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The
Newsletter of Advent 2002 Volume 17, Number 3 |
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he Most Rev. Joseph Marona, Archbishop of Sudan, invited
SOMA to lead a retreat for his bishops just prior to crucial meetings of the
Sudanese Bishops and Provincial Standing Committee in September. The Episcopal
Church of Sudan is one of the few organizations that has an effective presence
on both sides of the longrunning civil war in Sudan. There is an underlying
sense of anticipation that Sudanese Church leaders will play a critical role
in rebuilding Sudan when peace eventually comes.
The SOMA team (seated l to r): The Rt. Rev. Benjamin Kwashi, Jos, Nigeria; the Rt. Rev. John busy public bar!in Kampala, Uganda. Perry, Chelemsford, UK; the Most Rev. Joseph Marona, Archbishop of the Episcopal Church Bishop Benjamin of Sudan; the Rt. Rev. Francis Gray, Diocese of VA. (standing l to r):the Rev. Don Brewin,, Kwashi and his wife, Team Leader, SOMA UK; Mrs. Gloria Kwashi; Mrs. Edwina Thomas, Team Leader, SOMA Small groupUSA; Ms. Sharon Aluoch and The Rev. Elizabeth Utugi Kamau, Vanguard Ministries, Nairobi, interaction Gloria, Diocese of Kenya; Mrs. Gail Scott, All Saints’ Church, Dale City, VA. |
Bishop Francis Gray, Diocese of Virginia, taught each morning from the Book of Nehemiah, supplemented with personal testimony and reflection of his missionary family’s incarceration by the Japanese in the Philippines when he was a small boy. Bishop John Perry, Diocese of Chelmsford in the UK, challenged the Sudanese Bishops to pursue a deeper relationship with the living God in the power of the Holy Spirit. On site team members, joined by others world wide, surrounded the event with fulltime intercession requiring vigilance and constant coverage in prayer. This was especially important considering the Kingdom significance of the mission and the fact that the retreat was held in a building that included a busy public bar!
Small group interaction between Bishops from different parts of the country, who do not often see one another, enabled a sense of unity to develop. This was particularly illustrated by the fact that as the retreat progressed, there was an increasing desire on their part to receive prayer ministry. At the first invitation to come forward for prayer, all those present responded as one man! Towards the end of the Retrrat the Bishops then ministered to one another in groups of three, providing a powerful time of deep sharing.
Initial feedback of our accomplishment is reflected in this statement by the Archbishop, “The retreat set just the right tone for the discussions we then had to face; some of which were going to be very difficult.” This was indeed a strategic opportunity and ultimate privilege for SOMA.
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team of four Americans and three Ugandans traveled to the
mountains along the eastern border of Uganda to minister at a SOMA conference
in the new Diocese of Sebei. Over 100 people, including clergy, lay leaders,
and their wives, observed extraordinary ministry that only God Himself
could have orchestrated. His Spirit was in complete control, and their
hunger for God opened the door for the Holy Spirit to come in!
Members of the team taught on the Kingdom of God and the Kingdom of Satan. Small groups listed hindrances to living fully in the Kingdom, organizing them into the categories that defile the land: immorality, idolatry, shedding of innocent blood, slavery, broken covenants, and divisions within the church. After addressing each of these areas, homework assignments included a written list for confession.
As a result of this process, the conference began to address each of these areas through modeling repentance and testimony. We embraced identification repentance with a dimension that could only be by design from the Holy Spirit. Husbands and wives repented to each other. There was confession, repentance, prayer and reconciliation about cultural practices, which included witchcraft and a bloody tribal war in 1979; and God healed a deep division within one archdeaconry of the diocese.
At the conclusion, our confessions were taken outside and burned, and we proclaimed victory through dance and song. We encouraged married couples to walk together in ministry; asked the Holy Spirit to empower each person; and prayed for the anointing of those who felt God calling them to minister in a particular gifting. His mighty Spirit reigned!
| Prayer for Provincial Assembly By Mrs. Edwina Thomas |
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While thanking us for our work in prayer, many of the bishops commented on the atmosphere of peace and cooperation that they felt throughout their meetings. Archbishop Nkoyoyo asked me to give the closing prayer— quite a surprise. The Spirit anointed the prayer, and I know it was prophetic and powerful. We later asked Bishop Henry Orombi what I prayed because I couldn’t remember: It was prayer for the river of God to flow through Church leaders, through the Church of Uganda to Uganda and beyond. And much more. |
| TV
Coverage Confirmation affirming SOMA’s teachings on marriage at the SOMA conference in Sebei Diocese came from the Lord in two surprising ways. First, the Regional District Coordinator (RDC), a prominent political appointee equivalent to that of a state governor, made an unexpected visit to the gathering and presented an unscheduled, but inspiring talk about marriage! Following, God continued to encourage the SOMA team as we watched the national news. Who should we see, but Bishop Selimo, the RDC, and Edwina Thomas passing out certificates at the conference on Uganda television! Glory be to God! |
Team list for the Provincial Assembly and Sebei: Mrs. Edwina Thomas, National Director, SOMA USA, team leader; Mrs. Laura Casper, Christ Church, Overland Park, KS; Pastor David Hunter, Tribe of Judah Church, Woodbridge, VA; Mrs. Gail Scott, All Saints’, Dale City, VA; The Rev. Johnson Ebong, Provincial Mission Coordinator for Uganda and Mrs. Vicki Ebong; the Rev. Lovey Kisembo, National Director, SOMA Uganda
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By Dr. Jeffrey Brown
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his past July, God used a SOMA team to prepare His people
for the struggles ahead of them. This divine appointment may best be personified
by the name given an abandoned infant rescued by a Congo family in this war
torn country: Baraka Safari Libogo, “Blessing on the Journey.”
Prophetically, the team, led by Dr. Jeff Brown, taught on the gifts of the Holy Spirit. Speaking at the conference to a group of forty-two priests assembled from Boga Diocese in Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Jeff focused their attention on the gift of faith. “It is the absolute assurance that God will provide miraculous means to accomplish His purposes.”
The Lord provided miraculous overland transport for the team to travel from Kampala, Uganda, to their destination in Bunia, Congo. Mission Aviation Fellowship (MAF) canceled their flight into Bunia due to tribal fighting. So instead, they took a bus from Kampala to Fort Portal (5 hours), then a smaller bus to a town on the border (2 more hours), then a canoe across the Semliki River into Congo, and then a flight from the meadow by the river to Boga (10 minutes). The journey out repeated the same insane scheme for transport.
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The teaching load was heavy. This is the first time in four years that SOMA has been able to return because of the warfare. The Lord conveyed a timely message of faith, unity, and love. From 1 John, the audience learned that no one could love God, who he has not seen, if he does not love his brother, who he has seen. The assembled priests spoke about how much the sermon challenged them to question their attitudes toward their Christian brothers of a different tribe.
God keeps calling SOMA into places of pain and violence. Through the SOMA team our omnipotent Lord supplied encouragement and hope for these precious ones in advance of the impending deluge of devastation, destruction, and death that was coming. DRC is not only large geographically; it is also abundant with tribal tensions. It is a volatile place, which easily erupts into all-out warfare. Such has been the case historically dating back to 1961. The fighting during the SOMA team’s visit was minor in comparison to the indiscriminate killing inflicted upon the innocent that has raged since the conference.
At one point during the conference, the team and clergy responded to the Lord’s call to sing “Onward Christian Soldiers” from the Swahili songbook during a deafening thunderstorm. It is unknown what was going on in the spiritual realm, but the impression then and now is that God is victorious-the thunder-storm stopped instantly when the song began, and there will be “Blessing on the Journey.”
Team List: Dr. Jeff Brown, team leader, Ms, Julia Johansen, Mr. Cole McAfee, St. Charles, Poulsbo, WA; Mr. Ssembiro Paul Wasswa, St. Francis, Kampala, Uganda.
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“Do not be afraid. I bring you good news
of great joy that will be for all
people.
Today in the town of David a Savior has
been born to you; He is Christ the
Lord.”
Luke 2:10-11
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Do
Not Be Afraid  |
Two years ago, an international SOMA team visited northern Nigeria. The result of SOMA’s “walking with” a number of bishops on that occasion, was an extraordinary evening where they spoke affirmation to one another. Two months later, riots, killings and church burnings began with the imposition of sharia law. One bishop reported to a fellow mission executive, “Our time together with SOMA prepared us for what we are now facing.”
It is awesome to reflect on the recent SOMA mission to the Democratic Republic of Congo and realize that on this occasion, as many before, God used SOMA to “prepare the way” for unseen future events in the lives of our friends there.
It is not easy to be called into places of unrest, places where tribal or religious war threatens, or where violence reigns. SOMA declines many of these “opportunities.” But when God’s call is clear, then obedience is the only “safe place.” Such calls are discerned at multiple levels: SOMA staff, intercessors, potential team members, families of team members, in effect, have veto power.
The world seems smaller—the opposite side of the globe is 36 hours away by plane, but only an instant away by phone or e-mail. Peace is fleeting in most of the places we serve. Our job is to proclaim God’s message even in the midst of wars and rumors of wars, in season and out. God, help us discern the Spirit in the midst of chaos.
SOMA
Given Strategic Opportunity