March 2006

Dear friends,

Warm greetings to you all in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. First, I want to thank God for my safe arrival on the mission field.

Christmas was spent in Nairobi Kenya with my family. It was a great time of love and sharing and remembering the death of the prince of peace. However, most of my time was spent with Across in preparation and orientation with the policy and meeting new people.

On the 13th January I flew out to my base at Yei in southern Sudan. I was both excited and nervous to return to my homeland after living in England for over ten years. I was overwhelmed by the poverty and devastation of the civil war. There was a vastness of dirt roads, dust and very hot.

After twenty-one years of war peace has finally come. However, one of the challenges of peace has been growing tension between different groups in the south. My own tribe and clan live in the Mundri area that has seen particularly strong conflict between the local population and cattle people who were displaced from their homes in the fighting more than ten years ago. The Moru community originally welcomed them but now they have outstayed their welcome and their cows have become a pest to the local farmers. As a result this as caused some bloodshed but we thank God the cows have now been moved.

My work mainly has been with the youth and sports ministries. It has been mainly an introductory period to get to know nine different denominations and churches. In the south of Sudan 70 per cent of people are believers but there is tremendous need for the teaching in Gods word so that the body of Christ can grow in maturity. We held a three day seminar mainly empowering the youth leaders with Gods word and as a result 14 became born again praise God.
From February 17th to 23rd, I attended some conferences in Ethiopia on sports ministries. The conferences organized by S.I.M mission have established a sports ministry in Ethiopia known has ‘Sports Friends’. They used sports as a bridge to reach the lost mainly in an Islamic area and as a result they planted 40 churches and many have come to know Christ. The conference was very inspirational and so we are looking to start sports ministry under the umbrella of Across in Sudan. I am very excited about the prospects of seeing many come to Christ.

Above all the first two months has been mainly a taster. I see myself like prophet Nehemiah watching and seeking God before rebuilding the walls in Sudan, although there are many challenges such as different types of food and adjustment to the heat and the culture.

Prayer requests

• Pray for wisdom as we look to start a sports ministry
• Prayer for a Spiritual encourager
• Prayer for adjustment to the culture and the weather
• Give thanks for God’s goodness

Thank you again for your prayers and support without I would not be able to do what I am doing now.

Yours in Christ

Emmanuel Sharland