March 2010

Prayer Answers, Thanksgivings and Petitions

There has been so much happening in the last two month's. Although we haven't sent a formal prayer letter, we have contacted you on various developments and we know you have not given up praying!

NBGC now has its own webpage. See the link on the right.

So we hope there is plenty to keep you going for your prayers.

Trevor and Tina

1. The Staff and Students

Praise God for the long awaited re-opening of the college. We have all but two of the 15 students who were here at the suspension of the college in February 2009. One of these will join us in August. At present he is very busy - he has been made a bishop! (All our students, of course, are already ordained).

Praise God for the four new students that have come to learn English full time.

Praise God for their enthusiasm and hard work. The industry and application of the people of this country when given an opportunity and sense of direction never ceases to amaze.

Praise God for the wonderful way the teachers have quickly settled in.

Please pray for all the students and staff as they grow and learn and meet the challenges of studying Scripture and tradition at some depth.

Pray for Robin Denney as she prepares to return to Juba on 11th March. Among her jobs is teaching agriculture at the college.

Pray for the bishops of the ECS as they discover new students for the new year. We are looking for at least 25 and we need you to "pray them in!". The applicants needs to be a certain level to ensure we can continue to aim for a high standard. The criteria are on the college website.

2. College Development

Pray for the forth-coming inspection from representatives of St Paul's, Limuru (23rd to 26th March) to ascertain whether or not we have reached the standards necessary for affiliation. We are praying that we will be able to begin offering Limuru Diplomas in August 2010 so that the new students will be on a path that can take them on to a degree and beyond.

3. The New Site

Give thanks for the support we have been awarded by the Anglican Communion Fund and the Appeal of the Bishop of Salisbury that began on Ash Wednesday. This has brought the development of the new site much closer. Pray for the success of the appeal, not just in terms of money but love and prayer.

Pray that those who are occupying the site as a lessee, on a short-term basis or informally may quickly find new places for their enterprises so that development can begin without causing too much difficulty for them. Pray for those being asked to tender for the work and design new buildings, the legal department of the ECS, and all the other professionals involved.

Pray for Anglican International Development who are working an idea for future development for supporting NBGC as well as other economic development through micro-finance in Juba and beyond.

4. Our Visitors

Pray for those planning visitors to our college this term. My they travel safely and without difficulty. Remember Bishop David and his party from Salisbury, Professor Joseph Britton from Berkeley College (Yale, USA), and Prof. Eeva John and students from Trinity College (Bristol, UK).

5. The ECS

We give thanks for the newly appointed bishops in Nzara and Wau and we pray for those dioceses as they continue the task of witnessing and caring for their communities.

We pray for the Diocese of Twic East and Bishop Ezekiel Diing as they face problems of local conflict. May the Church bring a real desire for peace in that vast area on the borders of Ethiopia.

We give thanks for the safe arrival of Rebecca Coleman to work as the Archbishop's International Coordinator in place of Nic Ramsden who is now working for the government of South Sudan. Pray that she settles into the job well.

6. The Nation

We praise God for the enthusiasm for the first elections in 26 years. We give thanks a real desire for democracy in the south of the country. We pray for those standing for election both locally and nationally. May there be a good turn out in April in polling week. We pray that the whole process - before, during and after - may pass peacefully.