Biblical Stewardship: not wasting resources already handed to us
Praise the Lord.
Shalom.
Thank you so much for your prayers for me and the scope of the ministry of ONMI and my family for the past one month in South Sudan. I bring greeting and appreciation from the beneficiaries of your support. Everybody was thanking you for your monetary and prayer support. You are the invisible hand of God that brings shower of blessing to your brothers and sisters in Yeshua in the spirit of brotherly love. "And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones because he is My disciple, truly I tell you, he will never lose his reward.” Matthew 10:42
Standing on the authority and promises of God.
I got back on April 17. As we all know, Covid 19 has been the dominant news of the day since 2020. It has impacted the world and the rest of our daily lives including International travels. However, I do believe God’s Mighty power and his daily attribute in our lives is the dominant news of the day in this live, in death itself and Eternity. Everything in respective to Covid 19 testing for me going to and fro was challenging all the way between airports and the countries along the path of my mission travels but all the test results for PCR from both ends were Negative. I was particularly concern about my test result leaving South Sudan via Uganda because I had interacted with over 1500 people in more than 5 places as I was called upon to preach the word to at least250- 300 people every time. Deuteronomy 31:6 “Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the Lord your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you.” I knew the Lord was with me. I had nothing to fear or dread. When you are out there feeling vulnerable and uncertain, you can count on this divine promise from God.
International travel was not all that bad. In fact, I had more empty seats on the plane to stretch out on as many as seats were empty on 8-9 hours long flight.
Covid19? What Covid 19? That is the reaction you get from people in South Sudan and Uganda.
South Sudanese and Ugandans general publics are literally done with Covid 19 with only few exceptions of restriction within places like airports. Majority of People do not longer ascribe to politically motivated policy of public face masking and harassment. People are going about their business. Most people in South Sudan and Uganda live in the thickest of the contagion of any air or water borne diseases on daily bases. Covid is not an exception. This is how they view it. People are literally living by faith and breaking away from fear of this dreadful disease. Beyond walking by faith on promises of God, they have no sanitary chemistry to explain how people can live fearlessly in the shadow of the dread of Covid. But they are taking the promises of God literally. Isaiah 41:13 “For I, the Lord your God, hold your right hand; it is I who say to you, “Fear not, I am the one who helps you.”
USA: Only Prayer. It is in God's hand folks!
For one month I have been away from the USA. But I have not ceased from praying for my country. We have exhausted every word to describe how worst and alarming things have deteriorated and keep on precipitously going on the path of free fall since the new administration came to town in Washington DC. Joe Biden/Kamala Harris campaign in 2020 were asked numerous times. Will you pack the court? Will you make WDC state ,? What will you do with …….. 1st Amendment, 2nd Amendment, economy, Iran Deal, Green Deal, BLM, Antifa, China, Russia, Israel, Immigration, Abortion, LGBTQ ? His/her answer from the bunker: They were either quiet or they told us, we won't tell you right now, you will find the answers in the recipe. It will be ready for you to eat it whether you like or not. " Now you have it !!
Israel: Pray for the Peace of Jerusalem
1- Iranian Media: ‘Missile to Dimona is Message to Israel: the Sensitive Areas are not Immune’ Arab Affairs • By Baruch Yedid/TPS • 22 April, 2021
Demands Transfer of Holy Site to Jewish Authority Jerusalem • By Aryeth Savir/TPS• 22 April, 2021
Highlights of mission trip
April 15: Bittersweet Departure. bidding them shalom and farewell was extremely hard.
April 15 was my final day in the morning hours at ONMI's mission Headquarters at Bethlehem Center. I gathered the staff for debriefing and to wish them my final farewell prayer time with them. It was bitter / sweet moment of leaving them. I felt sad but with a sense of mission accomplished. However, my time with them to validate work on the ground had come to an end. It was like apostle Shaul's moment as he was departing Ephesus to Yerushalayim as he declared in Acts 20: 26 - 36. "For I have not hesitated to proclaim to you the whole will of God. Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood. I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock. Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them. So be on your guard! Remember that for three years I never stopped warning each of you night and day with tears.
Now I commit you to God and to the word of his grace, which can build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified. I have not coveted anyone’s silver or gold or clothing. You yourselves know that these hands of mine have supplied my own needs and the needs of my companions. In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ When Paul had finished speaking, he knelt with all of them and prayed. They all wept as they embraced him and kissed him."
In similar setting, the Church Elders, led by our Country Director Pastor Timothy Ajjugo Levi and the Mission departmental leaders, set a chair in the center of the circle where we gathered. They laid hands over me and prayed for me, my family and ministry. In turn, I also prayed over them. We, hugged, kissed and wish each other farewell and Shalom. Then I departed overland to Entebbe, Uganda to board my flight to the US.
Works in the field goes on with the ground team in charge
Now that Iam back here in the states, many of you will be wondering how will the work go accordingly in the field? Well, God is in charge and one of the principal initiatives we have put in place over the years is raising up the national leadership of ONMI in South Sudan comprising of core group of men and their families who are equally committed to advance the Great Commission. Headed by the Country director, Pastor Timothy Levi, ABOVE PRAYING OVER ME TO THE RIGHT they are up to the task.
I will make routinely follow up with them on unfinished businesses at hand which we envision to see them done before I left the ground.
Biblical stewardship
Key indicative of leadership and not wasting resources already handed to us are especially important litmus test before God Almighty. These specific tasks are worth seeing them completed, verified and set behind us before we forget them or move to something else. Success always builds on successes as well as on failures too. But overall Church and school construction setting should be completed and put behind us. Engineer should send us the final engineering drawing for our evaluation asap. We on the verge of doing something, a major vision of ONMI which is has been on the backburners for years that is the vision of building Private & Biblical based Academy from Elementary to High school and 1 one-year Polytechnic Institute, to be called the Bethlehem Primary & Nursery Academy (BPNA) and Nehemiah Polytechnic Institute & Biblical World View (NPI & BWV) respectively. The benefit of this 5 years national crisis in South Sudan has brought the urgency of the need to the forefront of our minds to put this plan into action in 2021.
Moving raw construction material from the River bank
As tens of thousands of South Sudanese are coming back from exile, the challenges that each family face is the question of where will their children get education? Many families are grappling with the idea of making a partial move to South Sudan so that their children can get education in Uganda and still have the benefit of living in South Sudan or if there is nothing in South Sudan, then some families have considered, staying in Uganda all together.
Construction & Engineering team shaping the focus of the building projects
South Sudanese civil engineers for residential and commercial buildings stopped by to show the country director and I the blue prints they have just designed for the church and school buildings for approval.
So as thing stand now, a land has been allocated. We are envisioning to build a total of 6 buildings and a large church accommodating at least 700 people to accommodate the needs of the surrounding community and students around the immediate state of EE and the country. We projected that the standard of this school will attract many students from all over and we need to be prepared as many will be attending school here for years to come Currently, the school has already begun, registering over 100 students. We have director of the school, a headmaster and 7 teachers. The challenge that remains are the facilities needed to accommodate the students.
Students - First day in class
Temporarily, the students are getting their teaching at Borongole secondary school, a Community school that was abandoned during the war and ONMI protected the property from being looted and from fire.
Funding status us.
From the last time as the need were brought forward, while I was still on the ground to start block production, we raised $45,000 of which $30,000 was already dedicated for this work.
In Short, the real rebuilding of South Sudan has just begun. Funding is a greater need. But people need for God is the greatest. It is God who supplies all our needs. I have no doubt in God’s ability to finance this project. We are looking forward to seeing by the end of 2021, the work will have been done. This is especially important to keep the families from returning to exile sending their children back to Uganda, leading to splitting of the families. With the fund at hand, we are now beginning to make blocks for construction. Foundation and blueprints and BOQ are being develop and block production will start right away. We need 120,000 building blocks. Aswa River Highway Bridge: April 10
April 10, we gathered here at River Aswa Bridge right on the Juba-Kampala highway a major intercontinental route connecting landlocked South Sudan to East and Southern African countries. We gathered here to conduct prayers of revival, repentance, forgiveness and restoration of trust among civilian and military. This place among all other places has one of the major national security issues on the highway. The Area National Security Commander, Major Peter Nhial requested our pastoral presence here to pray for the country. This spot has experienced a lot of issues during these years of national crisis. We brought our burden, our sins of unforgiveness, tribalism, fear and hatred here to be washed away by the blood Yeshua.
" Come near to God and He will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded." James 4:8)
IF WE DO NOT FIRST CONFESS OUR SINS, WE CANNOT EXPECT GOD TO HEAR OUR PRAYERS (Isaiah 59:1-3).
`Need for Spiritual stabilization of the work done
In validation to the outcome of my trip, I prayed and trusted that all the work we have done in the areas of people returning home, bringing needed support such as Biblical revival, food security, medicine, education, reconciliation, forgiveness, restoration and godly atmosphere in all the places we had visited will be purified and dedicated to the glory of God Almighty in Yeshua the Messiah. I am confident that all the activities of ONMI at Yerushalayim Summit on Gordon, Bethlehem in Borongole, Beth Israel of Akko 8MT, Mugali, Nimule, and Rumbek will take hold and be an enrichment to the community which we serve for God's kingdom.
April 11, “"But for the Son of man does not come to be served but to Serve."
This was at Moli Tokuro. We converged here by the grace of God, invited by Margaret Oliver, the Chief of the subcounty to bring prayer, the word of God, forgiveness restoration among different Ethnicities who have been polarized and torn apart by war, division, poverty and corruption. This was a day of blessing and encouragement. Yeshua is our standard example for servitude. "But for the Son of man does not come to be served but to Serve."
My message for South Sudanese as part of repentance and healing of the nation is to serve others as opposed to always wanted to be served.
"The greatest of you must be a Servant. But for the Son of man does not come to be served but to Serve."
Prayers of Repentance : pride, oppression, healing, forgiveness, restoration and revival in their lives and the country
“You know that those who are recognized as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them; and their powerful men exercise authority over them but this is not how it is among you; instead, whoever wishes to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wishes to be first and most important among you must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a [f]ransom for many.”
Mark 10:35-45
United with stand, divided we fall. South Sudan must break down tribal barriers and our love for God and fellow men must transcend tribal difference in Yeshua.
These are South Sudanese Christians from all walk of lives, Until now, these people have not interacted with each other for more than 7 years since the war broke out in 2013, as schools were burned to the ground and church doors were closed and medical facilities were destroyed. However, Operation Nehemiah Missions has no given up. We continue to go against the current and bring spiritual healing and restoration to a broken country. This is the product of our faith in Yeshua bringing people together. The South Sudanese knew what went wrong. It will take them to correct it, no one else can do it for them. 2 Chronicles 7:14
The idea that the church should remain dormant, uninvolved, indifference to the evil and diabolical agenda of Satan is absurd and dangerous.
Now with the ONMI's commitment to carry out capacity and confidence building across South Sudanese people groups, tongues and tribes, we are now poised to bring spiritual changes which no one has thought was ever possible. We are taking one person, one family, one church and one community at a time.
Several military families have approached us to enroll their Children at Bethlehem Primary and Nursery School and soon to join Nehemiah Polytechnic institute beginning in 2022. They also asked the Nile Beth Israel Messianic Congregation to send pastors every week to teach the work of God.
The day of Repentance and reunion, breaking down tribalism &paganism
April 8, Heap of rubbles everywhere:
With so many rubbles, and destruction all around us, this Backhoe has been truly one of the greatest gifts from God by your benevolent support to Operation Nehemiah Mission to the Christians of South Sudan. Without which, we could have never been able to clear agricultural fields, roads, church, medical, schools and government facilities overtaken by overgrown trees and decay.
April 6: Today, I spent a wonderful time.
of prayers and fellowship with Elders and men of wisdom in Opari Nyakanigwa. I visited my Uncle Bishop Emeritus Nikolao and his wife auntie Tabitha, the Rev. William Bandassi. I was a companied by Jino Longa, coordinator of Bible translation team and my brother Joseph Levi. This was amazing moment of get together. I grew up here in the beautiful village surrounded by the mountains. I attended elementary school here from 1975-1979. I received Salvation here and was baptized here in 1977. There are 4 generations present in this get together expanding from 1930s to late 1970s to present.
Psalms 1.
Agriculture & Food security
The rain season has arrived in South Sudan. Cultivation has seriously begun here. We have already nursey beds enough to plant 20 acres of vegetables. We want to thank God for Festus Omit who is spearheading this initiative. The forest is full of naturally grown lumbers. What amazes me the most is the ingenuity of this young man, Fred Ogwal who is using a chain saw to cut the trees down and make lumber for construction using the same chain saw without the use of wood mill. This effort reduces the time and money to purchase the machine to for the work.
Solar well has water in abundance. Women do not need to sit and stay at the pump for hours to fill their jerrycans. With this technology, they can go home to their families in matters of minutes.
We need immediate weeding in several places in the farm using the weeding equipment we just bought to weed around and prune the mango plantation, Eucalyptus trees, oranges and cassava plantation. We need to see this work completed before the end of the month. We are finalizing with women in Juba regarding the fate of the cassava both dry and raw. Biblical stewardship applies here. need to open the field for food for work to the general public to free the field for other needs. Otim Festo’s need at least 20 acres to transplant all the current vegetables beginning with fields by the river Eyibi, and by Kulo Kenyi Riverbanks.
Infrastructure
Thank God to you for helping us in providing water, shelter and food from the Farm for them.
We have water, medical facility, a very functioning house of worship. There is not any other organization here beside Operation Nehemiah Mission and Saint Bakhita, a Catholic church division of South Korean Nuns who are also helping the returnees. There is not a single UN driven proxy organization here, which is a blessing in disguise because we the Church is spear heading the work of rebuilding the community from ground up. The Catholic Church is doing
Medical needs
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