Partnership...

When this photo was taken Joseph and I had just presented 2 posters to the COC leaders in Malek Alel. At the back of the picture are Pastor Ronald Ruay and Pastor Philip Akot and in front Joseph and I are sitting alongside Yournew Wol. Behind is the mud wall of Aweil Bible College.

Melinda Rawlins, one of our Elders at Magill COC, had taken photos at our commissioning service and then produced these posters as a way of demonstrating the partnership between our communities. The text at the top reads "United Sudanese Fellowship and Australian Churches of Christ - Partners in Mission". And the verse at the bottom is based on Phil 1:3-6 "We thank God every time we remember you. We pray with joy because of our partnership in the gospel, being confident that God who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion." The poster has a compilation of photos including the joint congregation surrounding Joseph and myself as they prayed for us and sent us on our way to Sudan with their blessing.

Wherever we showed the posters in Sudan people would crowd around enthusiastically. Whenever they recognised someone they knew in the photos there would be shouts of excitement. It was a powerful way of demonstrating the links between Churches of Christ and the Sudanese community in Adelaide, and how we have joined together to reach out to our sisters and brothers in Aweil.

As we showed people the posters, and as we presented them to the men pictured, Joseph and I assured people that the two communities we represent are commited to standing with them, supporting them and working with them. Wherever I had the opportunity to speak I assured people how for many years we have heard the news of suffering in Sudan. At first all we could was pray, but after some time we found we could help refugees settle in Australia and support them in providing for their relatives at home. Now however we have the opportunity to be directly involved in supporting people in South Sudan. The posters, we told them, are a way of showing that their Christian family, both Sudanese and Australian, are reaching out to join hands with them across the oceans.

Now our challenge is to work together to make this a reality. In my next few blogs I will introduce you to specific areas of need and opportunity where we can assist Christian leaders in Aweil. Im praying you will be moved to become involved in some of them. In some cases it may be churches supporting churches, or pastors linking with pastors. But there is also work to be done with hospitals, clinics, schools, agriculture and government. There is great potential, and even small contributions can make a great change to the people of Aweil who have so little.

So lets pray together that God, who began a good work in us, will now bring it to completion.