November 2008

Dear Friends

Greetings to you in Jesus name, we hope you are well. We are fine here in Yei and growing stronger and stronger in the Lord.


In September the security situation was not so bad, the only problem is that a number of robberies were reported in and around the town, like a motorbike was stolen from the diocese of Yei, a barrel for water storage was stolen from the Moru congregation’s pastor in charge, two people were killed and their bodies were thrown into a river. But the most worrying thing is the number of accidents due to reckless riding of motorbikes. Almost every day we get to hear about accidents on the roads. People around here do not respect traffic rules, so lives are lost easily.

We want to thank God for the start of FLY SPORTS Mundri, we travelled from Yei to Juba on the 14th of October and proceeded to Mundri on the 15th, but unfortunately, we had to spend the night in Lui and proceed to Mundri on the 16th.

The roads in the south are terrible, most of them are inaccessible during the rainy seasons, and people only make use of them after the rains. When we left Juba, we travelled well until we reached a few miles to Lui, there is a point where more than 50 vehicles were stuck or waiting to cross. When we reached there, our bus was like the tenth in the queue and the vehicles were being pulled by one of the vehicles working on the road. When our bus got into the mud to be pulled, the people working on the road said their time was up, so they promised to pull the bus the following day. We were bound to sleep in the middle of nowhere if we were not going to find an alternative means of transport from there either to Mundri town or Lui. We prayed and told God we were not prepared to sleep inside the bus, and then we heard that someone with a lorry was driving back to Lui because he could not proceed to Juba. We met him and he agreed to take us as long as he was paid 5 US dollars by each passenger.

When we reached Mundri, we discussed with the church leaders and government officials our aim, they received our ideas well and agreed to support FLYSPORTS in its work among the youth. On the 23rd of October people gathered at the cathedral compound and FLYSPORTS was launched. There was entertainment from a local drama group and the Sunday school presented a song as well.

We are now back in Yei, trying to write reports and rest as well, because our bodies are paining from the long journey.

I (Manny) have started a discipleship class called Salt and Light. I am planning to use the G12 vision, the number in my group has not yet reached twelve but I guess Jesus did not get his twelve in one day, so slowly the number is increasing. We have been meeting under a mango tree every Wednesday from 3 to 5 P.M.

On my side (Grace), I have now settled down in the Radio department of Across, I am producing programs mainly concerning women. While we were in Mundri, I managed to conduct a number of interviews for my programs. I have also been helping out in the FLY SPORTS department twice a week. This includes compiling photos for reports and next year’s calendars. We are thinking about producing pamphlets or magazines as well but we are not sure of when we will start the work.

Prayer Points

We give thanks for the start and end of the FLY SPORTS League
We give thanks for the start of Salt and Light (discipleship classes)
We give thanks for the FLYSPORTS talk show which is going on one of the local FM radio stations.
We give thanks for the start of FLYSPORTS Mundri
We give thanks for the safe journey to and from Mundri

yours in Christ

Emmanuel and Grace

September 2008

Dear Friends

Warm greetings to you from Yei in Southern Sudan. How are you I hope all is going well with you?

First of all I want to say many thanks to you for your prayers and your support. After leaving England in May we arrived in Nairobi Kenya. During our time in Nairobi we mainly spent time packing our personal belongs from our flat into small boxes in order to transport to Sudan. However, we found that the time packing luggage and moving to southern Sudan turned out to be tiring and frustration began to enter in. For example Across was supposed to help with the logistics and movements of the luggage from Nairobi to Yei, but they were very slow in organising transportation. We, therefore had to organise an alternative means of moving our luggage from Nairobi.

The Bible says the prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective weapon against the enemy and it clears dark paths.
So we began to pray for strength and wisdom and as a result of God's help, everything worked out well.

Since we arrived in Yei from Nairobi we have so far been trying to sort-out our house, unpacking items from Nairobi, putting them in one corner of the house and changing their location to make the house look better. This is the Year of Beginnings for us, new wife and new house and hopefully a new car. The youth of Yei welcomed us back warmly and plus they were very happy to see us in town again. The young people in Yei are hungry for Development, Sports activities and above all the Word of God.

Currently in Yei it is the rainy season and the rains are mainly falling heavily during the evening hours, giving us a cool weather, something to thank God for, because Sudan can really get hot with temperatures reaching 40 degrees Celsius and above. When you take a walk to town, you will see potholes everywhere and all the roads are muddy. The good side of the story is that lots of shops are coming up and hotels are also increasing in number, but the only problem is that most of the goods being used in Yei come from Uganda.

There has been so far three years of peace in Sudan after the 21 years of fierce war between the Northern Government and the SPLA. As you walk around you can see a glimmer of hope amongst the local people, a sense that God has not forgotten them.
Since my arrival to Yei so far I have managed to conduct several meetings with the F.A (Football Association) and the county authorities regarding the Fly Sports football League. The league will resume in September 2008 and we are looking forward to register around fifteen teams for the Super League and thirty teams for the Kids League.

I have also begun preaching at the local churches and on 17th of August, ten young people became born again and Baptised in the Holy Spirit at one of the branches of the Sudan Pentecostal church. Grace has started her radio work and it is going well although she is still going through the orientation process, she has also started looking for the local people to work with and empower through discussions and also involving them in the recording of the programs. However she is adjusting well to the new beginnings and surroundings.

June 2008

Dear Friends,

I greet you all in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ. I feel as though this year is the year of Resurrection and new Beginnings.

Isaiah 40 v31 ‘But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like the eagles; they will walk and not be faint’.

During times in our lives sometimes we feel weary and tired. I remember in Sudan with the heat and the busyness and working hard in the ministry, that I have certainly been tired and weary. However, whilst in England I remember preaching the whole day at a

conference and at the end of the day was very exhausted and tired. Therefore I took couple of days off but was still tired, so the next day I spent some time praying and for the first time it was like the tiredness had left me and gone. I felt so refreshed and spiritually restored and resurrected by the power of the spirit.

Secondly I want to offer many thanks for your prayers and support. As we reflect briefly on 2007 it has been a challenging, significant and blessed year. As you may have gathered Grace and I have not long been married so we thank God for his goodness.

During my first visit to Sudan I was not quite sure what to expect, I was full of fear, apprehension and nervousness. Sudan has suffered from the longest war in Africa, the people and the country have changed and there is a different spirit operating now with a spirit of fear, a spirit of laziness and of war and destruction, however in spite of all this God is still working amongst his people. The Birth of Fly Sports (‘Follow the Lord Yourself’) has created a sports ministry to encourage and give hope to the youth of Southern Sudan and spread the Gospel. There are sixty football teams and three leagues. Through this ministry in schools we have seen 1500 come to know Christ. The next step is to Disciple them in small groups through the word of God.

Grace and I enjoyed our visit to England; although it was her first time there she found it cold but exciting being in a different culture and country. During our stay in England we managed to visit Action Partners, churches in Reading and friends.

Our visit to Action Partners in Bawtry Hall was a time for Grace to meet the team in the head office and also undergo a brief interview. The outcome of this is that she is now an official staff member of Action Partners so we thank God for that. It was also good to share about what God has been doing in Sudan, to pray and strengthen relationships and update everyone as well.

In Reading we managed to catch up with the leaders and congregations of Greyfriars and Lifespring churches. We felt very encouraged to work in Partnership with them and we appreciate the support they give us. It was also good to meet up with some old friends. The remaining time was spent visiting different home groups and churches assigned by Action Partners.

Philippians 4 v19 ‘ for my God will supply all you needs according to his glorious riches in Christ’

Currently we are in Kenya sorting few things with Across at the head office, eventually I hope to move to Yei and start a new life with Grace.

Prayer Points:

• Pray for the sorting out of our luggage and moving to Yei.
• Pray for wisdom in operation in Gods work
• Pray for the on going support
• Thank God for what he as done so far.

Yours in Christ

Emmanuel and Grace Sharland

Message from Manny

February 2008

Manny & Grace visiting a Greyfriars cell group

Dear Friends,

I greet you all in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Firstly I want to thank God for our safe arrival in England from Southern Sudan after two years. As you are aware currently we are in England catching up with folks, refreshing and looking to raise more support for the work in Southern Sudan.

Secondly we want to thank God for our visit to Bawtry Hall in Doncaster, which is the headquarters for Action Partners Pioneers, the visit was very successful. My wife Grace has been formally accepted by the mission and she is now a staff member of Action Partners Pioneers, so really thank GOD for the positive outcome, this means we can both serve the Lord together in Southern Sudan.

Grace will be travelling back to Kenya to finish off her work and contract with the Sudan Radio Service in March; however, I will remain in England until the middle of April. During this time I will be doing presentations to some churches and partners, sharing about the work and the ministry of Fly Sports in Southern Sudan.

Please pray for us that God will continue to bless us as we need to raise £500 a month for the on-going work in Yei southern Sudan.

Overall we thank God for his goodness and provision and his hand being so powerfully in our lives and ministry.

Prayer Points:

• Pray that our visit in England will continue to be fruitful

• Pray for the finances needed for the on going work of Fly Sports youth ministry in Southern Sudan.

• Thank God for the successful visit with Action Partners Pioneers

• Pray for wisdom and understanding in every area for our remaining time in England

Thank you again for you prayers and support

Yours in Christ

Emmanuel Sharland

Sports & Youth Ministry in Yei (video)

September 2007

September 2007

Dear friends

Warm greetings to you all in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, praising the name of the Lord for he has done great things praise his Holy Name.
Psalms 113: From the raising of the sun to the place where its sets the Name of the Lord is to be praised.

As you may have gathered, I got married last month in Nairobi Kenya. At times prior to the wedding it looked like it was almost impossible or where the finances were going to come from, but God in his great mercy and faithfulness he met our needs because He is the provider for whatever we need. My wife Grace and I were in Malidi on the coast of Kenya for one week of Pioneers East Africa Retreat. During this period, we were able to praise God with other missionaries in East Africa and to hear the word of God and we got the chance to relax in the hot beach sunshine. We thank God for this.

The ministry of Fly Sports in southern Sudan is exploding; thousands of young people have become born again. However, more so it has brought the youth together and given a lot of morale and self-worth to the youth after twenty years in war torn Sudan. Fly Sports ministry is one of hope, peace, reconciliation, healing and hope for the entire nation, and we have truly seen the hand of God at work tremendously. The Anglican Bishop of Yei has been to see the work of Fly Sports and he is very pleased with the way things are going.

I am looking forward to returning to the frontline Christian ministry in south Sudan shortly, and to see the Kingdom of God expand through the Fly Sports teaching, preaching, and sports ministry. This year has been one of the best years of my life only because of great unconditional love and grace.

Prayer Requests:

• Thank God that the wedding went successfully and I got married
• Thank God that through the expansion of Fly Sports ministries thousands of young people have come to know Christ through it
• Pray for Gods wisdom in our marriage
• Pray for Gods leading as I look to go back to the frontline Christian ministry in Sudan
• Pray for Gods wisdom for Grace and myself as we prepare to come to England in January

Thank you again for you prayers and support

Yours in Christ

Emmanuel Sharland

With thanks to Adrian Watson for kindly providing these photos of Manny & Grace’s wedding

March 2007

March 2007


Report of trip to Sudan in December 2006 by Pastor Neville and Jackie Hollands

Back in the December of last year Pastor Neville Hollands and his wife Jackie from LifeSpring Church in Reading visited Manny at his base in Yei. Neville has very kindly offered to tell us about his visit there:

“We arrived in Uganda late on the 4th and the following day travelled to see Manny at Yei in Sudan on a small MAF aeroplane with only us and the pilot on board. Manny was waiting for us at the airport which was just as well as the pilot would not have left us there if he wasn’t! The ‘airport’ was an air strip and a hut for customs. We paid $100 to get in and were given no receipt (he had just run out!) and no stamps in our passports, but then this is Sudan! Thirty minutes later we were in the compound Manny stays in on the edge of the centre of Yei.

Yei is not a prosperous town, and is still suffering from the affects of the recent civil war, and even Manny has to be in his compound by 7.00 pm at night for safety reasons. There are many armed soldiers around which can be a bit intimidating, but I guess should also make it much safer too.

Manny is one of a number of ‘missionaries’ living in small ‘chalets’ and working under the umbrella of Across. They all eat together every evening and in the mornings most also meet for a devotional time together, then they all go their separate ways – there being maybe 4 or 5 different ministries represented. Manny is mainly involved in visiting schools and football training with youth in the town and tells us that thousands of youth, particularly in the schools, have responded to the gospel and are born again through his ministry.

Our two days with Manny were very good. We went with him to a couple of schools and also saw some of the lads he is coaching in football and saw them in action too. He hopes to get married soon - as soon as he can pay the dowry that is – including 2 men’s suits, 2 pairs of men’s shoes, 30 goats and $5000!

Before we left we talked to Manny. We were concerned that without any effective discipleship, Manny’s good work will not come to much. This was evidently the point his mission director was also making a few weeks earlier when visiting Manny. We talked about some possibilities as a way forward, including bringing the ministry under the covering of a local church and & letting them disciple & grow these new converts, but Manny’s preferred option was to find up to 12 young people and begin to equip and disciple them to do the same. In this way, without planting church as such, many, many new converts could be won and discipled, not just in Yei, but Manny’s vision is across South Sudan!

We left Manny 2 days later to continue our ministry trip in Uganda with Pastor Fred of Harvest Christian Church. It was great to see Manny. We noticed how popular Manchester United was among so many young people in Yei, and have therefore written to see if they may be able to sponsor Fly Sports (Manny’s sports ministry) in anyway”.


With thanks to Neville and Jackie Hollands

Manny's Mag: September 2006

Manny's Mag: September 2006

February 2007

Dear friends

Warm greetings to you from Sudan in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

First, I want to thank you very much for your prayers and support. I want to also to praise God for guiding us safely to the beginning of this New Year.

I am now back on the frontline Christian ministry. It started with Diarrhoea and vomiting but I have recovered now. The work is going well. The Fly Sports Yei football League is starting today. We are excited about what God is doing in Sudan. Some members of the Fly Sports ministry would like to share a few words with you:

“Hi, my name is Dumba Alsion my age is thirty. Since I joined Fly Sports ministry as an assistant Coach my relationship with God as grown deeper. I have also gained more confidence in myself and developed spiritual gifts as well as physical gifts thank God”.

“Hi, my name is Elisa Leame. I praise God for Fly Sports. It as helped me in so many ways. My parents and relatives respect me more. Fly Sports help me to develop skills and spiritually to know God more. Our youth in South Sudan are trying to create a spirit of peace and unity as a result of the work of Fly Sports praise God”.

Currently it is very hot because of the dry season. In addition, it is very dusty. Hundreds of people suffer from lack of clean water But God has not forgotten his people he is faithful in all of his ways. We are looking forward to the effects of the Fly Sports football league amongst the youth that many will come know Christ as personal saviour. We also look to disciple those who are new Christians through small groups so that they grow into mature Christian people.

Christmas and New Year was a blessing, a time of rest with loved ones and remembering the birth of Jesus Christ

I want to wish everyone a Happy New Year and thank you very much for your support and prayers I could not be doing what I am doing without your help



Yours in Christ

Emmanuel Sharland


You may also like to know that Manny has been featured in the latest issue of 'Interface' magazine published by Action Partners. If you have not already received a paper copy (that is if you ticked the box on the supporters form), then you can view an electronic version on the Action Partners website at www.actionpartners.org.uk This has a download page which holds the latest magazine issues in PDF format. You will need to register on the website to access this page, but registration is free.

December 2006

Dear friends

Warm Christmas greetings to you and a Happy New Year. First of all, thank you very much for your prayers and support it’s been truly a blessing to see what God as been doing in my life and ministry.

At the end of November it was a blessing to have Pastor Neville Hollands and his wife Jackie come over for a visit to southern Sudan. This showed me their love and support because they were willing to come all the way to see what God has been doing.

Action Partners’ Director Gerard Potifier also came for a one week visit. His time with me was both nerve racking and good. He was able to give me a lot of encouragement and support and he brought a big shadow over me.

Thousands of young people have come to know Christ in schools and we have launched Fly Sports in Yei in southern Sudan for the first time. We are praying this will make a big impact on the youth in Yei and then throughout southern Sudan. Above all, we are looking to be disciplined in our strategy.

Matthew 28: Make disciples of every man baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.

I will be spending Christmas with my family in Nairobi and looking to rest, eating lots of food and to catch up with a few things that need to be done. Above all praising God for what He has done. I will be returning to the field in January in the New Year after having plenty of rest.

But above all I want to thank God and to thank you all for your prayers and support; it has meant so much to me to know that you care. I would not be doing what I am doing now without your prayers and support.

May you all have a Blessed Christmas and Happy New Year

Yours in Christ

Emmanuel Sharland

November 2006

Dear Friends,

Here is an extract of a brief message from Manny received today:

"I am now back in Sudan and straight back in to work. I was suppose to be resting in KENYA but I ended up working so I feel as though there are so many demands and things to achieve. I am excited but my body needs a lot of rest. This is just quick note to say all is going well. A representative from the Action Partners head office is arriving in Yei tomorrow so I am looking forward to seeing him here. Please pray for some football equipment which I bought in Nairobi to be flown over here fast so we can launch Fly Sports".

yours in Christ

Emmanuel

October 2006

Dear friends,

It is a great joy and blessing to share with you what the Lord God as been doing I my life. It has been just over a year since the CPA peace agreement signed between the Northern Sudan Khartoum Government and the Southern Sudan SPLM. The people of Southern Sudan are still returning to their country from neighbouring countries such as Uganda and Kenya, However it is still early days with lack of proper infrastructure such as roads, hospitals and schools. There are still also the challenges of sickness and poverty which the majority of the people face.

As you may have gathered I was sick with Malaria and Typhoid this was because of dirty water and an unbalanced diet (usually rice and meat without any vegetables). However, thank God, I went to hospital in Nairobi and after two weeks of medical treatment and rest at home, I recovered.

The work is going tremendously well, we have established as sports ministry called Fly Sports, which is a programme of Across. Fly Sports deals mainly with coaching sports in schools and communities amongst the youth. Currently we have two part-time employed Coaches working in schools. Our other main emphasis is not only to develop skills but also to give a sense of self-esteem. We have developed around 12 football teams; some in schools and within communities. We are also looking to start a football league but currently we are trying to establish a stronghold in Yei and than expand the vision to other parts of Southern Sudan.

Spiritually I feel as though my faith is growing as we are seeing the power of God manifested. I have seen three thousand come to Christ during this past month mainly in schools. For example I preached in one school morning devotion and within fifteen minutes, the entire 1200 students became born again. Praise God for his power and grace.


Romans 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the Gospel for it is the power of God unto salvation first for the Jewish than for the gentiles.

The power of God is in the Gospel, which is Gods word.

Most of the youth here are very idle with nothing to do, so through sports and preaching the word their lives are being transformed.

Although there have been many challenges and opposition from the enemy God is faithful and he will not abandon us to the grave, blessed be the name of the Lord forever and ever. Thank you so much again, for your prayers and support I am your hands and feet, without your help I could not be doing what I am doing now.

Prayer Requests:

• Praise God for the new sports ministry
• Pray for continued good health

• Praise God for souls that are born again in schools

• Pray for continued spiritual encouragement

• Pray for funding for the sports ministry

• Pray for funding for sports equipment for the teams to use

Yours in Christ

Emmanuel Sharland

Some extra information:

Manny is working in a team with 2 Australian couples and local staff, several other non-governmental organizations are working in the area including the UN – the latter operates aircraft in the region that Manny finds useful for the longer trips as road journeys are too time consuming. All this activity has kept him working a daily routine from 8am to 7pm, including weekends. Communication is a challenge, though cyber cafes do exist, the internet connections are slow, unreliable and expensive; apparently every time it rains the connections cease to work at all.

September 2006

Dear friends,

Warm greetings to you all from Southern Sudan. How are you I hope all is going well for the Name of the Lord is to be praised.

Two months ago I started a sports ministry called Fly Sports, which is a part of Across Programmes. The ministry’s main emphasis is training Coaches so that it enables them to go into communities and schools to coach sport.

Currently we have two coaches working in 12 primary schools and mainly coaching football. We try to provide them with the necessary equipment for sports activities. This is not only a good way of developing sport but also a good way of spreading the Gospel of Christ.

Romans 10:17 Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God. Unless we preach the gospel, nothing will happen.

However, through sports this is what we have been trying to do.

Last month I was very sick with Malaria and Typhoid. But thanks be to God I have now made a recovery after hospital treatment in Nairobi; I am now at full strength again serving the Lord in the frontline Christian ministry.

In September, I am planning to launch Fly Sports in Yei and continue to conduct seminars to the local youth leaders and pastors.

Above all everything is going well, there has been a tremendous amount of opposition from the enemy but God is faithful and He will not abandon me.

Thank YOU so much for your prayers and support. Here are my prayer requests:

• Please pray for the Fly Sports Ministry
• Pray that He will continue to give me wisdom
• Thank God for what He as done so far
• Pray for continual good health

Yours in Christ

Emmanuel Sharland

August 2006

Dear friends,

Warm greetings to you from Sudan.

You may have heard that I was sick last month with Malaria and Typhoid. I was rushed to Nairobi for hospital treatment but I am strong now.

I have started a new sports ministry by the name of 'Fly Sports'. This ministry is part of Across however I am still working for Action Partners. It is going well but there is a lot of opposition and complications within the ministy. This is causing me a lot of stress, please pray for me.

Apart from that all is going well. Please pray for the ministry of Fly Sports that God's hand will be upon it.

lots of love

Emmanuel

June 2006

Dear friends,

Warm greetings to you from southern Sudan, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Firstly, I want to thank God for his goodness and mercy towards me, how He has kept my feet from falling and for his hand of grace upon my life. Secondly I want to start by saying thank you very much to you all for your prayers and your support, this truly as been a great blessing to me.

These few months have been tough with many challenges on the field. Two weeks ago, sadly my aunty passed away in Mundri. Further afield in southern Sudan, the Ugandan based insurgents of the Lords Resistance Army (LRA) have posed a serious threat to the comprehensive Peace Agreement. In recent times, LRA attacks inside southern Sudan have become more frequent and daring. For example on 9th March, they attacked and burned a truck of an indigenous organization based in Mundri. The truck was traveling from Yei to Mundri. One person was killed on the spot and several others were injured. Shortly afterward on 18th March, the LRA infiltrated Yambio town at midnight, killing two people and abducting several others. They attacked and looted the compound of the Roman Catholic Bishop and got away with the VHF radio and other valuables.

Ephesians 4:23-24 "be made new in the attitude of your minds and to put on the new self created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness".

God has been showing me that although there are oppositions and times of challenges we are not to forget what He as done in us. He created us to be a new creature and He has put his power and his spirit in us and when we renew our minds to his word than we can truly be transformed and change our society.

It has been over ten years since I lived in southern Sudan my own country and a lot has changed. I feel like I am still in the learning stages with the local people and the ministry. However, thanks be to God that he gives us more grace and always leads us into victory. My main ministry has been broken into two areas: teaching preaching and the sports ministry. Last month I started teaching and preaching in the Yei Vocational Training centre that has around 98 students and as a result, 18 became born again. We are currently going into schools daily and teaching. In addition, we have lead many to Christ. There are eight churches Across work with now and we have been conducting seminars to the youth leaders in these churches and it truly as been a blessing.

In the area of sports, there is a great need in Yei. Most of the youth are idle – they are not going to school or working because the war has finished. In the local churches, 90 percent of the congregations are youth so I feel as though I am at the right place at the right time. In just one month; we have managed to start four football teams; for ages 6 to 30. I am very excited about the football team because this is just one of the great tools for building bridges for the Gospel of Christ to spread, and I am sure many will come to know Christ this way. However, this can only be achieved through the ‘new man’ on the inside of us with the resurrection power of Christ.

In conclusion, I feel as though everything is going well but I am still in learning stages both spiritually, physically and culturally. However, I thank God for what He has done so far.

Prayer Requests:

• Thank God for safety and good health
• Pray for continual spiritual encourager and support
• Pray for the sports ministry to be established and to grow
• Pray for financial support for the ministry itself so we can buy the necessary equipment
• Give thanks to God for what he as done so far.
• Pray for the nation of Southern Sudan

Yours in Christ

Emmanuel Sharland

May 2006

A number of you have been asking me for an update on Manny.

Thank you for expressing your continuing interest, I know that he greatly values your support. He is actually deep inside Sudan where contact with the outside world is very difficult, especially using the methods we take for granted such as telephone and email. Therefore, it will be a while before we hear further news from him and is also why you won't have received a reply if you have tried to contact him direct.

So your prayers are even more important in the absence of any news, as it would be easy for him to become isolated from the people he relies upon - which of course means you!

A reminder of ongoing requests is given below:

Prayer requests

Give thanks for God’s goodness
Give thanks for the opportunity he has always wanted to reach the people of Sudan
Pray for a Spiritual encourager
Pray for adjustment to the culture and the weather
Pray for good health and protection from infections
Pray for stamina where he may encounter conditions of hardship
Pray for opportunities to use and develop his sports outreach ministry
Pray for good friendships that will sustain him

You may have seen recent coverage in the news about one of Sudan's regions, Darfur. This link gives more details along with other information on Sudan http://www.helpdarfur.org/

Thank you again for your continuing support.

Richard Mallett on behalf of Manny Sharland

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

February 2006

Dear friends,

You are probably wondering how Manny is getting on. He arrived in Sudan in the second week of January and is currently at the city of Yei in the province of Central Equatoria (link on this link to see some maps): http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yei

This region is in a remote part of southern Sudan that has experienced 30 years of civil war (between the Muslim north and Christian south) and has only recently returned to peace and stability. For this reason communication with the outside world is difficult, he is not able therefore to keep in direct contact with us at the moment, but he is in contact with his parents in Kenya who have been able to provide an update on his behalf.

He is working with Across and is heavily involved in evangelistic preaching and has found this encouraging - though no there isn't any mention at all of sport which as you know, is very dear to his heart. It is possible that he will be going to a consultation on sports evangelism in Ethiopia later this month, which will enable him to talk with others with overlapping visions. SIM is sponsoring it and is paying for him to go.

He is beginning to settle in though he is still getting used to seeing the severe poverty around him that is a feature of daily life for most people. An outbreak of Cholera has recently broken out in the area in and around Yei, so please pray for protection for him and everyone he knows.
Across is currently in the process of sorting out what he is doing and will be able to clarify his work plan when he returns to Kenya for a break sometime in March.

Prayer pointers:

Give thanks for his safe arrival
Give thanks for the opportunity he has always wanted to reach the people of Sudan
Pray for good health and protection from infections
Pray for stamina where he may encounter conditions of hardship
Pray for opportunities to use and develop his sports outreach ministry
Pray for good friendships that will sustain him

Yours in Him

Richard Mallett

December 2005

Dear friends

First of all I want to give thanks to God for his grace and mercy - indeed he has done awesome things.

You may well have gathered from my last news letter I finished Redcliffe College successfully and in November returned to Reading. In Reading the Greyfriars Church and Lifespring commissioning services were a success with many emotional experiences for me. The packing of my belongings for shipping out to Kenya also went well.

With your help and prayers I arrived in Kenya last week on 8th December. The flight was long but enjoyable. I will be in Nairobi over the Christmas period and looking to spend Christmas with my family here.

However, I have spent the last three days at the Across office going through the orientation program in preparation for my work in Sudan which will start in January. Above all I am excited to be here and to be involved in what God wants to do. The weather is nice and hot so am learning to adjust to the African way of doing things again.

This is just a quick note to say thank you very much again for your help and support you have all been a blessing to me, may God bless you richly. It would have not been possible for me to be out here if it was not for your love and support.

Wishing you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year, may God bless you in this special season and fill you with his Love as you remember what Jesus did for us at the Cross.

· Give thanks for Gods provisions financially and physically
· Give thanks for safe arrival
· Pray for the continued hand of grace and guidance to be upon my life

Yours in Christ

Emmanuel Sharland