There was much anticipation and excitement in the air in the lead up to Friday, the 10th of April, the day we had set aside to mark the occasion of both our libraries being ready for use and opened!
The teachers decided it was an occasion to be celebrated with three goats to be killed to feed the students and their parents who had been invited. The goats hung about the school for a few days prior, and I found myself thinking about how they didn’t know what was coming, but how special these three goats were to end their life being part of this celebration!
Out under an enormous tree in the school compound, we cleared the grounds and set up chairs, and the Grade 1 class decorated a bamboo arch for the guests to walk through, with colours and balloons, and a bible verse about attaining wisdom. Parents wandered in, mothers dressed in their finest colourful clothes. The youngest class sang a Psalm and the older class joined them later.
James, the principal welcomed the guests, and Yel, a teacher, prayed and gave a devotion on Family Worship and the importance of teaching children the word of God. He had found a book on this in the theological library a few days prior and wanted to share its wisdom. Two older students welcomed the guests, speaking in English and Dinka, and another prayed. A parent spoke of once visiting a library in the country of Sudan and how amazing it had been, and how thankful they were that such a thing was now available for their children here. The encouragement was that these books, Lord willing, will be there for these children, and their children’s children.
While lunch was being served, students offered to the guests small group tours and an introduction to both the children’s library and the Theological Library. Some high school students wanted the opportunity to speak about the books, how they had wished these had been there when they were younger, and how much they appreciated seeing African literature on the shelves. They had prayed, they said, for good to come to their community. They expected this good to come in the form of money or jobs. What a surprise that this time, the answer came unexpectedly in the form of books! Thank the Lord for the joy they found in this answered prayer. Hearing this testimony of praise and being given a glimpse into their growing faith is an enormous encouragement.
The following morning, Professor Alastair McEwen (Geelong RPC), via zoom from Australia, ran a workshop for pastors and elders on using the theological library. He shared examples of using books for sermon preparation. Over coffee and translations and enjara and beans, these men sat around a table and learned about gaining wisdom and insight.
We thank God for the library project and all those who worked hard to bring these books to South Sudan. You can read more about the library project here.
Prayer Points:
- Please pray that these two libraries will be maintained, cared for, and utilised well.
- Pray that the literature will be a blessing, will enhance the learning and education, and will open new ideas and encouragements about God’s world and God’s word.
- Thank God for the many people for the past years leading up to this day who helped to make this possible.
Louise Blakston. Cush 4 Christ team member.
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There is a VERY pressing need for more laborers in South Sudan. Please pray for the Lord of the Harvest to send out labourers into the harvest. If anyone is interested, you can reach out to servechrist@rpglobalmissions.org
