Six hundred primary school children in Akot are feasting on the “Word of God”, thanks to the Gideon Society. Akot Christian Ministries is so grateful for the generous shipment of 650 Bibles to our extremely remote village, by the Gideons. In the West we tend to take for granted that our Christian schools will have an abundant supply of Bibles. This is not the case deep in the bush of South Sudan. Most all supplies must be flown in, which is very expensive. While our children have always had Bible teaching every day, they have never had the written Word. Now the children are learning to handle the Bible. They can find, read, and memorize the Scriptures for themselves.
“It is written: ‘Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.'” Matthew 4:4.
July has always been known as the month of hunger in South Sudan. It is a gap between two crop harvests. The Sudanese are subsistent farmers, meaning they grow only enough food for their own families. There is no refrigeration or means to store food, therefore there are periods of time when food is in short supply. This year is particularly problematic, as 1.5 million people have fled their homes as a result of the political and tribal conflict, and therefore have not cultivated their garden. The rainy season has compounded the situation, as the road have become impassable. Trucks are unable to bring food from other places. Even if a person had money to purchase food, which most do not, there is no food available in the market to buy.
The food shortage began earlier this year and has affected the community of Akot. However, the 600 students of Akot Christian Ministries primary schools are eating a nutritious meal daily. This blessing is possible through the generosity of God’s people, and a partnership with Baptist Global Response.
Last Monday Rose Paul, the Women’s Ministry Director of ACM, reported the following story. “About 11 in the morning I was called to see about a child that had fainted at school. He was so weak he could not sit up. I held him and was able to get him to take some milk. We called for his mother to come to the school. When I asked her why he was so weak she said, ‘there is no food in my house and he has not eaten since Friday at school.’ This is a situation that we are hearing more often recently.
Living Water Community Transformation is committed to helping this community become more self-sufficient through education, training, discipleship, better farming practices, small businesses and growing future leaders. The political situation has caused some set backs, but we are continuing to make progress. Please pray with us to that end.
Bread of Life
Akot Christian Ministries is very excited about our new Agri-business ministry. We are keenly aware that the community must have some way to stimulate their economy, if they will ever become self-sufficient. The land is very fertile in Akot, and there is a demand for more food all over South Sudan. Therefore we hope to develop the local resources into businesses that can be sustained. This ministry has been in the planning and research phase for quite some time. We are now very pleased to commission “Bread of Life Farm”. Eleven acres were given to ACM by Executive Chief, Jonson Maker Athian. ACM has put in a new well and fence. The land has been cleared and is currently being plowed, and soon will be planted.
ACM has two students in the college of agriculture in the Christian University in Juba, John Poth and Kuot Aguto. In addition ACM has two candidates (pictured above) in an Agriculture Training Center in Yei, South Sudan. Isaac Marial on the left and Isaac Mading on the right will complete their course work in August.
The Women’s Ministry has a goat business already in operation. Twenty-five ladies each were given 8 goats to manage. Goats typically produce 4 offspring per year. The women will give back half the offspring for ACM to sell. The women will keep half of the kids as their payment. The proceeds from the sale of the goats will be used to sustain the Women’s Ministry’s expenses.
Part of the school curriculum for Living Water Primary and Abundant Life Primary, is learning about agriculture. This curriculum is lead by our Farm Director, Pilot Mayom. This year the field classes will be much more interesting.
Morning devotions are required for all staff and students involved in ACM activities. The devotions are typically Bible stories, discussion, songs and prayer. The curriculum for Farm workers will be “Food Stories from the Bible”, by J.O. Terry.
Pray that this Agribusiness will be viewed by the Sudanese as a blessing from the Lord. And that they will seek the Lord, not only the food that He gives.
“Jesus declared, ‘I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry and he who believes in me will never be thirsty.'” John 6:35.
Urgent Prayer Request
Three months ago our sister organization, Akot Medical Mission, closed. There is no other healthcare facility in the area. Though the Health Education taught by ACM improved the overall health of the community through preventative measures, there is now a desperate need for medical care. This need is only going to intensify over the next few months of the malaria season. Please join us in prayer about how to assist the community with this critical need.
Please pray for the work that God is doing in South Sudan. If you would like to partner with us through financial support, you may contribute by mailing a check or by credit card via the website. See below for contact information.