Thank you for your prayers for Paloc Church

I thank all the people who gave payers to our God for Paloc Church!

Just this Sunday I went to Paloc Church to see them and encourage them. I really did not expect them to be meeting. I thought I would have to find everybody all around town and gather them together to have church. Well the Lord slapped me in the face with a blessing!

As I drove up to the church there was so many people under the tree standing, singing, and giving praises to God! I was filled with such JOY! I Thank the Lord right then and there! I jumped out of the car and began to praise God with them! I was so Happy. I was really over Joyed! I hugged John Bangic, the leader of the church and we greeted with such love and joy for Christ! We had church and I read a letter to the church from the Oakland Baptist church from Mississippi. They loved the letter and thanked them so much. Thank you Danny, Billy, Jay, and Kenny for all the pictures! The people loved them so much!

After church we had some training with them and taught them more on God. I told John Bangic how proud I was of him and that he is doing such a great work for God!

Please pray that Paloc church will sustain themselves and learn from God's word on their own.

They continue to grow and physically and spiritually. 

That Andrew and I may be able to get out there and encourage them and help them to learn the word of God on their own.

Thank you my Lord and saviour for answering our prayers!

Thank you my churches and prayer warriors.

So amazed! 

Jermaine

He sent them out two by two.

Things have been so busy around here. One Sunday Andrew and I were discussing on how we can get our trainees in TrT class, to go out on their own to the villages and preach the word of God. Because we won't be here for ever and they cannot depend on our transportation. So we took a Sunday to pray on that under a tree in the bush. We were interrupted by one of our trainees called Joseph. I was thinking man it is hard to get some alone time out here.

So Joseph, Andrew and I greeted each other and then there came an silence......

Then Joseph said "I want to go to Pandit this week". Well lets see when will we have time to go again?" I replied Then Joseph says "No me myself it is God who choses me and I will go on bicycle". Andrew and I was so surprised! My heart jump and began to overflow! I was so happy God just answered our prayer like that! We have been wanting this so bad and out of no where Joseph is ready to go and spread the word of God, using TRT. 

So Joseph and Peter went to Pandit on their own using the transportation they have. Praise God! I watched them bike off into the land like a proud worried parent!

The next day Isaac comes up to me and says where is Peter I said " he went to Pandit with Joseph". Then Isaac goes to tell me that three days ago  four people were shot in that area of Pandit and and fighting will happen there. 

I was not worried and I had much faith God will take care of them. I even thought it was funny how satin is so typical. 

The day went on and not Joseph and Peter, and they were supposed to come back or TrT class in the morning but they missed it. So I waited the whole the day no Joseph and Peter. 

Joseph's wife came to our house asking where her husband is and that she heard about the fighting in Pandit. In Dinka she said" You know there is fighting in Pandit and they will kill them cause Peter"s tribe head marks!" She was very worried. Even me I got a little worried but I still heald on and I looked at her and said in Dinka "Don't fear God has all the power" She smiled and looked away. then she went home. 

Then Peter's mother came to my hut as well worried for her son.

I'm like Ok God we going to be alright. You will keep your children safe!.

The sun began to set as I waited looking down the road. Then I saw two figures ridding bikes up the road! I ran to them yelling and praising God! It was Joseph and Peter coming home from preaching the word of God on their own!

I greeted them with such love and was so happy! We sat and talked about their adventure and how God kept them safe. They said they preached all over Pandit town and the people welcome them so much! They maybe even a Baptist church may come from this.

Pray for Joseph, Peter, Abraham, Abraham Mongor, Samuel, Johnson, and Isaac our pastors in TrT class, That God will light a fire in all them to go out and spread the word of God by their own means. They will sustain their own way of spreading God's Word consistently. The their TRT classes will stay consistent and useful to spread the Word of God. 

Pray for Pandit, as it has two churches one of catholic and one of ECS church But the ECS church leaders need some training and encouragement to spread the word of God more.

Thank you Lord for lighting the fire in them just like you sent your disciples.

Praise On the Paloc Church!

Thank you so much to all at home giving prayers up to our God on the Paloc Church

Update in Akot work

Andrew and I Have been doing TrT (training rural trainers) in Akot with the pastors. It has been going so great! and all the young men are really into the training and using it to build churches and spread God's word more effectively! 

A few weeks ago we went to Paloc and showed the Jesus film to the town. Stayed there and the next day we explain the film and told them the gospel. They were very expectable and we built are Baptist Church back up from it. There was a Baptist Church in paloc but the pastor got shot and the church stop meeting together after that.

But God blessed us and the church came back together and that sunday we had church under a tree with forty people! Praise God!

At the end of the service a women called Elisabeth Akoi ask that we pray for a snake to leave her home. So we prayed but Andrew and I said let's kill it now. But everybody said No, no,no,no...."Why?' We asked. They told us that her husband is related to the snake. And I knew what they were talking about. It goes into animistic religion and it is not Godly. So we told them that it is wrong and they have to chose God only and to talk her husband. Then we went back to Akot.

Then a week later some soldiers went to paloc for disarmament and scattered the people and the church! So Andrew and I wanted to get back up to Paloc bad! But we could not take the car because the army would take it over. So we road our bikes! only about over 30 miles back and forth.

We got there and we could not find any of the church leaders, but we found two church members. One of them was Akoi, We sat with Akoi in her home and the snake was gone. I asked "where is the snake?" She said " I killed it." She explain how God gave her the power and she does do those things anymore and God had all the power! Andrew and I was so thankful to Jesus! Akoi said that she had ran when the soldiers came to her friends house and another snake came into the house. But she killed that snake also with the power of God! What a blessing. We left her house praising God and wrote a message of encouragement with the word of God to the leaders of Paloc church. then we went back home. 

Please pray that this Church keeps going and stays together.

Pray for our TrT class that God is with us as we teach and the pastors and young men teach the word of God with boldness and that the class helps.

The Day of Murphy’s law

Though I was completely exhausted from moving all day that yesterday, I was still ready!

Ready to go to Akot my new home!

This day we were all packed up and ready to go and move to Akot into my mud hut! I was so excited and ready to go. My heart was so sweet and pumping full of anticipation for a new location and new people.  New adventure and new missions!

But when we woke up and found the pick up truck sitting on a flat tire.

But that did not stop us, no way! Plus we had the Fusion team to help us change the tire very quickly. Also! The truck has two spare tires so we are still good to go down to Akot with one spare.

So we all loaded up the pick up truck to the top and Mark, Cathy and all the Fusion team stood in a circle to pray for a safe journey to Akot.

We prayed.

 

Then Mark, Cathy, Andrew, Jessie, and Kaley got into Mark’s land curser. Wycliffe and I were in the pick up truck. I jumped into the drivers seat, put the key in, took off the safety break and let it rip. 

On our way to Akot, driving good as the wheels hit the dirt road and kick up dirt to leave a dust trail. This is great I thought, so great!

Then suddenly I hear a noise on the right side of the truck. “What is that?” I asked. “OO! The tire is flat.” Wycliffe replies. I pull over on the side of the road. Ok lets get this tire changed and go, I thought. Thank God we had two spares. But I also thought as I loosen the bolts, that we have no spares for the truck now going down to Akot and we are pretty far away.

 

So I am turning the jack up and the truck is going up and up, then suddenly the jack pops off and the truck slams to the ground, BAM!

 

“OOO! Sorry, Sorry!” Wycliffe says. “Hot Dang it! This stupid Jack!” I ranted off.

This same jack broke on me when I was in Juba, the top plate broke off. But I knew how to fix it and everything is cool. So I just put the jack back under the truck and start again. The Jack works there is no problem, Thank you Jesus! I began to take the flat tire off but the truck is not high enough so I tell Wycliffe to turn the jack higher. So as Wycliffe is turning up the jack I hear this metal ping sound! Then I see something fly from the jack!

“O! You know I don’t like these jacks!” Wycliffe yells. “What happen?” I asked. “ The hook to turn the jack up and down broke off!” Wycliffe says. “All Naw!” I said, as I took a look at the jack. “Dang! How we going to get the jack down to lower the truck?!” I asked. Wycliffe said “That one I don’t know.” Wycliffe replied. LOL!

 

So I said “Man let’s just change this tire.” We change the tire.

Then after much thinking and consideration Wycliffe wedge the bar in where the hook broke off of the jack and lowered it very slowly. I took about an hour and a half or so just to change that one tire with all those problems!

So finally the truck cam down, but I look down and saw that the spare was even flat! So I calmly said “well this tire is too flat as well.” “What?!” Wycliffe said shockingly, running over to take a look.

So! We have no jack, no spare tires, two flat tires, a flat spare, and no pump either! We are officially stranded!

 

I tried calling Mark on the SAT phone but no luck. So I sent Wycliffe on a matatu back to Mark’s compound to get the pump. I sat on the road by the truck and every person passing by asked what is wrong and then they see they can’t help and drive off. It started to aggravate me so I hid in the bushes from off the road and watched the truck. I waited only for about another hour and half or so then Wycliffe came back with the pump!

Yes! God is with us I thought, we are on our way! We went to pump the tire and I kid you not, the pump would not work!

But after some struggle with it Wycliffe took it out of the sun and he fixed it. And we began to pump the tire. And we pump, and pump, and pump so hard. I pump until blisters came on my palms. Finally after another about 30 min or so we reached 50 PSI! Lets go to Akot right, wrong! I figured we are much closer to Rumbek then Akot and it would not be smart to go down to Akot with no Jack no spares and a soft tire. So we head back to Rumbek to get all those things we need.

 

We get back to Rumbek in town and the first traffic stop we hit we are whistled down by some traffic cops in all white uniform. They harass me like always. “You must bring license now!” the traffic cop says.

I guess I violated one of his many made up rules by turning into the tire shop, whatever. Wycliffe and I argue back and forth with the traffic cop on what I did wrong. It finally ends with a traffic fine on me. And it really aggravated me at that time but I just tried to keep Christ on even though it was false accusation.

 

So now we have to go into the market and get a jack. So we leave the two spare tires to be fix and go to the market. As we turn around the round about I hear another traffic cop whistle! I say “You have got to be kidding me?!” But then we see a motorbike come flying passed us and the cop is pointing at the bike. So thank goodness we continue.

But no, the same traffic cop speeds up to us on a motorbike, pissed. He yells “Pull over!” As I pull over I told Wycliffe “Man I’m just about to go to jail!” I then continue to say “Take me to jail cause I’m sick of this crap!”

The traffic cop comes to the car yelling who knows what. Then in English he say “Bring ear phones!” “What Ear Phones!” I reply. “I don’t have no ear phones!” And just as I was about rant and rave a local Dinka man that I know called Jackson came up and spoke for us. He resolve the situation by telling the cop they can’t keep doing this and that he knew the cop’s brother and took him to court for doing this same thing.

The traffic back down and let us go. I thank Jackson over and over for his help, he was sent from God I believe.

 

So finally Wycliffe and go buy the jack, then we pick up the tires and get out of there. It was a quiet trip down to Akot as Wycliffe and I were dismayed and exhausted from what this day gave us. Me myself I was saying this was Murphy’s Law today. But I was thankful for God’s Law. “What can go wrong God can get you through and fix it.”

 

Because we could have had only one spare tire instead of two, when the jack broke it could have hurt or killed me or Wycliffe, the jack could have stop working after that, the pump could have stayed broken, the traffic cops could have took me to court or jail, I could have lost my temper and went off on the second traffic cop but God sent Jackson to help me and calm the situation.

 

Thank you my God, my Lord, my Daddy, when there is Murphy’s Law, The children of God have God’s Law. Thank you Daddy.

So I lose a Mexican and gain a Bible character!

Three of my teammates went home last month. They have completed their term. Me, I’m headed straight to Akot for moving. To my new home I come, no more Rumbek!

 

Mark says “Hey Jermaine I got a new idea for you, your going to love.”

“O yeah, what’s that?” I reply. Mark says “Well since the pastor Sunday you was working with fled away to become a policemen and that kinda fell through the cracks on that one. I as talking to one of the Fusion leaders named Andrew and he said he would love to go down to Akot and work with you there.”

 

I thought about it and I was concerned about leaving Abin Ajok alone but four other Fusion peps are pumped to go to Abin Ajok and live there. So it bumped me out of that, which is cool I have no problem, wherever God needs me. So I said yeah 4Sho!

 

I spent three days packing and moving crap out of our old compound and on to Mark’s compound, shopping, running around, planning, and making sure Andrew and I had what we needed to survive out in Akot on the BTC (Baptist Training Center) the bush.

Who is Fusion? Fusion is Freakin Sweet that’s who Fusion is! A group of young Christian college students who train to go to the hardest places in the world and spread the word of God. Yeah so we working with them, Shweeeet!

 

 I was going back and forth on the pick up truck, moving all day just totally exhausted. I sat down that night on the porch hard, with Jennifer and Andres. I think it was the two nights before they left for good.

Jennifer went on talking about the Fusion team and their surgery goodness. As I sat there tired and beat it reminded me of my new partner Andrew. Andrew is a white male with average height and weight with long dark hair and a dark beard. I broke my silence and said “You know, Andrew looks like Jesus.” Everyone burst out into agreement.

I went on and explained that even when Andrew and I were in the market a Dinka boy pulled me aside and asked me where is Andrew from. I said “America” The boy then said “ The way I saw him I thought he was Jesus from the movie.” We all laugh!

 

Then Andres says “I think he looks more like a John. Then we went back and forth, arguing on whether Andrew was Jesus or John and I am so tired and did not want to think any more, and my brain was done. I did not mean for it to be a big deal anyway so I just ended the argument with the saying, “So I lose a Mexican and gain a Bible Character.”

 

 

People of the States

People of the States, The United States of America that is. We live and have come accustom to trust our government officials. Now I am not talking about politics and left or right, blue or red judgments from a majorities peoples opinion. I am not approaching the broad aspect of our government in the decision-making to better off our country, your dang if you do, and your dang if you don’t. 

I am simply discussing the trust of our government’s higher and lower officials to do there job of protection of the country. Hands on teams and red and blue ties, three piece suites with a American flag button, bullet proof vest with digital camouflage. The initiative to protect the people. Yes we all do have some level of expectations to trust our government to protect us.

 Lets start low and then go up. The police, the infamous boys in blue. I am in the States. I am driving my car. I see blue and red lights and I pull over. The cop puts a gun to my head and pulls me out of the car! “Get on the ground nigger!” The cops all gather around and beat me. I think I might be able to draw a case and get a lawyer. Take this to a higher authority of the government. If that does not work and people still lie to save them selves I can take this to the supposedly ultimate people protector, our media. Maybe I can get the story on the news and fight this to the end. Now I am not saying I would win, not in the least.

But the fact that the actions that the cops did was out of order and gave me and other people that would hear of it a great shock and disappointment. You know what, not shock but the mere fact that I thought it is wrong and they cannot do this to me. I had done nothing wrong.

Another example on TV we watch a lot of police films and on these show there are cops chasing down the bad guy. The bad guy is running from the cops and then he turns and pulls out a gun and shoots at the cop. Then one of my colleagues who is watching the show with me says “ O now the cop can shoot him now”. Why did he just say that? He is not a cop nor is he a law student or lawyer. Why did I agree with him and I think all of us can say the same. It is because we know and trust our laws. We know a cop is bound by that law and if he does not abide by it he will be punished. Therefore our trust comes within the liability of a higher authority. We trust them to a point even if you think their all dirty, you still know being dirty is wrong.

 Lets go high on the scale now to politics. (I hope your not bored) Not one red or blue or even green Politian can kill a fly with out us knowing. Not to say they don’t do something bad and we always see it. No not at all, I know a lot is done with out our eyes seeing. But the boiling hot pressure is always on them for us to find out there dirty laundry. So if and when they do something wrong our media is all over them like white on rice! So we have that trust that they can’t do this wrong thing, we have the right to say and think that it is wrong and they will be punished, as we have seen in many occasions.

 Now lets take away the trust all together. There is no higher authority cause the higher authority will only back up the lower authority that did you wrong. When you pass a cop the thought of getting beat is there and he can get away with it and that would be that. No case, no media, no nothing, it just happens and you just hope its not you when it does happen.

 The so called law that the policemen is bound by is pushed out the door for money and bribes. They live off of it everyday. The protection is not there. The trust is gone!

Your country could fall apart at anytime and you just better hope your ready. A Politian can do what ever he wants. The laws are only there for the other countries surrounded by you to look and say “ O these laws are here” then they go their merry way. But inside your country it is big fish eat little fish and no coral reefs insight to make the game fair.

I rather see the robbers then the officials. At least you know the robbers focus, Take your money and maybe kill you. But officials that can’t be trusted, is a road block a head. Solders sworn to protect you come to kill you , the sight of you country’s flag is worn by the solder who raped your wife, Run from you protection you must. Wait, that does not sound right… Run from your protection you must…oxymoron.

These are lives that are lived, find them and pray for them.

 Some food for thought.