Happy Easter season

Happy Easter season. I am doing good and we had a wonderful palm Sunday where we went to All Saints for prayers and I really liked it. I hope you had a wonderful march since last time the donkey had a problem and you did not have a march.

In the photo, the lady standing on my right is our CUEASA chairperson. On her right is the secretary and on the right of the secretary is a father called Father Yigga and a Sudanese lecturer in catholic university. WE have a sister putting on veil (taking the veil - JG) she is our treasurer responsible for the money we contribute whenever we have a get together. On my left (in the next photo - not this one - JG) is a Kenyan friend i invited to attend the get together. Mogga was our Vice chairperson. Others not included in the photo but I will send them if we meet on 10th. (CUESA is the Catholic University of Eastern Africa Sudanese Association - JG)

I liked to photos Mady have posted with Emily - they have done great for my support. I appreciate their work and you all before and during the Easter season.

About the trimester (I have said we couldn't at present fund 3 terms a year - JG) I understand how hard it is really to raise that lots of amount in a year. I understand and will continue with the semester program. Don't worry about that. I will go for a break to Sudan during the holiday and resume for the next semester and God willing I will complete through your support within the four years.

Soon you will be licensed a Lay minister and everything will be okay. What we need in life is to succeed in life and empower others in what they want to achieve. Soon the four years I am remaining will be over and you will be licensed.

I really appreciate what Julia has done and I will write to her for the great help she has done for me may God bless her and heal her through the power of the Lord Jesus Christ soon. I always prayed that one day God will touch the heart of his people to support me in my education. Now he has answered my prayers.

This Easter week I will be taking a tour to Naivasha around Kenya. It is a nice tourism centre where we shall be going with friends for a break. We will return to prepare for our Exams which is to start on 15th April. I ask for your prayers during the exams season. God bless you all.

yours Brother in Christ Mike

e-mail from Bishop Francis

Lovely to hear from you Jenny regarding the weather conditions in your area and the growing flowers coming as it is surely the spring.

Yes, we always experience a new life every year and that our lives can be renewed too, especially when we soon will enter the Easter season. We hope that Lent has taken us more closely than ever in our journey and that we see new things happening and new life as we experience the new beginning.

You are right Jenny that Yemba will go on normally [i.e. for two terms per year - JG] and that he should rather be thinking of the possibility of getting in touch with any Christian organisation here in Juba so that when he is on vacation he will work to know his profession voluntarily before the next semester begins.

I will try to find an organisation like Tear Fund UK based in Juba, MAF-Juba, World Vision International-Juba. CMS is not operating here in Juba but in Nairobi. We need to encourage Yemba to do that so that he gets some experiences, and plans for his future work

God's blessings

Bishop Loyo

Sudanese association/ test results

How are you doing?

I know you are working hard for the trimester issue to raise the fund but I'm really sorry for putting you into that. If you don't raise on time or if it delays don't worry about that. I will continue with the semester program if not possible. Please don't be stressed.

I am doing a bit fine although for the past weekends we have been for meeting for Sudanese association. Catholic University of Eastern Africa Sudanese Association (CUEASA) is organised every year to welcome new students so that we can interact and get to know each other. It was fun and interesting to feel at home. Photos to follow.

I have just got my transcript results and it is not pleasing to me but hope to work well in the next semester. I really feel bad because you are really doing a lot for me and some things are not to expectation. I'm working for the end to be successful. Thank you very much for your support I appreciate what you friends are doing. God bless you. (Transcript to follow.)

Greetings to all family members

Your brother in Christ, Mike.

Good news from Rokon

Mogga Loyo also e-mailed this week, to let me know about an environemental workshop that he had led in Rokon.

The background to this is the deforestation and environmental degradation inflicted on South Sudan by the occupying troops during the civil war.

South Sudan's Forestry Officers are working to grow seedlings to aid in the reforestation of their countryside. This picture shows Mogga (right) with his twin sister Kulang and a Forestry Officer.

Having wisely secured the backing of three local chiefs, Mogga's workshop got people thoroughly involved in planning for action. If I have understood correctly, one immediate outcome was the ceremonial planting of a seedling tree.

Please pray that the people of South Sudan will be able to acquire the knowledge and skills they need to rehabilitate their war-ravaged country.

Good news from Juba

This week Mike forwarded a news story to me, which told of a thousand illegal arms having been seized by the Government of South Sudan's security forces in Juba. The Minister of Internal Affairs said the search for these hidden weapons had been prompted by many killings carried out at night in Juba by men wearing military uniforms. Many people were said to have expressed happiness about a successful operation to improve security in Juba.

My question was:
I think and hope it is an answer to prayer. Do you? But what about the General tracking down the LRA and stopping them? I think that should be the highest priority. What do the people of South Sudan say about that?

Mike replied:
Through a joint prayer every thing will improve one by one [one thing at a time - JG]. i think it is just the start. they want to provide security in town areas then expand further .For the LRA i think it will take time because they usually come and cause problems then runs to Central African Republic whereby Sudan has no power to go and face them from another country we pray everything will be okay after some tome [time -JG].

News from Mike and Mogga 12/9/09

Hi Jenny.
I think you are really having a nice time with your sister Clare but having a hard time over there like communication problem through the Internet.

This semester I am doing Bible studies which I am really enjoying because we are really learning a lot of things from the Bible. The first week we were given an assignment about the importance of Bible studies, for which I got 18/20, so I was very excited. The computer is really helping me a lot; thank you once again for the computer.

The situation in Sudan is getting better. When Mogga came back., he told me there was rain and although most plants dried up when the rain did not come back for some time, the vegetation is now green. As for the fighting, it has been solved by the government forces and people have come together, except in the eastern part of Sudan, which is rather remote. There is frequent cattle raiding.

I didn’t tell you that Mogga has organised a workshop which he went to facilitate and every thing went okay. It was about environmental activities/care of the environment.

I wish you a good family meeting. One day if we all achieve our goal we shall do the same, since we’re all far from each other. Insecurity in other places where other brothers and sisters are staying has hindered us as a family.

Greetings to everybody over there. God bless you all,

your brother in Christ
Mike

Beginning of first semester, year 2

Hallo Jenny,
I am happy to hear from you too. I am really pleased about what you are doing for me.
I expect you are happy because your daughter is with you. Please send my greetings to all of them.
About this semester: I have not sent a receipt yet, because since our university always delays giving a receipt until they prove whether your cheques has cleared. When it is out I will send it to you immediately.
Mogga (Mike's foster brother who is a student at the same university) is now in Sudan but he will be coming in one week’s time. He is doing trimesters - that is three semesters in a year; not like my course which is two semesters a year. He has a break of two weeks a semester. We pray too for our country for what is taking place over there so that things will be okay.When are you completing your Bible studies? I think it will not take many years.God bless you for every thing you do.
Your brother in Christ
Mike