Prayer Answers, Thanksgivings and Petitions

August 2010

Dear Prayer Partners,

First, may I welcome those who have just joined the Prayer Partners of the New Bishop Gwynne College, Juba, Sudan.

Your prayers have been so much needed at the very busy and crucial time in the history of the college. That is why we are issuing this special request.

1. NBGC Day of Prayer

We rejoice and give thanks today, 8th August, for a special NBGC Day throughout the province for prayer and giving. We are enriched by this day. (Some of the province is keeping next week instead =15th.)

2. Students

Pray for the students preparing to come to the college from 14th August for the beginning of the new semester. Pray especially for those living in areas where the risk to travellers from criminal gangs is high. Pray that they may travel safely.

We give thanks for the offers of sponsorships for our students from three countries, Germany, the UK and the USA. We have sponsors for all three of the students from Torit and others too. Pray that all our students who dioceses cannot pay will get sponsorships.

Pray for the new students that they will quickly settle in.

3. Staff

We give thanks that the Revd Joseph Taban and Mr Mark Mayool have joined the staff for the new semester. We also pray for Bishop Francis Loyo who will be teaching African Christian Theology.

Pray that we can soon find an agency to teach the basic facts of HIV/AIDS to tie in with our pastoral care topic.

Pray for all the members of staff at the college, both teaching and ancillary.

Pray for God's guidance in the use of two sites 15 mins walk apart, and the staff as they devise a workable time-table. Pray that we may the right number of staff to deliver the programme effectively and efficiently.

4. Library

Give thanks for hundreds of new books that have come and are still coming from Britain and the UK. Pray for Tina as spends many hours processing and shelving them. The library has had to be reorganised for a second time to accommodate them all.

4. New Site

Give thanks that work on the first building will be completed for the arrival of the students on Saturday, 14th. This large building will house a temporary dormitory and teaching room.

Pray for the Interim Board meeting on 11th August when the final decisions will be made regarding the awarding of contracts for the building of the fence, the renovation of the dormitory building, the erection of a new toilet and washing block, and staff housing. (We shall need all the money promised us from Salisbury, the Anglican Communion Fund and Bridport. As hoped for investment at the front of the college is still at the ideas stage, the archbishop has indicated that we should enclose a much larger portion of land from the outset, and this may limit what we can do elsewhere.)

5 Long-term Investment

We have land and sites that, if developed, will bring in all the money the college will need for the foreseeable future. The need for this is urgent if NBGC is to keep on track and maintain the growth in the student population.

Pray that investment in income generating enterprises may be forth-coming.

Pray for those already considering a large convention and knowledge centre with halls, libraries, restaurants, media and technology centres, and accommodation etc.

Pray for investors who will value the ethos, work and aspirations of the college.