. Their spectacular victories led to the Muslim military coups in 1985 and 1989, when the successive disgraced dictators were replaced by other frustrated Muslim leaders. By 2001 over 90% of Southern Sudan had been liberated by the SPLA rebels.
 
Division
In the early 1990's however, the rebels' position was substantially weakened by tribal infighting. The Muslim dictator, Lt. Gen. Omar Al-Bashir of the National Islamic Front (NIF), then took advantage of these divisions by launching a series of dry season offensives from 1992 onward.
 
Independence
These offensives have gained temporary ground (mainly towns) which inevitably are cut off and besieged by the rebels during the rainy season. South Sudan is now, since 2011, an independent state and remains as the oldest Christian community in Africa, a bulwark against the Southward advance of radical Islam. It is on the very frontline of the fight for faith and freedom.
 
Dr. Peter Hammond
Frontline Fellowship
P.O. Box 74 Newlands 7725
Cape Town South Africa
Tel: 021-689-4480
Email:  mission@frontline.org.za

​The first Sudanese to be converted to Christ was the treasurer of Queen Candace in AD 37 (Acts 8:26-40).
 
Meroe
During the 3rd Century many Egyptian Christians fled to Sudan during the persecutions of the Roman emperors Decius (AD 250) and Diocletian (AD 297). A strong Christian community was flourishing in Philae from at least AD 350. Crosses and other Christian objects have been found in the royal tombs of Meroe dating back to the 5th Century.

​Nubia, Makuria and Alwa
Following the collapse of the Kingdom of Meroe (in about AD 350) three smaller Kingdoms were established - Nubia, Makuria and Alwa. The middle kingdom of Makuria was converted after the missionary work of Julian. One early writer described the conversion of the Nubian king, Bahriya, as the key event: "When Bahriya was converted to the religion of Christ, all the Blacks of Nubia followed him, and he built for them churches throughout the land of Nubia and many monasteries which are still flourishing."
 
Flourishing Faith
By AD 580 Christianity had become the official religion of the kingdom of Nubia. Many thousands became monks. Archaeologists have unearthed over a hundred churches dating back to this period in Nubia. Many of these churches have elaborate paintings on the walls.
 
Islamic offensives Repulsed
After the death of Muhammad in AD 632 the peaceful growth of the Churches in the Nile valley was shattered. Arab armies rapidly spread out throughout the Middle East. Egypt was conquered in AD 642. The Islamic armies then launched an attack on Nubia in AD 643. The Nubians steadfastly resisted and threw back the invaders. Again in AD 652 a Muslim military expedition sought to conquer Nubia. Again they were defeated by the Nubians. After their military failures the Muslims entered into an agreement called the Baqtwhich established peaceful relations and trade between Muslim Egypt and Christian Nubia. The peace lasted almost 600 years until about AD 1250.
 
The Triumph of the Cross
From AD 900 to 1200 Nubia enjoyed a golden age of peace, prosperity and Church growth. One of the popular hymns still sung today was composed at that time:
"The Cross is the hope of the Christians;
The Cross is the resurrection of the dead;
The Cross is the path of them who wandered;
The Cross is the guidance of the blind,
The Cross is the staff of the lame;
The Cross is the nurse of the suckling;
The Cross is what strengthens the feeble;
The Cross is the physician of the sick;
The Cross is the perfection of the priests."
 
Islamic Threat Intensifies
In AD 1172 the Fatimid rulers in Egypt (who upheld the Baqt agreement) were overthrown by Saladin. Then in 1260 another revolution in Egypt brought the Mamelukes to power. The Mamelukes then waged a series of wars against the Nubians. Towns were burnt and confusion spread. Gradually the weakened kingdom fell into chaos and under the control of the Mamelukes. The kingdom of Dotawo started to break up over the next 150 years. The last Christian king, Joel, fell in 1484.
 
Alwa Isolated
The southernmost Christian kingdom of Alwa survived successive attacks in the 14th and 15th centuries. In 1450 a missionary to Ethiopia wrote this about Nubia: "The people are neither Christians, Muslims or, Jews, but they live in the desire of being Christians."The recorded history indicates that very few Nubians converted to Islam. Christianity began to die out because of internal weaknesses in the Churches and not because of the external attacks of Islam.
 
A Cry for Help
The missionary Avares wrote of Sudanese who came to Ethiopia from Alwa: "While we were in (Ethiopia) there came six men from (Alwa) as Ambassadors to the King, begging him to send them ministers and monks to teach them. He did not choose to send them."This was the last we heard of the Church in Northern Sudan. An island of Christianity in a sea of Islam, isolated and cut off - they appealed to their Christian neighbours in Ethiopia. Tragically, this help was refused.
 
Catholic Missions to Sudan
By the 1600's word reached Rome of groups of Christians surviving South of the Sahara. The pope set up the "Mission of Upper Egypt-Funji-Ethiopia" and several missions (in 1698, 1705 and 1711) were sent up the Nile to make contact with the believers. The final attempt in 1794 ended with Father Ballerini being murdered in Nubia. From 1849 the Catholics established a string of mission stations - in Khartoum, Yondokoro, Kanisa, Kakor and elsewhere. Forty-six missionaries died of disease in the first few years. In 1862 alone, 22 missionaries died. Finally all the mission stations were abandoned and the survivors returned to Europe. A new Catholic attempt to reach Sudan was launched in 1873 with schools and farms as the priority. This strategy succeeded and today almost half of those who claim to be Christians in Sudan are Catholics.
 
Protestant Missions
In 1885 after the fall of Khartoum and the beheading of General Gordon, the Church Missionary Society raised funds for a mission to Sudan in honour of General Gordon's pioneer work and witness. They were followed by the United Presbyterian Church of America and later the Sudan Interior Mission and Africa Inland Mission. Hospitals and schools became the focal points of the new Protestant missions.
 
Revivals and Bible Translations
Revivals broke out in Yambio and Mundri County in 1938. Bible translations into Bari, Zande, Moru, Acholi, Dinka and Nuer continued from the 1930's to the 1970's and to this day. So far, 11 languages have full Bibles, 23 have only New Testaments and 35 have only portions of the Bible translated.
 
Islamisation
In 1957 the Muslim government seized control of all the mission schools. In 1960 Sunday was replaced by Friday as the day of rest. Those who protested were imprisoned for years. Khalwas (Islamic schools) were built throughout the South. Their ruins are still a reminder of how much they were resented. In 1962 The Missionary Societies Act attempted to restrict missionary work by forbidding evangelism of those under 18 years old. In 1964 all missionaries were expelled and persecution intensified.
 
Resistance and Growth
Yet the Church has increased tenfold over the last 40 years. Today the steadfast and resilient Christian Church in South Sudan is one of the fastest growing in the world.
 
Dr. Peter Hammond
Frontline Fellowship
P.O. Box 74 Newlands 7725
Cape Town South Africa
Tel: 021-689-4480
Email:  mission@frontline.org.za

​"Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make straight your paths. Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in your power to do it." Proverbs 3:5-6, 27
​
Mission Overview
We have been in the field for 5 months and are now in our 6th month of ministry on this Africa Overland Mission. We have completed our ministry in South Sudan. We have travelled more than 20,000km and have had many great opportunities to minister to soldiers who protect South Sudan's northern borders, train and equip army chaplains, and conduct seminars with pastors, Evangelists, and lay leaders. We have conducted a total of 335 services, outreaches and other meetings so far, of which 150 were in South Sudan.

​Border Crossing
We had a very interesting border crossing as we crossed into South Sudan. The first thing which becomes very obvious is the fact that everybody drives on the wrong side of the road - they drive on the right-hand side of the road in South Sudan! Secondly, the customs officials were the most thorough that I have ever witnessed in all my travels in Africa. They off-loaded and opened almost every single box, trunk, and bag that we had in our rig. They wanted to see every book, CD, and DVD - even going to the extent of inserting the discs into their computers to investigate the content. After the Customs officials were satisfied that we were not carrying any contraband, the officer in charge of the border post came out and insisted that we be allowed to proceed without any further delays or inconveniences, because "you can see that they are Christian missionaries." He pointed to the Christian flag that we had mounted on the front of our vehicle. We were congratulated for the work that we were doing as missionaries. All taxes were waivered and we were sent on our way with their blessing.
Praise God
God has been very good to us so far. Thank you for your fervent prayers for us. God has taken us through some very scary situations, tough challenges, severe breakdowns, and He has given us multiplied effective ministry opportunities.
Desperate Prayer Request
Our last update to you ended with us urging you to pray for our protection, as we were about to travel through some pretty dangerous areas. Now that we have travelled through these treacherous gauntlets I can, with gratitude, report on how God has answered your fervent prayers.
The Treacherous Gauntlet
Our research had informed us that we were on the verge of entering a very dangerous leg of our journey and that is why we had requested your urgent prayers. Whilst in Lokichogio our concerns were confirmed as local missionaries told us of the terror that lay ahead of us.
Dangerous Area ONE
There were three particularly dangerous areas through which we would need to drive. The first was a 45km section of very rough road still inside Kenya between Lokichogio and the border town of Nadapal. This is an area where bandits take advantage of slow-moving vehicles, shooting at and robbing the occupants.
Armed Escorts
We were strongly advised to take armed escorts with us in the vehicle as we travelled from Lokichogio to Nadapal, which we did. As we drove slowly over the bumpy road our armed escorts with their automatic rifles loaded and ready, their alert eyes searching the shrubbery told us how bad the problem actually was. "Yesterday someone was killed over there" one of them said. "Do you see those ditches there? That's where they normally lie in ambush" said the other "I have seen many dead people here". Broken windshield glass and debris lay on the ground as testimony to the terror of which we were told. We were glad to have the armed guards with us and were somewhat relieved when we arrived without incident at the border post of Nadapal.
Dangerous Area TWO
The second area we were warned about was an area in South Sudan between Kapoeta and Torit called 'Camp 15'. This is an area where armed rebels led by a man called Yau Yau, from the Murle tribe, have recently been causing havoc. The SPLA soldiers have been trying to drive them northwards towards Ethiopia. We were warned emphatically of the dangers of this area.
Breakdown in the 'Red' Zone
After entering into South Sudan we had two punctures before we reached Kapoeta. After having our tyres repaired in Kapoeta we cautiously proceeded towards the notorious 'Camp 15'. After sunset while it was still dusk, as we approached 'Camp 15' I started hearing a scratching noise coming from one of the rear wheels. Surrounded by drunks and suspicious-looking locals, armed with AK-47s, I stopped to inspect the noise at a nearby village (which turned out to be 'Camp 15'). We soon attracted a crowd of inquisitive on-lookers who were giving us the 'stare', so I decided to proceed to a safer area even though my inspection had informed me that the trailer's wheel-bearing had disintegrated. We drove on slowly, nursing the increasingly noisy bearing, for another 30km until we found a safer place to stop for the night and erect our tents.

​Searching for Spares
It took us more than four days to repair the damage caused by the inferior bearing. A replacement axle had to be purchased - and there was none to be found in the 'red' zone. I searched through Torit and Juba for three days before I found a suitable (but ruthlessly over-priced) axle. Then I still had to modify the wheel-nuts and acquire all the necessary fittings. All this time, Daniel was left alone looking after our trailer in the 'red' zone and I was anxious to get him out of there.
Dodging Bullets
When we finally got back to the trailer after sunset, I was relieved to find that all was still OK. We started immediately to change the axles. There were some drunken men arguing with each other nearby as we worked. Most men in this area carry an automatic rifle and these men were no exception. Whilst we were hurriedly trying to complete the repair work, these drunkards started shooting at each other! Some of the bullets came real close to us as we heard them striking tin cans nearby. We quickly took cover behind the vehicle until things quieted down and then cautiously came out from our cover and completed the repairs as fast as we could. We breathed a sigh of relief and gave thanks to God as we drove out from there, heading towards Torit just before 22h00.
Dangerous Area THREE
The third area we were warned about was on the last stretch between Juba and Torit. This is an area where bandits and robbers stop vehicles by shooting at them and then rob the occupants. There were reports that within the previous three weeks 19 people had been killed by bandits on this road alone.
Incidentally, in order to obtain spares from Juba, we had to drive through this area two times before finally crossing in again the third time towing our trailer.
Almost Targeted
As we cautiously drove through this 'ambush alley', we saw evidences of other vehicles that had been recently shot-up and still lay derelict in the middle of the road. Soon after a mini-bus (which was approaching from the opposite direction) had passed us, we heard gunfire and as I looked in my rear-view mirror, I could see that the mini-bus had been stopped and the passengers were franticly disembarking from the vehicle. We gave thanks to God as we realised that we had passed through that ambush unharmed!
Juba at Last!
We were very happy to have arrived in Juba and our anxious host was just as happy to receive us. We had the privilege of conducting a two-day Great Commission Seminar where almost 200 people attended.
Moru Printing Project
We headed for Yei where we met with the diligent staff of Sudan Literature Centre and discussed the progress of new Moru Hymn Book which Frontline Fellowship is in the process of printing as a gift to Moruland. We were very happy to see some progress, but much more needs to be done before it is ready to print. The only Moru Hymn Book in the area are the very well worn copies from the edition Dr. Peter Hammond delivered to the Churches in Equatoria in 1996.
Rough Roads
The roads in South Sudan are mostly very rough with potholes often so large that huge trucks and lorries get stuck in them. On our way to Rumbek, we encountered some severe mechanical failures that forced us to turn back to Mundri in order to take dominion over these problems and start the repair process.
Repairs and Opportunities
The trailer's chassis was cracked right through in two places and the vehicle's prop-shaft centre-bearing (carrier-bearing) was on its way out and was starting to make a terrible noise. This forced us to return to Juba to have the necessary repairs done. Once again, Daniel stayed with the trailer and had a very effective time of ministry at various schools and a Bible college in Mundri while Renee and I were away in Juba forcing our way to the top of these mechanical challenges that were trying to bog us down.
Financial Aid
As you can imagine, these numerous, unexpected mechanical challenges cost us a lot more than we had initially budgeted for and were threatening to cut our Mission short in South Sudan, because our limited financial resources were almost depleted. God graciously supplied our need through the hands of generous sponsors who deposited funds into our bank account and we were able to do the necessary repairs and continue on our Mission as planned.
Military Mission
We were very blessed to have been able to conduct Chaplains Training for more than 40 SPLA Chaplains in the Division HQ. Some of the Chaplains who participated were those who had been trained by Dr. Peter Hammond in 1996, and they still had their Chaplains Handbooks and Chaplains Prayerbooks! We also had the privilege of preaching to the entire Division at the general parade. This was certainly the highlight of our time in South Sudan.
Newest Country in Africa
South Sudan is the newest country in the world and we were privileged to be able to celebrate Independence Day here with the South Sudanese people as they celebrated their second year of freedom from the Arab North.
State of Insecurity
South Sudan has 10 states of which 9 have insecurity issues; Only Western Equatoria is considered to be without security problems. We have conducted ministry in states of Eastern Equatoria, Central Equatoria, Lakes, Western Bahr el Ghazal, and Western Equatoria. We praise God for protecting us as we travelled through this country in turmoil.
Military Ministry
One of the many highlights of this Mission has been the great opportunity that we have had to minister to the soldiers, officers, and chaplains of the South Sudan Military. This was obviously one of the main focuses and goals of this Africa Overland Mission. We have been delighted to distribute Bibles, Leadership books, Discipleship books, Gospel literature, screen the Jesus film, and conduct Great Commission Seminars among the soldiers and chaplains at 5 military bases.
Seeds Bearing Fruit
One of the chaplains that had arranged our ministry among the soldiers at the brigade headquarters at the frontline, was one of the first four chaplains that had been trained by Frontline Fellowship during the war, in 1996. He is most certainly a dynamic and productive man who has made a great impact for the Kingdom of God in the area where he is responsible. He has planted 6 churches and has trained many others to preach the Gospel and has sent them out as evangelists in the frontline. It was good to see the fruit of the work that had begun 17 years ago.
Fertile Western Equatoria
Driving through the lush rainforests of Western Equatoria was indeed a magnificently exhilarating experience. Even though South Sudan has not received much rainfall this rainy season, the extravagant green growth is brilliantly obvious which makes this former fact hard to believe. This state is certainly a fertile land, but in more ways than just one. The rich vegetation which envelops the churches and parishes seems to be a relative indication as to the spiritual hunger and fervour which the Christians of Western Equatoria have.
Productive Ministry Opportunities
We have been privileged to have conducted effective ministry in schools, churches, military barracks, on radio, and productive Great Commission Seminars, in Yambio, Maridi, Farakasika, Bahr Olo, Mundri, and Lui. The seminars were lavishly well attended, the church services were abundantly packed, and the schools were eagerly excited and desperately attentive, as we shared with them. These folk of Western Equatoria certainly have an appetite for the things of God.
Thank You
Thank you to each and every one of you who remember to pray for us and who contribute of your limited and valuable financial resources to make our Mission possible. We would not be able to do this without generous supporters like you who give of your time and money.

May God continue to be your joy and strength.

In His service - and loving it!

Michael and Renee Watson
​
Frontline Fellowship
P.O. Box 74 Newlands 7725
Cape Town South Africa
Office: +27-21-689-4480
Email:  mission@frontline.org.za

​Mission Overview
We have been in the field for 5 months and are now in our 6th month of ministry on this Africa Overland Mission. We have wrapped up our ministry in South Sudan and are now ministering in Uganda which is the 6th country out of the 11, which we plan to visit. We have travelled more than 20,000km and have had many great opportunities to minister to soldiers who protect South Sudan's northern borders, train and equip army chaplains, and conduct seminars with pastors, Evangelists, and lay leaders. We have conducted a total of 335 services, outreaches and other meetings of which 150 were in South Sudan.
​
Bumpy Start in South Sudan
As we entered into South Sudan two months ago, we encountered excessive mechanical complications which slowed us down considerably. Nevertheless, we have been able to make up for lost time and had an effective and busy time of ministry accomplishing all but one of our planned objectives.

Newest Country in Africa
South Sudan is the newest country in the world and we were privileged to be able to celebrate Independence Day here with the South Sudanese people as they celebrated their second year of freedom from the Arab North.

State of Insecurity
South Sudan has 10 states of which 9 have insecurity issues; Only Western Equatoria is considered to be without security problems. We have conducted ministry in states of Eastern Equatoria, Central Equatoria, Lakes, Western Bahr el Ghazal, and Western Equatoria. We praise God for protecting us as we travelled through this country in turmoil.

Military Ministry
One of the many highlights of this Mission has been the great opportunity that we have had to minister to the soldiers, officers, and chaplains of the South Sudan Military. This was obviously one of the main focuses and goals of this Africa Overland Mission. We have been delighted to distribute Bibles, Leadership books, Discipleship books, Gospel literature, screen the Jesus film, and conduct Great Commission Seminars among the soldiers and chaplains at 5 military bases.

Seeds Bearing Fruit
One of the chaplains that had arranged our ministry among the soldiers at the brigade headquarters at the frontline, was one of the first four chaplains that had been trained by Frontline Fellowship during the war, in 1996. He is most certainly a dynamic and productive man who has made a great impact for the Kingdom of God in the area where he is responsible. He has planted 6 churches and has trained many others to preach the Gospel and has sent them out as evangelists in the frontline. It was good to see the fruit of the work that had begun 17 years ago.

Fertile Western Equatoria
Driving through the lush rainforests of Western Equatoria was indeed a magnificently exhilarating experience. Even though South Sudan has not received much rainfall this rainy season, the extravagant green growth is brilliantly obvious which makes this former fact hard to believe. This state is certainly a fertile land, but in more ways than just one. The rich vegetation which envelops the churches and parishes seems to be a relative indication as to the spiritual hunger and fervour which the Christians of Western Equatoria have.

Productive Ministry Opportunities
We have been privileged to have conducted effective ministry in schools, churches, military barracks, on radio, and productive Great Commission Seminars, in Yambio, Maridi, Farakasika, Bahr Olo, Mundri, and Lui. The seminars were lavishly well attended, the church services were abundantly packed, and the schools were eagerly excited and desperately attentive, as we shared with them. These folk of Western Equatoria certainly have an appetite for the things of God.

Daniel
We have been privileged to have had Daniel, who served with Frontline Fellowship in 2011 on a previous Africa Overland Mission, join us for these past two-and-a-half months. We were also somewhat sad to see him go back to the USA to continue with his studies. Daniel is an energetic young man with a passion for Missions and a fire burning in him for the Kingdom of God. He has been a great help to us and has been effective in the ministry and in assisting with many of the practical chores that life on the road demands. We will definitely miss him and we pray that God will bless his studies at college, use him wherever he goes, and bring him back to Africa in the near future.

Grateful Appreciation
Thank you very much to all of our supporters who have contributed financially to make this Mission a success. We desperately appreciate your generous support and continually covet your persistent prayers for us.

Please visit our Facebook page to see pictures of the Africa Overland Mission: Watson's Missions

In His service - and loving it!

An unworthy servant,

Michael Watson

Frontline Fellowship
P.O. Box 74 Newlands 7725
Cape Town South Africa
Office: +27-21-689-4480
Email: mike@frontline.org.za
Email:  mission@frontline.org.za

​Mission Overview
We are now into our 5th month of ministry on this Africa Overland Mission and we are currently ministering in South Sudan which is the 5th country out of the eleven which we plan to minister in. We have already travelled more than 17,500km and have had to wade through an obstacle course of challenges. We have conducted a total of 210 meetings in Mozambique, Malawi, Tanzania, Kenya and South Sudan.
​
Border Crossing
We had a very interesting border crossing as we crossed into South Sudan. The first thing which becomes very obvious is the fact that everybody drives on the wrong side of the road - they drive on the right-hand side of the road in South Sudan! Secondly, the customs officials were the most thorough that I have ever witnessed in all my travels in Africa. They off-loaded and opened almost every single box, trunk, and bag that we had in our rig. They wanted to see every book, CD, and DVD - even going to the extent of inserting the discs into their computers to investigate the content. After the Customs officials were satisfied that we were not carrying any contraband, the officer in charge of the border post came out and insisted that we be allowed to proceed without any further delays or inconveniences, because "you can see that they are Christian missionaries." He pointed to the Christian flag that we had mounted on the front of our vehicle. We were congratulated for the work that we were doing as missionaries. All taxes were waivered and we were sent on our way with their blessing.

Praise God
God has been very good to us so far. Thank you for your fervent prayers for us. God has taken us through some very scary situations, tough challenges, severe breakdowns, and He has given us multiplied effective ministry opportunities.

Desperate Prayer Request
Our last update to you ended with us urging you to pray for our protection, as we were about to travel through some pretty dangerous areas. Now that we have travelled through these treacherous gauntlets I can, with gratitude, report on how God has answered your fervent prayers.

Wrapping up in Kenya
In Turkana we were able to screen the Jesus film four times and we conducted eleven meetings including a Great Commission Seminar and four outreaches.

The Treacherous Gauntlet
Our research had informed us that we were on the verge of entering a very dangerous leg of our journey and that is why we had requested your urgent prayers. Whilst in Lokichogio our fears were confirmed as local missionaries told us of the terror that lay ahead of us.

Dangerous Area ONE
There were three particularly dangerous areas through which we would need to drive. The first was a 45km section of very rough road still inside Kenya between Lokichogio and the border town of Nadapal. This is an area where bandits take advantage of slow-moving vehicles, shooting at and robbing the occupants.

Armed Escorts
We were strongly advised to take armed escorts with us in the vehicle as we travelled from Lokichogio to Nadapal, which we did. As we drove slowly over the bumpy road our armed escorts with their automatic rifles loaded and ready, their alert eyes searching the shrubbery told us how bad the problem actually was. "Yesterday someone was killed over there" one of them said. "Do you see those ditches there? That's where they normally lie in ambush" said the other "I have seen many dead people here". Broken windshield glass and debris lay on the ground as testimony to the terror of which we were told. We were glad to have the armed guards with us and were somewhat relieved when we arrived without incident at the border post of Nadapal.

Dangerous Area TWO
The second area we were warned about was an area in South Sudan between Kapoeta and Torit called 'Camp 15'. This is an area where armed rebels led by a man called Yau Yau, from the Murle tribe, have recently been causing havoc. The SPLA soldiers have been trying to drive them northwards towards Ethiopia. We were warned emphatically of the dangers of this area.

Breakdown in the 'Red' Zone
After entering into South Sudan we had two punctures before we reached Kapoeta. After having our tyres repaired in Kapoeta we cautiously proceeded towards the notorious 'Camp 15'. After sunset while it was still dusk, as we approached 'Camp 15' I started hearing a scratching noise coming from one of the rear wheels. Surrounded by drunks and suspicious-looking locals, armed with AK-47s, I stopped to inspect the noise at a nearby village (which turned out to be 'Camp 15'). We soon attracted a crowd of inquisitive on-lookers who were giving us the 'stare', so I decided to proceed to a safer area even though my inspection had informed me that the trailer's wheel-bearing had disintegrated. We drove on slowly, nursing the increasingly noisy bearing, for another 30km until we found a safer place to stop for the night and erect our tents.

Searching for Spares
It took us more than four days to repair the damage caused by the inferior bearing. A replacement axle had to be purchased - and there was none to be found in the 'red' zone. I searched through Torit and Juba for three days before I found a suitable (but ruthlessly over-priced) axle. Then I still had to modify the wheel-nuts and acquire all the necessary fittings. All this time, Daniel was left alone looking after our trailer in the 'red' zone and I was anxious to get him out of there.

Dodging Bullets
When we finally got back to the trailer after sunset, I was relieved to find that all was still OK. We started immediately to change the axles. There were some drunken men arguing with each other nearby as we worked. Most men in this area carry an automatic rifle and these men were no exception. Whilst we were hurriedly trying to complete the repair work, these drunkards started shooting at each other! Some of the bullets came real close to us as we heard them striking tin cans nearby. We quickly took cover behind the vehicle until things quieted down and then cautiously came out from our cover and completed the repairs as fast as we could. We breathed a sigh of relief and gave thanks to God as we drove out from there, heading towards Torit just before 22h00.

Dangerous Area THREE
The third area we were warned about was on the last stretch between Juba and Torit. This is an area where bandits and robbers stop vehicles by shooting at them and then rob the occupants. There were reports that within the previous three weeks 19 people had been killed by bandits on this road alone.

Incidentally, in order to obtain spares from Juba, we had to drive through this area two times before finally crossing in again the third time towing our trailer.

Almost Targeted
As we cautiously drove through this 'ambush alley', we saw evidences of other vehicles that had been recently shot-up and still lay derelict in the middle of the road. Soon after a mini-bus (which was approaching from the opposite direction) had passed us, we heard gunfire and as I looked in my rear-view mirror, I could see that the mini-bus had been stopped and the passengers were franticly disembarking from the vehicle. We gave thanks to God as we realised that we had passed through that ambush unharmed!

Juba at Last!
We were very happy to have arrived in Juba and our anxious host was just as happy to receive us. We had the privilege of conducting a two-day Great Commission Seminar where almost 200 people attended.

Moru Printing Project
We headed for Yei where we met with the diligent staff of Sudan Literature Centre and discussed the progress of new Moru Hymn Book which Frontline Fellowship is in the process of printing as a gift to Moruland. We were very happy to see some progress, but much more needs to be done before it is ready to print. The only Moru Hymn Book in the area are the very well worn copies from the edition Dr. Peter Hammond delivered to the Churches in Equatoria in 1996.

Rough Roads
The roads in South Sudan are mostly very rough with potholes often so large that huge trucks and lorries get stuck in them. On our way to Rumbek, we encountered some severe mechanical failures that forced us to turn back to Mundri in order to take dominion over these problems and start the repair process.

Repairs and Opportunities
The trailer's chassis was cracked right through in two places and the vehicle's prop-shaft centre-bearing (carrier-bearing) was on its way out and was starting to make a terrible noise. This forced us to return to Juba to have the necessary repairs done. Once again, Daniel stayed with the trailer and had a very effective time of ministry at various schools and a Bible college in Mundri while Renee and I were away in Juba forcing our way to the top of these mechanical challenges that were trying to bog us down.

Financial Aid
As you can imagine, these numerous, unexpected mechanical challenges cost us a lot more than we had initially budgeted for and were threatening to cut our Mission short in South Sudan, because our limited financial resources were almost depleted. God graciously supplied our need through the hands of generous sponsors who deposited funds into our bank account and we were able to do the necessary repairs and continue on our Mission as planned.

Military Mission
We were very blessed to have been able to conduct Chaplains Training for more than 40 SPLA Chaplains in the Division HQ. Some of the Chaplains who participated were those who had been trained by Dr. Peter Hammond in 1996, and they still had their Chaplains Handbooks and Chaplains Prayerbooks! We also had the privilege of preaching to the entire Division at the general parade. This was certainly the highlight of our time in South Sudan so far.

Thank You
Thank you to each and every one of you who remember to pray for us and who contribute of your limited and valuable financial resources to make our Mission possible. We would not be able to do this without generous supporters like you who give of your time and money.

The Top Team
I am also particularly grateful for my amazing Team that I have with me out here in these harsh conditions. Renee and Daniel are doing a great work and our team is functioning very effectively with each member fulfilling their role with great efficiency. Renee is, no doubt, the best team-mate that I have ever had out in the mission field, and the most beautiful! Daniel and I enjoy amazingly tasty meals that Renee is able to make from, sometimes limited, resources. Daniel is a great help in the ministry as he has such a fiery passion for the Gospel and is immensely effective in assisting us to convey the message of the Great Commission during our seminars. Please pray for us that we will continue to enjoy good health and that we may continue to work well together.

Please continue to pray for us as we go out to the frontline to minister to soldiers. We are still traveling in areas where there are many insecurity issues.

May God continue to be your joy and strength.

In His service - and loving it!

Michael and Renee Watson

Frontline Fellowship
P.O. Box 74 Newlands 7725
Cape Town South Africa
Office: +27-21-689-4480
Email: mike@frontline.org.za
Email:  mission@frontline.org.za