A Request for Help...

A few days ago a Sudanese man living here in Adelaide told me a tragic story. His brother was a soldier in Sudan and was killed last year. Then his brother’s wife died of lung cancer two weeks ago. The couple had four children aged approximately eighteen months, three, five and twelve years old – now they are dependent on relatives to provide for their needs. My friend is a student and has four children of his own. He has sent some money to buy food for his brother’s children, but isn’t able to provide what they need until he has finished his course and finds employment – hopefully later this year.

He was asking for some help.

I explained that I don’t have access to funds for this type of need, but told him that I would tell his story. Will you please pray for these children? And if you would like to make a financial contribution please send me a message. My church has agreed to process donations. 

The first bricks...

Pastor Paulino Malou has just sent me some photos of the toilets that were constructed recently at the Marialbai Mission. Now, we might tend to think of toilets as being important from the perspective of sanitation and hygiene (not to mention modesty), but back in September the Chief explained to me that it has another significance to the local community. He told me that when the people see the toilets being built they will say "Ahh... Something good is going to happen here. They wouldn't build the toilets unless they were going to provide something for our stomachs".
There is still some work needed to complete the construction, but it is pleasing to see the first brick building go up at the Mission. And while we would all realise the practical necessity of toilets, most of us probably hadn't thought of them as being a symbol of hope before...