July is known as the month of hunger in South Sudan. For several years LWCT, with the assistance of Baptist Global Response has provided emergency food to sustain the communities around Akot until the September harvest is ready. This July Akot Christian Ministries was able to provide food for the hungry from their locally stored food from their farm, women’s gardens, and church gardens. The ACM staff is pleased to be able to do this for their own people. Director Isaac Bol states, “We shall give thanks to the Lord who has made this change of our helping the poor by ourselves. I hope that God will continue to give us strength to do the same in the future. Thanks to LWCT, without you no change like this would have happened. This is great news for our community.”
When God Speaks, by Claire Pepperd
One afternoon we decided to go into Akot’s market. While we were there many people wanted to say hello. One woman walked out of the trees and straight up to me. She was very kindhearted and welcoming in her conversation. I knew she needed something, but I didn’t know what to say. A man explained to me that she was asking for food. I wasn’t sure what the correct response was, as I was quickly surrounded by a crowd of people who, were also wanting food. After asking our team leader what the right procedure would be, I returned and encouraged her to speak to the church in Maluel, as they would be able to make sure she received some food for her and her baby. I was quite concerned because her child is obviously deformed and I knew they needed more help than I could give. As we returned to the compound amidst women rejoicing and dancing in honor of a wedding, I was still disturbed by Mary, the woman I had met. For the rest of the night I was distracted and I didn’t sleep. I felt I had not done what was right. The situation had caught me off guard and I felt that I hadn’t really done what the Lord would have had me do. Though I didn’t know what I could have done differently. I prayed for her most of the night. I clearly heard to give her all my food, and I finally felt a peace about it. I began to have to plan to try to find her, but I knew I needed God to make that happen.
The next day about 11 o’clock, I walked out the door of my hut and Mary was standing outside looking at me with shock on her face that mirrored my own. I hugged her. A man I had met earlier in the week came up to speak with me. He was able to explain to me that he had found this woman looking for the church in Maluel, and knew he should bring her to me instead. This was very odd because he had not seen our interaction the day before, and he had no idea I have been praying for her. But God knew. I told him this was God working and we went to speak with Mary Agum, Assistant Director for Akot Christian Ministries, to see what the best way to bless her would be. Because she was traveling, it was obvious that I could not just buy her a large bag of rice. However, giving her a sum of money and most of my traveling food was the best way forward. Not surprisingly, this was in line with what God had told me the night before. I went away and filled my carry on with food and the amount of money Mary Agum suggested. When I returned, the woman prayed with me, Mary Agum, and the man who had brought her to us. She went away with her child, and all I could do was pray that she would find the help she needed for her little one. My new friend and I laughed because we knew that the Lord had spoken to both of us about what our part should be, and had drawn us back together as we prayed. God is faithful.
Claire