WHY SUDAN? Alcoholism is epidemic in southern Sudan after 22 years of war and a shattered economy. WHY ME? In the Fall of 2005, I was hopelessly numbing out my pain with alcohol.
On Dec. 27, 2005, in absolute desperation, I walked into an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting.
In January of 2006 I got to Step 3, "Give your life and will to God." Life hasn't been the same since.
This June-August, I will share the Gospel of Jesus and alcoholism recovery to the men of Sudan.
Friends-
I got an update yesterday from, Mike Congrove, the head of e3's Sudan strategy (www.e3sudan.com). He has been in Kajo Keji for the last two weeks with another church planting team.
He said that the Rapha Sudan group is continuing to meet daily and doing well. Mike also said that Pastor Edward Dima of First Baptist Church Kajo Keji is planning on taking Rapha into some of their other regional church plants.
This is all such good news for the people of Southern Sudan and for our brothers and sisters you've been praying for all summer.
Now that the group is meeting, operating and going through the steps all by themselves, it's critical we remember them in our prayers. They are new in their sobriety, new to going through 12 Steps on their own and new in their faith. Please pray that God will strengthen them and equip them and that they would know Jesus more. If you would consider it, please pray Ephesians 3:14-21 for them.
This is the Scripture that I left with them during our last meeting together. It's a powerful one for all of us, too.
Hebrews 13:20-21
"May the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of sheep, equip you with everything good for doing His will, and may He work in us what is pleasing to Him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen."
I can't sufficiently thank each of you for your prayers. I wish you could have seen their faces when I told them that over 400 people in the US were praying for them. Your seconds and minutes and hours that you gave for them in prayer have impacted real, beautiful, humble, faithful people and will ripple through eternity. Not a breath was wasted and your invaluable words reached God through Jesus by the Holy Spirit.
Hebrews 7:25
"Therefore He (Jesus) is able to save completely those who come to God through Him (Jesus), because He ALWAYS lives to intercede for them."
Love you all so much.
john a. elmore
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