Most of the people on our Christmas list do not need or lack anything. However, there are many people in the world who have a tremendous lack of the basic necessities of life. Have you ever asked why God allows some to have more than they need, while others are suffering because of lack of food and clothes? Could it be that He expects us, who have plenty, to be generous and bless those who are in need?
Do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased. (Hebrews 13:16)
We have a few ideas that will provide life sustaining gifts for people who will really need them. You will be showing the love of God through your gift, and you will be the recipient of the greatest blessing.
– Years of conflict, displacement and economic collapse are depriving the children of South Sudan of education. Living Water CT operates two primary schools with 750 students. For just $75 you can provide education for one child for a year.
– Primary school goes through 8th grade. Statistics indicate that people who do not continue to practice reading lose their literacy skills. LWCT plans to open a library in the community. A gift of $50 will provide 10 library books.
– Pastors meet in 3 separate communities, 3 times a week. There is no missionary providing training. The men study together and discuss the passages. Study Bibles are important to assist their understanding. You can help prevent false teaching in the churches with a gift of $25 for a Study Bible.
– Every Sunday morning one can hear the sound of drums throughout our communities in South Sudan. It is the call to worship, and leads processions such as a march to the river for baptisms. The drum is made by a local craftsman from an empty oil drum and cowhide. $100 provides this very essential church “equipment”.
– Ten ladies will graduate from a year’s training in sewing school in December. Each graduate will be awarded her own machine to start her own small business. LWCT is beginning a new sewing school in a different community in January 2019. $100 will provide one of the 25 machines that are needed.
– In January 20 new ladies will begin sewing classes. You can help by providing $25 for a basic kit of sewing materials for one lady.
She selects wool and flax and works with eager hands. She makes linen garments and sells them, and supplies the merchants with sashes. (Proverbs 31:13. 24)
– “South Sudan is in the midst of a catastrophic humanitarian crisis driven by over four years of brutal civil war.” (Hunger Crisis in South Sudan. Oxfam International, Nov 5, 2018) Bread of Life Farm serves as a demonstration farm, teaching the communities better farm techniques. You can help by purchasing improved varieties of seeds of peanuts, sorghum, millet, maize and okra for $50.
– Our experiment of raising chickens in a coop this year proved to be quite successful, in spite of the extreme heat. Free range chickens are very vulnerable to predators. You can provide the construction materials to build a home coop for a family for $50.
– A flock of 10 chickens for a home flock costs $35.
– The farm has also successfully grown mango, guava and papaya trees. You can give 30 plantings (10 of each variety) to a family to start their own home fruit trees.
A generous man will himself be blessed, for he shares his food with the poor. (Proverbs 22:9)
– Gardening is hard work anywhere, but is especially difficult in such harsh climate, as in South Sudan. But if your family’s survival depends on it, it is not optional. LWCT has taught our communities the benefit of cooperative community gardening.
The large gardens by the women’s groups, the churches, and the schools together with Bread of Life Farm successfully produced enough food for the communities to sustain themselves throughout the cyclic months of hunger. We are very thankful, as this was the first time in several years in which they have not needed emergency food. We all know the right tools can make every job easier. Will you help them sustain their success by donating $150 for garden tools? This includes a shovel, rake, hoe and wheelbarrow.
– Six months of drought and six month of rain makes having more than one growing season impossible for home gardens. Bread of Life Farm has a solar irrigations system. However, the average walk water for a woman is 45 minutes, and 5 gallons is all that she can carry in one trip for her family and garden (culturally unacceptable for men to carry water). We are in the process of training women to use a simple drip irrigation system in their home gardens. Please consider providing some of these kits. Each kit costs $10. We need multiple kits.
– Plowing is extremely difficult at the end of the 6 month dry season. It must be done just as soon as the rains begin. It is impossible to plough much ground without an oxen team. Where there are no oxen, the manger is empty, but from the strength of an ox comes an abundant harvest. (Proverbs 14:4) Please consider providing a pair of oxen for a church garden. The team will be shared by two churches.
– $125 will supply one new plow.
He who works his land will have abundant food.” Pr. 12:11
Food is scarce in South Sudan, but because of your faithfulness, Living Water Community Transformation is making a difference in the lives of the people of Akot and the surrounding communities.
If you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed, then your light will rise in the darkness and your night will become like the noonday. Isaiah 58:10
Please consider choosing gifts for your loved ones from this list. Just send a message and donation, with the name of your recipient. We will notify the recipient of your gift in their name.
