"Patrick with church leaders."

July 2018

© Copyright 2018


"African Bible University where Sunlight graduated from and where he recovered from his surgery." 

"Zawadi holding baby Joshua, 7 mo."


"The store room door before and after repairs."


"Penny, lf."


"15 tables were chock-a-block full of material."


"President Carol." 

SOUTH SUDAN. Background: Mator, who accompanied me to South Sudan in May/June, gives an update on building a primary school in Pinychuier Village.  Jonglei State is predominately Dinka tribe and the home of John Garang, Sudan’s hero who led the country to independence.  However, it has suffered greatly from war. We traveled to Jonglei state to evaluate the greatest needs. That trip was Phase I.

Good Morning Mama,

“I phoned the Team on the ground in South Sudan and here is the update: My nephew Jacob told me that $1 US dollar is around 250 Sudanese Pounds in the black market. I asked about the bank exchange rate and he stated it is below 250. These rates are not stable. Hopefully peace will bring stability in the market.

“Uncle Samuel in Wanglei Village said it is still raining. He will be the Project Manager on the ground and start looking for a contractor to lay the foundation.  It’s rainy season; roads are closed. So the best time to start the project is November.

“We will need the following materials: bricks, cement, timber, iron sheets, nails, etc. Uncle Samuel will check where bricks are made. He will travel to Bor town to access the market and consult a contractor. I asked if he checked Panyagoor Village which is much closer but he said they are limited in building supplies. The phone cut off with Uncle Samuel before a graceful ending. So long for now.”

Thanks, Mator,     

[Note: Mator is a former Lost Boy of Sudan, presently living in Phoenix, Arizona.]
​

Serving the Persecuted Church in Central, Eastern, and Southern Africa

USA. ORCHIDS, ROSES & DAISIES to …

  • CalvaryPHX for kicking off a vitamin drive. This is the 1st week & I just picked up the 1st bag at Manna Ministries (thx Angie & George) of life-saving multies for Adults, Children and Mommies-to-be. PTL!


  • Penny for 5 large bags of sheets and towels, rescued from her hubby’s work place. They were to be thrown away due to a stain or tear. What a waste! Our African brothers have no budget for such ‘luxuries’.


  • Stan & Andrea for supplying the airfare for my return trip to Africa. PTL for answered prayer!


  • Marie for a delicious dinner at Fellowship Square with Rosemarie & Co.  My fish was oh! So good!


  • Nate & Calvary are Maintenance Heroes, for replacing a glass door to BTM’s store room. Alas! Someone tried to break in but was unsuccessful thanks to alert Security. Now, even Superman couldn’t enter. Well done!


  • True Confessions. I saw a recipe for a ‘healthy salad’ in Guideposts. It must be good, right? Well, no one would eat it. Not even Charlie our pooch. To save face I ate the whole disgustingly healthy thing.

"Chantal picks veggies in the forest for a living."


"We only minister to traumatized people."

Bush Telegraph Missions

USA. PIECEKEEPERS did it again! This fantastic bunch of gals at Calvary make quilts, ‘little girl dresses’, etc. They keep supplies in a store room near the church kitchen. However, they’ve been blessed by so many donations that the room was bulging at the seams. President Carol & V.P. Penny had a great idea: “Let’s clean out the closet and sell our surplus.” It took several days and many hours but they did it.

Hi Gals!

“Penny & I finished the closet clean out today!  Yeah! Could you all do me a favor and bring grocery bags [to the sale]…?  I just know you’re going to buy EVERYTHING!! See you Saturday!”  

Prayer-N-Praise

Report

"Zawadi with Chantal and her children."

USA. FROM THE MAILBOX, Letter from Myra, mom to an amazing teen who tithes to missions.

Hi Bush Friends & Charlotte,

    “Enclosed … is a check which is [my daughter] Joy’s tithe to BTM…. We are enjoying the summer and having [our son] John Joseph home [from college]. He’s a life guard at the local pool and doing odd jobs around town. Joy is busy with 4-H Club; the County Fair; volunteering at Parkview Hospital; going on a retreat; camp counselor; and looking at colleges.  She just returned from a youth tour in Washington, D.C. I’m staying busy being a mom and wife.”

Many Blessings & Love, Myra 

"Our bougainvillea bush before the storm"


"Mator's Uncle Samuel in Wanglei Village will oversee the school construction."

A Hand & Foot for Jesus,

Charlotte

UGANDA, BUSIA.  Poor Mama Josephine. Some orphans have the same first name. How confusing!

Dear Bush Partners & Mama,


“About Muhammed Okuku’s receipts. I accidently got two Receipts from two different schools for the same child.  That’s because the names Muhammed Okuku and Muhammed Wabwire confused me. I went to pay fees for Muhammed Okuku at Dabani Girls Boarding School and then said the same name at Our Lady of Africa when I should have said Muhammed Wabwire. I will go back to Our Lady of Africa and have them change in records and cancel the one for Muhammed Okuku.

“About Zowena’s missing Report Cards: I have been sending them together with other students’ Report Cards. I will resend her missing Report Cards…. Zowena is completing Senior 6 this year….

“About the school stamp missing from some Receipts: they gave me some Receipts that are not stamped but now I make sure I get them stamped. Thank you for the wonderful work, prayers and support that you provide.  I pray that Almighty God blesses you abundantly according to His heavenly rewards.”

In His Love, Mama Josephine            
[Note: She also has two Jacksons, two Sharons and two Josephines. Yikes!]

KENYA, BUSIA.  Pastor Patrick is working hard to buy a plot for the church.

Dear Bush Friends & Mama,

“The church sends you thanks and greetings. As per the church land, we talked to the land owner who said that before we do an Agreement, we give him the first installment of 100,000 shillings ($997).  Then next month 50,000 for 14 month until the balance of 700,000 is over. The Land Registrar advised that the land owner should give us the Title Deed number we requested.  We then will search to confirm if he/she is the owner of that land. We were advised to make an Agreement before a lawyer. Therefore the fees are: Search = 1,000 Kenyan shillings; Lawyer = 5,000; Four Witnesses = 4,000; Survey = 10,000; Landowner = 100,000.  Total = 120,000 Kenyan shillings ($1,195).

“The Surveyor will mark the boundary between us and the neighbors.  We will be happy to get our place of worship and even build a house where I can stay with my six orphans.  God bless BTM.”

Blessings, Pastor Patrick   
​[Note: BTM will make a small one-time donation; Patrick’s church does the rest.]


"Pastor Celestin & the Guardian Angel Ministry Team."

SOUTH SUDAN.  Letters from Pastor Sunlight.

Dear Bush Friends,

“Greetings from Pastor Peter and Angaim Village.  We are grateful for your prayers. The community and the school are doing well. About 1/3 of the supplies arrived in Torit town today. Please keep Sudan in prayer as the rebels and government signed a Peace Treaty. We are so happy but continue to pray.

“I am still in training with Evangelism Explosion in Kampala, Uganda. We end July 14th.  In Angaim Village, 5 part-time teachers received 850 Sudanese pounds each ($47); while 7 full-time teachers received 1,150 pounds each ($64). The balance was used for printing Report Cards, transport and the school. The local government school teachers have not been paid since January. Out of 5 schools in Himodonge Payam, only our school, Zion Primary School, is active.  Peter also provides porridge for students. We … are thankful.”

Thankfully yours, Pastor Sunlight


[later] “We ended Evangelism Explosion workshop well and received our Certificates.  After the closing this morning, I went to the hospital for the operation.  However it was late so I was given an appointment. The surgery will be on Tuesday at 8 am.  Attached see my Certificate and Hospital Reports.”




"… whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters, you did for Me." (Matt 25:40-45).


"Grab that screamin' deal quick - before it's gone!"



"Even poor Charlie said 'NO' to my healthy salad."

​

CONGO, GOMA. Zawadi writes more about another successful ministry outreach last month.

Dear Mama Charlotte,

“Greetings in the name of Jesus! I arrived back in Goma June 28. Thank you for your prayer support. As promised attached are the Reports: we reached 106 severely malnourished orphans; and 486 widows were impacted. Their main support is making baskets. A new project for widows is learning to sew. However they only have 4 machines for 44 widows. Their biggest request is for 11 more machines so they could learn better. God blessed the ministry outreach for orphans and widows. This is ‘true religion’ [James 1: 27].”

God bless you, Zawadi for CAAP    
​[Note: a sweet Arizona widow donated towards more sewing machines.]

[Later] Hi Generous Sisters!
“Thank you all for your generosity towards Bush Telegraph. Today alone we raised $285!  Last week it was $60!  Therefore our total (without a few who still will pay) is $345!!  All from odds & ends & surplus material we had in abundance….  Please pray for the persecuted church; brothers & sisters; children in refugee camps; widows. Oh so many needs! Pray also for salvations and encouragement!”

Blessings & Love! Carol & Penny

"Chantal with two of her children who are malnourished."


"Zowena is growing up - in Senior 6 this year."

"One child sleeps outside on this bed made of stones."


 "Sunlight's back surgery was a success!"


"L-R:  Joy, John, Myra & John Jr."

“… THE RAIN FALLS on the just, the unjust – and the Missionaries?” (Matthew 5:45). Yep, that’s right. It does. It’s been one of THOSE months. First our large, beautiful bougainvillea bush blew over in the monsoon; then the car battery died; the garage door stopped opening; and my ‘flipper’ (a type of denture – don’t tell!) broke while eating a homemade chocolate-covered strawberry!  Mama Mia! But this is America, remember? So I called handyman Larry about the bush; AAA (good thing I joined last year) about the car; Sun City Garage Doors about the door; and Dr. Duncan, my dentist.  Praise God for USA services 24/7 available to solve everyday problems.

Last Month Zawadi, secretary for CAAP, our partner in Congo, told of a widow she met during the distribution.  She promised to send us her story and she did. Her name? Chantal.  I read it in tears and thought, “Poor Chantal had no one to fix her problems.  But then Chantal didn’t need the services I did: she had no home. No bougainvillea. No garage. No car. No dentist.”

Zawadi wrote, “Chantal is 38 and a widow. Her husband, Michael, was a stone digger.  He died after 3 days of a terrible headache. They had 8 children when he died. Chantal has never been to school so it’s hard to find a job to support 8 children on her own. She lives on a Christian’s property who allows her to stay there. One child sleeps outside on a bed of stones.

“Chantal supports her family by going into Virunga National Park to cut bitter leaves (a green veggie) and selling them.  One day while in Virunga National Park she was caught by 3 rebels and raped. She became pregnant and suffered infections. Five months later she was in such pain that a volunteer took her to Kyeshero Hospital. Chantal was in the hospital several months before giving birth to a baby boy. After this her womb was removed due to infection.  

“The baby boy, Joshua, born out of rape, is now 7 months. Chantal still goes to Virunga National Park to cut veggies to sell.  She has no other way to survive. She is one of the many widows who received food and supplies from BTM, CAAP and Sowers of New Hope.”


Chantal’s story makes us more thankful than ever for YOU.  We do not take YOU for granted. In fact, we just sent a special donation to help Chantal and other widows to start new businesses. One of Mother Teresa's favorite verses is: "… whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters (and widows) of mine, you did for me." (Matthew 25:40-45). Thank you for allowing BTM to be Jesus’ hands, feet, eyes, ears and mouth.


"Mohammed Okuku salutes you!"

RWANDA, KIGALI.  Pastor Celestine’s Team continues counseling during the Genocide Commemoration.

Dear Brothers & Sisters,

“Only traumatized people come to our treatment prayer rooms. The photos are of Bisesero Western Province. They show our ministry during our days of counseling. Only those who are traumatized attend the 100 days of Commemoration.  Pictured is our Trainee Team after ministering at Bisesero.”

Pastor Celestin, Director Guardian Angels

[much later, after Sunlight’s surgery]

My Dear Brothers,

“I am honored and humbled by your sacrifice. The operation was successful and I am at African Bible University resting in the dorm. Thank you so much for this support and prayers…. Today's operation was 699,000 Ugandan shillings ($190) for a small mass excision. It cost more than what I expected. Once again thanks for the support and prayers towards this surgery.”

Glory be to God, Pastor Sunlight


"We will need bricks, cement, iron sheets and other materials after the rain stops."


"Mator"