BGC Prayer Partners' Update

Dear BGC Prayer Partners,

Best wishes and prayers to our American partners and friends on this Thanksgiving Day!

We do indeed thank God for the harvest and the rich resources he has given us. We pray that we can use them wisely and carefully. We pray that South Sudan can have the stability to use and conserve the land that have been entrusted with.

Three things to give thanks or pray for as we approach the end of the semester at BGC.

1. We give thanks that Elisama Mangu, a very able former student from BGC, who transferred to Africa International University in Nairobi has graduated with a Bachelor in Theology. John Marineau Turpin who used to tutor him at BGC in 2012 has forwarded us the details and pictures:

Dear Friends,

Elisama Mangu was my best student academically and a wonderful servant leader at Bishop Gwynne College for a semester in Juba. While at BGC, he was accepted into the higher level Bachelor's in Theology program at Africa International University (formerly NEGST/Nairobi Evangelical Graduate School of Theology).  

Two and a half years ago, some of you helped to give him a "push" financially during the first year of his studies at AIU. Praise God! He finished his studies and graduated from AIU in August. He worked extra hard to be able to finish early, save money, and rejoin his family in Yambio, South Sudan. He earn A's and B's--mostly A's--along the way, and though he had a little extra help, he was able to fund most of his studies through academic scholarships. 

I invite you to rejoice with him at this great accomplishment, give thanks to God for his help and faithfulness and pray for him and his family in whatever future roles God has in store. To be certain, the church in South Sudan will benefit from his thoughtfulness and humility in whatever capacity he serves. 

Amen!

John

 

 Elisama Mangu receives his Bachelor in Theology at AIU

2. We pray for all the current students engaged in end of semester exams. This is a demanding time – especially for first year students who have not experienced them before. Please also pray for the tutors.

3. Earnestly pray for the stalled talks in Addis Ababa upon which the future peace and subsequent development of South Sudan depends. So much hangs on the readiness of Salva Kiir and Ryak Machar to put past differences behind them and work together for the interests of the country. They hold the keys to peace.

Blessings,

Trevor

BGC Prayer Partners Update

Dear Bishop Gwynne College Prayer Partners
We have been buoyed up by your prayers and we are very grateful to you all.
Tina and I returned from Juba yesterday restored by the sunshine and the amazing spirit of the people we have met. Despite all their problems (caused by the failure of people in key places) so many people are ready to make South Sudan work. Generations have been traumatized and damaged and it is this that leads to the outbreaks of violence by men with guns, often drunk and out of control.

The people we met are humble (but by no means powerless) Christians close to God. They, too, are traumatised, but they are open to the healing balm of God's presence. The Spirit flows freely like blood in their veins as they work for justice, peace, reconciliation, and healing in their torn world.

BGC is recognised as a key element in the task as young and dedicated students are trained to be in the forefront of the work of God in every corner of South Sudan and beyond (we have a student from the Nuba Mountains too.) These children of generations of civil war need more than humanitarian aid and resources to help them help themselves, they need our prayers and our love. Thank you for giving them that.

Find attached a fuller report of our visit.

Trevor Stubbs,

International Consultant

For your prayers in particular:

The College

• Thank God for the wonderful work of principal and staff making a little go a very long way. Pray that God will bless this work and keep them strong.
• Thank God for the ten graduates who have now mostly gone back to their dioceses and are engaged in the front line of the mission of God to "preach the word and share the love" (as is the motto of BGC).
• Thank God for the new students and those who are continuing in their second and third years - altogether forty-two students (five women and thirty-seven men). They specifically ask for your prayers for the end of November and beginning of December as they come to sit their exams.
• Thank God for some very able part-time tutors to complement the staff. Pray that they teach effectively and overcome the difficulties of transport etc..
• We thank God for the new college library and the ten new computers donated by World Vision and the evening classes in their use. Pray for the librarian as he works through cataloguing the new book donations, and the students as try to keep the library in good order.
• Thank God for keeping the college financially in the black for the past few months due to the gradual recovery of the local economy and the generosity of overseas donors.

I return with three specific prayer requests:

• Please pray that the right person be found to become the Academic Dean of the college. We are looking for an ordained pastor (male or female) with at least a bachelors but preferably a masters in theology. This is definitely a vocational post for someone who has a heart for the students and the development of South Sudan who is willing to stay in post for several years. BGC not only deserves the best, but needs the best for the work it is called to do.

• Please pray for significant overseas donations for:

a) funds to help increase the salaries of the staff. Inflation is high. Our levels of pay are very low compared to those offered by other institutions. (I was shocked to discover our principal earns about the same as a simple driver for an NGO aid charity based in Juba!). People who work for the college do so from a sense of vocation (this includes everyone – the watchmen, cooks, cleaners, logistic officers and tutors) but they all still need enough to feed their families and pay their children's school fees.

b) a grant to put solar panels on the roof of the new library to guarantee power for the computers during the day-time. We're looking for at least USD $10,000.

The Nation

• Pray for the talks in Addis Ababa and the readiness of the political leaders of South Sudan to really desire to find a peaceful solution.
• Pray that the official cease-fire is taken seriously by all sides in Unity, Upper Nile and Jonglei States as we enter the dry season. Pray that we do not get a repeat of the horrific atrocities earlier this year.
• Pray for the hundreds of thousands in refugee camps in and around South Sudan and the UNHCR and IOM efforts to sustain them. Pray that the international community will honour its contributions to the World Food Programme funds.