Mission to the Diocese of Aweil, South Sudan
Aweil, South Sudan:
“Pray for one another, that you may be healed …”
by Will Henry Lawrence
I found it difficult to put into words my experience as a team member on the SOMA Mission to the Diocese of Aweil. There's always a temptation to describe a mission as a success and list why. But it’s impossible to avoid the fact that I got very sick with Typhoid and lay in bed for a day and a half, before Bishop Abraham took me to a clinic to receive an antibiotic. Looking back though, I see how the Lord used my illness to not only teach me a variety of things, but also teach others.
I was selected to give a talk on intercessory prayer—standing in the gap on behalf of another—a crucial practice undergirding every aspect of SOMA’s ministry. My story and my testimony center on the intercessions of others. Because of God's grace and others standing in the gap on my behalf, I have lived through lead poising as a toddler, a paralyzing stroke as a 27-year-old, and many other instances in between. I shared these things with the attendees, imploring them to have intercessors and be intercessors for others. I reminded them that God, through the Holy Spirit, still heals!
After I came down with Typhoid during the mission, many of you around the globe joined the team and participants to lift me in prayer for healing (James 5:16b). WOW, did God hear those prayers! While my full recovery lasted a few weeks, the rapid start to my comeback was nothing short of miraculous. Though tired and weak on the last night of the mission, I was overjoyed to spend time with the participants and to pray for them! My experience with Typhoid revealed how challenging life can be for our brothers and sisters in Aweil. I caught just a glimpse of the difficulties of everyday life and ministry. So how do I respond?
First, I pray. I stand in the gap and petition Jesus Christ to reveal himself to the people of South Sudan; to bring peace and reconciliation to families, friends, churches, dioceses, the government …all facets of society; to raise up faithful and principled leaders to steward the vast resources their land has to offer; to protect them from sickness, famine, violence, and all the spiritual forces of darkness; and to be a light to the nations for Jesus Christ. Second, I tell others! I eagerly tell people about Bishop Abraham, Bishop Peter, Jeremiah, James Chol, Elizabeth, Richard, and so many others with whom I crossed paths, shared in fellowship, worship, and prayer, and broke bread. And I know they, too, are telling others!
That, simple as it seems, is the amazing thing about Sharing of Ministries Abroad (SOMA). We, like the early Church, SHARE. We share our homes and resources in hospitality. We share our joys and encouragements. We share our sorrows and hardships. All of these things define SOMA’s ministry, built upon people-to-people relationships. This simple truth is humbling and amazing.
It's sometimes difficult to see the fruits of your labor with immediacy. But I eagerly look forward to seeing how God, through Bishop Abraham Yel Nhial, will form the clergy and lay leaders in the next five years. I thank the Lord for the opportunity to participate in the SOMA Mission to the Diocese of Aweil in South Sudan. I look forward to how the Lord continues to reveal Himself to me and others through our obedience in His service.
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