Bullets shot through the Toyota Hilux yet,God protected His servants.!!

Shalom, Brothers and Sisters in Yeshua. Thank you for your prayers and support as always. Ever since our return from South Sudan, we never cease thanking God for you and your family. My family is doing well. Some of our children are under the weather otherwise, everyone doing well.

Upon our return from the mission trip, we continue to monitor the work on the ground with our field leadership team. Overall, everything is going on well not without trial and persecution. But God is watching over his servants.

" Behold, He that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep. 5 The LORD is thy keeper: the LORD is thy shade upon thy right hand. 6 The sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night. 7 The LORD shall preserve thee from all evil: he shall preserve thy soul." `Psalms 121.

Government of South Sudan

All in all, things politically continue to be going on the right direction even though, our protection is in the hand of God and we need to keep on pressing ahead and praying for the country. US government continues to encourage South Sudan to stop the war once and for all and allow citizens to come home. They should not violate cease fire already signed. The cease fire between the government of South Sudan and the rebel groups who are in the opposition is holding up in our area and in most part of the country with exception of random incident here and there. They are behind schedule in term of implementation of the whole content of what they agreed upon which should had been implemented this past May.

So, the implementation process has been moved to November. Refugees from the camps continue to voluntarily return home. The bulk of the population is still in the camps. People are going about their business as usual. Highway is opened 24/7. Our region has been enjoying the longest stability since 2017. But there are spoilers, thugs who wants the world to believe that the country is still at war and people shouldn't think about returning home from exile. They target Juba- Nimule highway, which is the only highway that connect South Sudan's capital Juba with the rest of East Africa.

Road attack that almost claimed the life our staff - Real Persecutions, but the Lord delivers us from them all.

Proverbs 18:13 say " If one gives an answer before he hears, it is his folly and shame." I did receive a very sensitive life-threatening information from our country director on July 8 after what took place and cautioned not to write about it until now because we wanted to present all the truth what happened without implicating any one or any group in the region without a cause. I spoke with the Pageri county commissioner right after the incident and he reassured me of getting to the bottom of the incident. We waited until now after South Sudan government authority in Pageri county completed their investigation and apprehended the individuals who were involved on road attack on Operation Nehemiah's mission truck and one other vehicle on Nimule- Juba highway on July 8 and 9. Both the government and those in the opposition know the vitality of the services we are bringing to the community. In many ways, they are in support of our effort. They too were shocked to hear what took place. Several individuals were arrested and brought to justice. For us, there is not shrinking back. The field staff is resolved to keep all three compounds operational. We ask for your continuous prayers.

This very pickup is useful for the work in the farm as seen here transporting tractor's tire etc

Mr. Henry Mairi, to the front seen here gathering Sweet Potato leaves to be transported to the farm.

What took place?

On July 8, one day before South Sudan celebrated her 8th independence which felt on July 9th, our ministry came face to face with the ugly head of the enemy (Satan) trying to harm one of our staff and whoever was in that vehicle. As you know this was nothing new to us and our field staff because of the nature and the commitment of our mission to serve God people in South Sudan. Our protection comes from God not from men. We are going to places in Pageri county where not many people go because there are not services for the people in those regions whether it is church, school, medical, food or water. There are people languishing there who need help. So, on this day, after delivery of Bibles and school supplies to the village of Moli- Tokuro, one of ONMI farm staff, Mr. Henry Mairi stationed at the Beth Israel farmland was driving back to the farm bringing supplies to the staff who were living up there. He was driving ONMI's farm Pickup Toyota Hilux, the main 4x4 vehicle designated for the road condition to help our staff with much needed transportation and supplies from the border town of Nimule to two other compounds to the north of the border toward Juba.

Mr. Henry Mairi, a father of 5 seen here fueling the backhoe

Providential hand of God upon Henry Mairi and his friend

After passing Aswa bridge, a government military/police check point, and roughly 6- 7 miles up the highway, according to the report filed by our country Director, Pastor Timothy Levi, and government authority oversight, a gun man opened fires on the pickup truck on Juba-Nimule highway, aiming to kill whoever was in that vehicle. Providentially, God's protection was over Mr. Henry Mairi and the passenger who was riding with him on that day. Before the incident, as Mr. Mairi was leaving ONMI's Yerushalayim compound in Nimule town, God gave him wisdom not to pick up many people who needed a ride that afternoon. However, earlier in the morning trip, going to the school to deliver bibles and school supplies, he took so many people including the chief of the village, the schoolteacher and ONMI country director, Timothy Levi himself and it was just fine. But this time, he decided to take one person who needed a ride because God knew what lied ahead of him. This incident took place 20-25 miles away from the two compounds and 10-15 miles away from Gordon Mt compound. So the gun man jumped in front of the vehicle and opened fire. The bullets riddled the Toyota Hilux everywhere, from the windshield to the front seats, and tires flattened. The vehicle radiator was completely destroyed by the flying bullets. In the midst of this Henry kept on driving forward. As the vehicle came to a crushing halt, the gun man retreated and fled in disarray. Who could explain that one? Miraculously, the bullets did not touched Henry or the passenger who was not part of the staff. God's word stands and that is the only explanation “The one who listens to you listens to Me; and the one who rejects you rejects Me; and the one who rejects Me rejects Him [My heavenly Father] who sent Me.” The seventy returned with joy, saying, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in Your name.” 18 He said to them, “I watched Satan fall from heaven like [a flash of] lightning. Listen carefully: I have given you authority [that you now possess] to tread on serpents and scorpions, and [the ability to exercise authority] over all the power of the enemy (Satan); and nothing will [in any way] harm you. Nevertheless, do not rejoice at this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are recorded in heaven." Luke 10: 16- 20.

The Lord showed himself in this situation. The Lord put us there for a purpose, to spread the Good News and help those who are distress and suffering spiritual oppression both physically and spiritually in the hand of Satan. God has been protecting us and his people who have been involved in this ministry for all these years. Thank to your support and prayers. He will not allow one single hair of his ambassador's be lost without his approval. As Yeshua fulfilled this prophecy " The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, Because the Lord has anointed and commissioned me To bring good news to the humble and afflicted; He has sent me to bind up [the wounds of] the brokenhearted, To proclaim release [from confinement and condemnation] to the [physical and spiritual] captives And freedom to prisoners, To proclaim [a]the favorable year of the Lord, [b]And the day of vengeance and retribution of our God ..... " Isaiah 61

Please pray for the protection upon our field staff, Mission work and the country as whole. Pray that God's work will go forward and that all this incident should propel us to be faithful, bold and courageous not shrinking back. James 1.

Pray that this vehicle will be fixed with another backup pickup. Romans 8: 28

Online contribution to Operation Nehemiah can be made at www.operationsnehemiah.org. As the Lord leads. This Pickup Toyota Hilux is the main 4x4 vehicle designated for the road condition to help our staff with much needed transportation and supplies from the border town of Nimule to the two other other compounds to the north of the border toward Juba where we have at least 20 farmers working the field without transportation.

You can also send your tax deducible contribution to the address below.

In His grace

William Levi, Founder and Overseer

Operation Nehemiah Missions

PO Box 563

Lanesborough, MA 01237 USA

413-770-4711