January 2011 Update - Sudan's Referendum, Rwanda, the next few months and prayer requests.

Happy New Year!!! And what a blessed New Year this has started out to be! While the world looked towards the January Referendum with measured trepidation, bracing for the “inevitable” worst, Sudan surprised the nations – taking a road that in the past, was less traveled.

Leading up to the Referendum, thousands of Christians from all parts of the world joined together, holding Sudan up in prayer and these prayers to our faithful Father were certainly answered. By almost all accounts, the Referendum was conducted in a peaceful and mostly fair manner.

Most believe that separation will be a nearly unanimous vote. The official results are to be announced on February 14, 2011.

Officially, the CPA, Comprehensive Peace Agreement, dissolves on the 9^th of July 2011. This date signifies the end of the six year peace agreement between the mostly Arab North and Black African South. This date will mos likely be the point at which Northern/Southern boundaries, as well as resources will begin to be divided. There is much talk about this date. Please do pray…

As with the April 2010 Sudan elections, Africa Inland Mission required a pre-emptive leave throughout the Referendum, which is why I have been out of Sudan for the past month. The time away has been, to say the very least, a blessed time of refreshment!

I started the month off in Rwanda, attending AIM’s Central Region Conference; an annual get-together for all of AIM’s missionaries working in Uganda, Rwanda, Congo, Chad, South Sudan, and CAR.

I found Rwanda to be a breath-takingly beautiful country, overflowing with rolling green hills, cascading waterfalls and garbage free!!!! streets. Though the countries recent past was gruesome, to the eye of an outsider, like myself, the country seems to be slowly healing.

Conference was a perfect mix of spiritual teaching, prayer, mission business, fun and fellowship. Our speaker's message, “Wrestling with God”, fanned in me a blaze of desire for the Word, a flame that was previously waning.

Elly, Tianne, her cousin Candace, who is visiting from the States, and I were so taken with Rwanda’s wonders that we decided to stay on for a few extra days. We enjoyed a relaxing few days at Volcanoes National Park and also made time to visit the Genocide Memorial in Kigali, an eye-opening and disturbing experience….

A few days were spent in Kampala, before Elly and I bused it back to Nairobi. On January 24^th, Elly started her long journey home to the States. Elly will not be returning to Didinga next year. Rather, she will be sharing her gentle spirit with the Media Retirement Center, in Orlando, Florida – a retirement home for former AIM missionaries. She will be greatly missed up in the Hills! Please do continue to pray for Elly and her transition from African bush to Florida city life.

In a few weeks, Tianne will also be returning to the States, as she will be starting her four month Home Assignment. She is hoping to return to Didinga sometime in July.

As for me, I am planning (God willing, of course) to return to Nagishot on Thursday, Febraury 3rd. As I mentioned in November, I am postponing my Home Assignment until late April so as to not interrupt Nagishot’s first term of school.

I am really looking forward to spending the late spring and summer months with family, friends and supporters. I would love to meet up with each and every one of you, so please let me know a convenient time to see you and/or your church body.

With Love, Kim

Thank you for joining me in prayer:

• We thank God for the mighty work that He has already started in Sudan and continue to pray for peace throughout this transitional period of dividing a country and its resources.
  
• Please continue to lift the Napep church up in prayer. I hope to make the journey from Nagishot to Napep several times in the next few months. Pray that God would be at work in our relationships with Napep friends and for a clear direction when disciplining new believers.

• In late April, I will travel home to the States for my four month Home Assignment. Pray for good times with family and friends, safe travel and plenty of opportunities for sharing what God is doing in Nagishot and Napep.
  

• Pray for this next term of school, the first term of the 2011 school year. Please pray for school to start on time, for students' ears to be open to the Word of God and that as I attempt to teach my group of students and train Nagishot teachers my Didinga language would be understandable and my teaching Christ-centered.