Hard, Hard Ground – Part 3

The challenge of bringing a church-planting pastor from India to Liberia (see “Hard, Hard Ground – Part 2“) was tough enough.

But the effort seemed to have only begun once Pastor Martin touched down in Monrovia, Liberia.

He gave $200 to our team. These funds were his personal tithe to the work that helped to offset the cost of bringing him from India to West Africa. For some of us $200 might not seem like a lot, but for him it was two months of his family’s cost of living.

After a short rest and time of prayer, the team embarked on a long arduous journey overland to the remote, distant village in the Lofa County area.

In the Lofa region there are two main people groups. One group is the Loma tribe (Lorma); the other is the Mandingo (Manya) tribe. The Loma had been reached with the Gospel; the Mandingo had not been – this tribe was listed on the completely unengaged and unreached people group* global list up to the time CIC went into this region for the first time just 6 months before. These two tribes were known for constant tribal conflict. Since the Liberian Civil War and before that time, these two tribes had been violently fighting back and forth.

Militancy and Violence in West Africa: Religion, Politics, and Radicalisation by James Gow, Funmi Olonisakin, Ernst Dixhoom, p. 139, written in 2013 before CIC went to this people group.

The article above is an excerpt from a book on West African violence that describes the feuding relationship between these two tribes.

Testimonies of what happened to these feuding people groups after CIC entered the region in May, 2015, can be read in more detail in the upcoming blog article “Feuding Tribes Find Peace in Christ.”

Pastor Martin was certainly used to this kind of hostile context. In his own home region, which some who know India well have nervously called a ‘religious powder keg,’ Pastor Martin knew what radicalization and hostility truly looks like. Despite our Liberian team and Pastor Martin knowing what they were up against, they were undeterred. They hung onto the promises of God, knowing that He had led us to go. And feeling His peace, which surpasses all understanding, they began their journey, knowing He was going before them to continue to melt hearts and prepare the land for His good seed.

The journey was not easy.

Photo: O., one of our CIC Liberia Team, on the journey to reach the unreached. O. has a testimony all of his own – check back for our upcoming Blog article “Feuding Tribes Find Peace in Christ” for more on Brother O.

It was more than 8 hours of travel overland, on ground that was often hard and impassable with a vehicle. Our mission-focused brothers took to walking.

The travel was arduous but the Lord carried them safely through every danger.

A comforting verse for many of us in CIC is Paul’s summed-up travel blog written to the church at Corinth:

“. . .on frequent journeys, in danger from rivers, danger from robbers, danger from my own people, danger from Gentiles, danger in the city, danger in the wilderness, danger at sea, danger from false brothers; in toil and hardship, through many a sleepless night, in hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and exposure. And, apart from other things, there is the daily pressure on me of my anxiety for all the churches….” (2 Corinthians 11:26-28)

Name undisclosed for security purposes. Came to Christ through CIC Club in his animist village, having faced much persecution but remained steadfast. Became a Child Leader at age 16, and has continued to serve CIC for over 15 years in expanding roles.

And as Paul did, so we boast in Christ, who works in and through our weakness and in our own afflictions, for His glory and His Name’s sake.

Pastor Martin from India journeyed through it all with not one complaint.

Despite being in a completely new environment, with food that was unlike anything he had had before, with malaria-carrying mosquitoes, with rough terrain, with all kinds of traveling challenges including blisters on their feet and headaches from the sun, he rallied on with our team to reach the goal.

The team arrived at their destination. As Martin joined the meetings as a fellow attendee, never having been trained by CIC before, he began to further understand how the ministry model of reaching children actually opens doors into places that are normally shut to the church and missionaries. By reaching the unreached children with weekly open-air CIC Clubs, which minister to these precious children with the love of Christ, children’s lives are transformed. They learn Bible lessons starting from the Old Testament, they discover that there is a heavenly Father who made them and loves them, and He can be their Father too. And within the CIC Club model of loving, discipling, and empowering, children become living proof of the living water – the transformational Gospel. They also become multipliers amongst their peers, families, communities and even their nations. And as these children’s lives are transformed, the community opens its heart up to the living Truth that is the true source of transformation, hope, and abundant life.

We held both a Pastors Mobilization for the churches nearest to the Mandingo people. And then we held a CIC Mentor Training, which trains those whom the pastors recommend for children’s ministry. Over 60 people attended both of these trainings combined. All of these attendees signed a CIC Volunteer Contract, as Pastor Martin had done. (Even our CEO has signed a CIC Volunteer Contract and serves as a volunteer.)

The CIC training attendees – local pastors and church volunteers – including Pastor Martin of India (far right).

At the the end of the trainings, we asked Pastor Martin, “What was the most interesting insight for you as you listened and participated in these trainings?”

And Pastor Martin replied, “Sister, I think the most striking thing of all was the model of CIC, which is the order of the club and how it is done. CIC does it this way – Joy & Fun & Love first – then Teach & Pray and then Joy & Fun & Love end.  In India, we are very serious. If we try to teach the children even in our own church, we do it this way: ‘Serious – Fun – Serious’ –but I now see that it is the Joy and Fun and Love which draws the children in. This is why we do not attract many new children even to our church. And it cannot work in unreached places. But with this model, the children come and they are ready to learn and be ministered to. This is one of the biggest lessons from my time. It changes everything. Now I am ready to go and start CIC Clubs in India in these hard ground places – where the most extreme Hindu villages are near my community. I believe this will work and it will open doors that have been shut to us before and we will see much fruit and many will come to receive His grace and truth in Jesus’ Name and for His glory.”

With the trainings complete, the team journeyed back to Monrovia, traveling as they did before.

But they left with even more joy and hope in their hearts, thanking the Lord for their safety, thanking Him for bringing so many people to the training, and thanking Him for the testimonies of fruit and opened eyes.  The pastors and volunteers were inspired to go and reach the rest for Christ. It is with thankful hearts that we know our labor and sacrifice was not in vain.

Back in India

Having returned to India with CIC trainings complete, Martin cast the vision to his church. Soon volunteers came forth, eager to begin the outreach ministry. Each one took a different village and region, where the Gospel had not been preached, and CIC Clubs began to sprang up in these villages. In just one month there were 3 new clubs.

Two months later, Pastor Martin and his church hosted a CIC-based Pastors Mobilization and Volunteer Training. These trainings had over 50 Indian pastors and local church volunteer attendees come from multi-denominations and local indigenous churches throughout the broader geographic territory. The funds for this training were indigenously collected and raised by Pastor Martin and his team, with CIC only providing them a free electronic copy of our training manuals and Bible curriculum.

The pastors loved the trainings, but at the end of the training they one by one announced that while CIC Club is a good model, they will not go to these extremist villages: “We like this model very much, but we cannot go. We will be stoned and killed by these people and what will become of us? You go if you want. We will stay.”

Though the words reminded us of the spies who scouted out the Promised Land and feared for their lives and their families’ lives, we couldn’t in all good conscience push them to go. So Pastor Martin stood up and said, “My church and I will go then.”

Two months later, over 121 children from these Hindu villages have heard the Gospel and been taught about their Heavenly Father and Creator. One child, a girl who is 10 years old named Sharanya, has joyfully and fully received Christ as her Lord and Savior and is now asking all of us to pray for her family and her friends.

Would you join us in praying for this courageous little girl and all of Pastor Martin’s church for continued protection, wisdom, and boldness to share the Good News with these children who so desperately need the hope and eternal life of Christ?

*NOTE: Unengaged and Unreached People Group (UUPG) is defined as an ethno-language people group with no known missionary organization reaching them, no known believer, no known church, and often no scripture translated in their language. This global list is published by Finishing the Task (www.finishingthetask.com), which consolidates all known missionary activity amongst all participating missions organizations, and creates a list of those still completely unengaged. The heartbeat of CIC is to inspire and equip the African indigenous church to realize its unique giftings and strategically unique position in the Kingdom and empower and equip them to reach the rest for Jesus Christ through the open door of children.

Hard, Hard Ground – Part 2

“Sister, how do I eat or find food on the plane since it will be more than 2 days’ travel?” our Indian brother asked one morning during our Skype call as we planned for his trip to Liberia in West Africa.

We had already discussed many things. But I hadn’t thought about that. Up until this time we had focused on other matters.

The risks of travel to Liberia

First, Ebola. Liberia had been declared clear of Ebola by WHO just months before, but new cases had recently erupted in Monrovia. We prayed for complete healing over the country and outlined the risks to our Indian brother.

We could not guarantee physical safety for him.

Second, malaria, parasitic diseases and the necessary yellow fever vaccine. Pastor Martin had to find a way to get medicine before his travel. CIC did not have funds to pay for these preventative measures.

Travel over rough terrain. It’s hard to prepare someone fully for the travel needed overland from Monrovia to the northwest corner of Liberia. He was going to a resistant place, resistant to the Gospel – challenging both spiritually and physically with no guarantees from man.

His safety and security rested only in our Lord and Savior and His heavenly protection.

Regardless of the risks, somehow the Holy Spirit gave our brother from India courage and perseverance no matter how many of the realities we transparently shared.

But now, months ahead, one more major hurdle. Traveling through many countries to reach his final destination.

All the sudden I realized that we were bringing a village pastor from India to Liberia, to have a hands-on practical experience of how CIC ministers – with vision-casting Local Pastors Mobilizations and CIC Volunteer Club Leader Trainings to reach unreached children with the Gospel and His Word – all through a crazy series of planes, with many hours of layover. And he had no prior experience traveling in this way!

I had to empty my mind of the international travel I had had. And see things with fresh, new eyes.

Since we weren’t sending him funds (see “Hard, Hard Ground” – Part 1) he wouldn’t have food to purchase on his flights.

Memories of my husband’s and my first travel through the mainland of China back in the early ’90’s when travel by foreigners was restricted, helped me put myself in his place. I remembered how it was all new and strange for me back then.

I remembered clambering onto that big long inter-connected rickety piece of steel called a train, along with swarms of local village folks. They traveled with few possessions but with many paper sacks of peanuts and prawns in hand. Three days taking the local train from Guangzhou to Beijing in those upright seats, as they termed it, wafted back into my memory! After three loooong days with chickens squawking and prawn shells strewn all over the grimy floor, and peanut shells and dust littered everywhere, we made it safely to our destination.

It was a vivid, jarring, pungent memory that came back in full sensory HD. I nudged the flashback back to the recesses of my mind, and came back to the pressing need to have some wisdom for this Indian brother. All I could suggest to Pastor Martin was that he do what they had done – pack meals of nuts, dates, chapatis and non-perishables – enough for 3 days before leaving for the airport. But I warned him he would not be allowed to take liquids through security.

Security.

That was another thing!

I hadn’t even thought to prep him on all the complexities of security in international flights. I tried to explain what he would experience, what he would be asked to do, and how he must not carry anything of value in his suitcase.

All the sudden I realized how daunting this must be to our brother.

He was going to fly from Hyderabad to Dubai, then Dubai to Casablanca, then Casablanca to Monrovia, with a total of roughly 11 hours of flying time and 21 hours of layover in foreign airports, with 12 hours in the Casablanca airport alone.

And then, meeting our team in Monrovia, he would join them to travel 8 hours overland across the variegated countryside of Liberia, unpassable via motorbike or car in many places, to reach the outreach initiative amongst an unreached people group.

We needed massive prayer for him throughout the whole journey.

One of my prayer partners urged me to send out an email quickly. She arranged for her local church to set up a prayer coverage team to pray for each hour of his journey. We also called on other intercessory friends and gave them the itinerary. So thankful for these faithful pray-ers who have been part of CIC’s ministry for years as intercessors. So much of CIC’s impact is in part due to these prayers of the saints.

By God’s grace and heavenly protection, through all of these hours of prayer and our brother’s faithful perseverance, he finally arrived, along with our Liberian team, at the unreached people group community destination. More to follow in Part 3.

If you sense the Lord calling you to take a step in faith and join CIC as a prayer partner, would you join us right now? We need prayer coverage as our teams go to extremely challenging contexts and people groups.

You can contact us at info@childrenic.org and let us know you want to be on our ‘insider prayer net’ mailing via email  [fair warning – it’s not pretty or graphically interesting – but it gets the word out!]

You can also sign up to be on our mailing list with this link: Subscribe

Let us know. We’d love to have more prayer partners on our team!

Hard, Hard Ground – Part 1

“It is hard, hard ground, sister!” he told me. “I have a bounty of $2000 on my head from extremist groups who resist the truth of Jesus. But the Lord has protected me, my wife, and my children so far. And I want to reach the children in these communities. Will you teach me how you do this CIC and I will do it here.”

This could have been spoken by any one in Africa.

But this was a plea from India.

Our African leaders and I prayed about this. Was the Lord calling us to India? So far, we have only focused on reaching the last unreached tribes in Africa. There are roughly 600+ tribes left on the African continent who have never heard the Gospel, have no known believer and no known missionary reaching them. We have had so many invitations in the past to initiate ministry in other continents. But nothing ever felt confirmed in the Spirit. So we did not go. But this time was different.

As we prayed, shared, and conversed, my African brothers and I all experienced a profound sense of leading, and in unity, one by one, we shared how the Lord had convicted each of us to step out in faith on this one.

“Yes,” we said. “The Lord will make a way.”

One last person to consult. I called Terry, my dear friend, co-worker in Christ, and the founder of CIC. Over the crackly Skype reception, Terry’s heart lept, her words tumbled out in excitement and confirmation. Yes. The Lord had laid on her a heart to reach India years ago. Yes. Go.

“And, Terry, we’ll do it the way CIC was born. With no funding. Just faith. If the Lord wills it, it can be done.” After the words sunk in, Terry and I agreed and prayed. We’re either being totally foolish or the Lord will use the foolish things of this world to confound the wise. There is no risk, but being humbled and finding out we were wrong.

CIC’s model has always been different from the world’s. The Lord raised up CIC through humble beginnings. One of our largest ministry countries started from two teenagers who heard the call and followed the Lord over the border into that country. They had no funds from CIC. They went anyway.

Confidence turned to concern. Arriving in Liberia, they first went to the local churches and told them the Kingdom value of children – that they also, along with adults, needed to be discipled and not marginalized. But they were turned away from the local churches in Liberia.

So instead, these 18-year-olds found a man of peace who was Muslim!

The Lord touched this man’s heart. I am not sure we will fully ever understand why. But the Lord opened the door. He offered them what he had – a broken down car on his land, a place to sleep sheltered from the elements. They lived there for almost 2 years as they traveled the countryside from morning to sunset each day to bring the Gospel and discipleship through weekly children’s clubs. They knocked mangoes from trees before dawn and sold them in the market to support themselves. Eventually, after many months, the local churches warmed up to the idea as they saw hundreds of children flocking to their churches for Sunday worship services, claiming they had discovered Jesus through these two teenage boys’ CIC Clubs.

Could India start the same way? Without any funding except field training & practicum for the leader?

Last November, the Lord opened a way for us to send the pastor who said his region was “hard, hard ground” to West Africa – Liberia – for a pastors mobilization and CIC Club mentor training on how to reach unreached children with the unique ministry model the Lord gave CIC.

By God’s grace Pastor Martin arrived safely to Liberia. We’ll share more in our next blog on this adventure.

Please pray that the Lord will indeed raise up a multitude of fruit in India by His power, His might, and His strength. If it is His Will, He will surely do it!

Thank you for your prayers!

The Lord Helps a CIC Child Leader Save Her Family

(Source: Google images – photo credit)

It was 3 AM in the morning. Theresa’s uncle, the man of the house, was traveling for his work. The whole household – her aunt and 5 cousins ranging from 2 –  13 years old – were sleeping soundly in the mud and plaster home in Monrovia, Liberia.

But Theresa was woken up by the Holy Spirit and given a sense of “Be careful! Stay alert! Something bad is going to happen!”

She tried to wake her cousin, sleeping next to her. But Esther just muttered something sleepily and rolled over.

But Theresa knew she needed to keep watch.

Within seconds, two large, strong dark hands reached into her bedroom window, dropping broken glass and rusty iron nails onto her bedroom floor. These were intended to be weapons for later. The intruder had cut open the wire protecting the window from mosquitoes and invaders. And was ready to reach in and open the iron-barred window...

Theresa and her cousins’ bedroom window, Monrovia, Liberia

There had been a wave of attacks and robberies in Theresa’s community over the past several weeks. Vicious men had been breaking into neighbors’ homes, raping the women in the houses and plundering everything they had. Anyone who tried to fight them would be threatened or killed with sharp glass, iron nails, and other makeshift weapons. The community had been in a state of fear and panic, unable to subdue or stop these violent crimes.

But Theresa had something special.

She had the Holy Spirit in her and the confidence and strength that comes from the Lord alone.

She had learned about the Lord through CIC and had matured into a strong young woman of God who knows her Heavenly Father and trusts in Him through the good and bad times.

Though the majority of children are often marginalized in Africa and women are culturally considered inferior, CIC teaches the value of each and every child.

We teach what God’s Word says about them – that their Heavenly Father made them and loves them and values them. And that they have a future and a hope. We teach the value of girls and women, and provide them leadership training and opportunities equal to those of boys – because the Lord calls both boys and girls to be strong in Him, to lead others to Him, and disciple others in His Truth. While girls and boys have different roles in African society, the Lord has valuable roles for both of them in His Kingdom in the places He puts them.

Theresa had attended CIC’s Child Leadership Trainings over the course of many years. In these 5-day trainings, we teach leadership, life skills, self esteem and value in the Lord, how to teach and lead others in the Word, and how to personally set aside time for the Word and prayer, so they can grow in Him.

Theresa had been a Child Leader in CIC Clubs. In this role, she had stood up and taught children and peers the Word of God and led them in prayer and worship, under the mentorship and coaching of adult CIC Club mentors.

Through all these experiences, and by God’s grace, Theresa knew who her Shield and Strength was!

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The dark hands reached in to open the window. Without hesitation, Theresa courageously ran to the window and grabbed the large hands and held them firmly in her grasp. No matter how much he wrestled to break free, her hands clasped his tenaciously. He was held captive.

She yelled aloud, “Come quick everyone. I have caught him! Quick, quick!”

Her booming voice resonated not just through the house but also spilled out to the neighbor’s surrounding homes.

The invader was wrestled to the ground by community members wakened by her voice alarm.

The household, including the toddler girl of 3, were safe and sound. The women in her house, including Theresa, were spared from being violently raped. All their belongings were protected.

When the community rallied around Theresa to thank her and hear the details of her story, Theresa shared all the details but the most important one was this –

“The Lord is my strength and my deliverer. He saved our whole family. Praise be to God!” 

Theresa told her neighbors, “The Lord is my strength!!!!” Theresa, age 15, Monrovia, Liberia

There is a whole future generation of young people like Theresa in Africa whom we can reach today. The society and culture does not raise them up as leaders. Even churches do not have the equipping or vision to nurture the younger generation, as often happens in the West.

But there is a tremendous opportunity and open door right now to empower, equip and nurture them in the Lord!

We hold over 250 trainings and train thousands per year, but there are even more pastors, church volunteers, and children who are asking for training. They are giving what they can give – about 18,000,000 child-hours of volunteer ministry and discipleship without pay, and giving their very lives as a sacrifice for the ministry.  Click here to come alongside these volunteers and help us train up thousands in CIC like Theresa 

To the North...Part 2

“I’m very happy to receive this gift! Because it is my first Bible and it has brought many changes in my life. First it helps me to know and read the word of God and now I’m a good learner and I memorize easily the verses. Now I have a desire to share the word of God with my friends who are M* and Animist. I am even doing a bible study with my friend Jacques.Thank you and please keep us and our CIC Club in your daily prayers.”

Grace, 13 years, northern Africa*
*Country and name undisclosed for security purposes

Grace is growing up in an area bordering the north of Africa where the spiritual battlefront is intense.

Somehow by God’s grace, she has received Jesus as her Lord and Savior.

In her CIC Club 50% of the children are M* and 48% are Animist, which is the traditional religion of Africa, focused on worshiping objects of creation and ancestors as having spiritual powers to bless or curse.

Daily life for children from ages 4 and up usually involves gathering water from the local well (often walking a mile or more with heavy water-laden buckets),  tending to brothers and sisters, and helping out with chores like hand-washing the family clothes, preparing food, herding family livestock, and working many hours in the hot sun planting family crops. Some children are able to attend school as well.

Mosques are everywhere. The call to prayer echoes out daily. And K*/Q* schools dot the countryside. More and more are coming.

In many regions there are no churches. Not one.

For these communities, CIC brings the Gospel into a place where no church is.

Grace’s CIC Club mentor shared recently, “Before CIC, I did not know anything about ministry among the children, but I had a heart for children and when I heard and understood the vision and mission of CIC, I set out from our church to go to these children who do not have the opportunity to come in contact with anyone from the church. And now, the Lord is in the many lives of these children who have been delivered from witchcraft and deception. I am astonished they come and are attracted to what we say [teachings about their Heavenly Father and Jesus] and what we do in CIC Club [like games and songs.]  It is for His glory. Praise the Lord!”

But what about these children? How do their parents react? Is it dangerous for them?

How does the Lord powerfully work through children in the advancement of the Gospel in unreached people groups and regions?

How do children open doors that have been closed to missionaries, churches, and other organizations?

It would seem impossible, given the growing and intensifying spiritual battle along this region. But somehow, the Lord does it and He softens the hearts of parents, families, and communities through the sweet fragrance of Christ when He transforms these children’s hearts.

One of our CIC Club mentors in this region explained one of the ways this happens in a recent testimony:

“Some of the parents in our CIC Club village locked up their neighborhood kids in the house during Club time, so they could not come. But over time they noticed a change in behavior in the lives of those who frequented the club. [The children were improving in school, obeying their parents,  and were ready to help. Children who had been stealing stopped stealing. Children who frequently had lied were now telling the truth, etc.] The club changed the attitude of the parents.

When we had the presentation of certificates to the children in my club, I invited parents to come and participate; I thought they were not going to come because they are all M*’s, but to my surprise they came to the exact time and have stayed until the end, thanking me and making blessings for the club. They listened to the message of the gospel through our presentation of the Gospel. They listened to the verses of memorization by their own children and heard songs that elevate the name of Jesus as sung by the children in our CIC neighborhood club. I see the power of God working in hearts through the teaching and songs  – it turns the hearts of children to Jesus and saves them against the evils of the world.”  

Sira K., CIC Club Mentor Volunteer, Age 35

Where missionaries and churches are not welcome, the Lord somehow uses CIC Clubs to open doors. Doors to hearts, doors to regions, doors to unreached people groups.

But at some point in time, this open door could close. The battlefront is becoming increasingly intense across Africa.

Today the Lord has given CIC an open door. And indigenous pastors and churches are catching the vision, inspired to go, and reach their neighboring tribes with the hope of the Gospel. But how will they go if they have not heard the vision? How will they carry the vision if they are not equipped? How will they go if they are not sent? We have 18,000 African indigenous volunteers from local churches across the continent who are willing to go, without any pay, to minister to these children. Will you partner with them? They give everything they can to the ministry. If we can train them and also help provide curriculum, club supplies, local transport to clubs, etc., we can do this together as one Body of Christ. CLICK HERE to see ways you can be a part of this exciting work! May the Lord bless you!

As Jesus called us to go and make disciples of all nations, let us join together and be part of this Great Commission. We have this hope from Him, the author and perfecter of our faith, that by His glorious Gospel, He tells us: 

“Those who were not my people, I will call ‘my people,’ and her who was not beloved, I will call ‘beloved.’ (Romans 9:25)

“After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, ‘Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!’ And all the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures, and they fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, saying, ‘Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God forever and ever! Amen’” (Rev 7:9)

To the North...Part 1

“To the North!” For some of us, these words ring familiar.

Jill Pole said them in The Silver Chair, one of the stories in The Chronicles of Narnia series, written by C.S. Lewis.

Source: www.narnia.com

For those of us in Africa, the call is even more familiar and more compelling.

Living here we see the battlefront line drawn spiritually across Africa. Remarkably, this is the border into Northern Africa. And today it is more and more clear that children are in the middle of this battleground.

One to two decades ago this was not so intensely the case. But today, the principalities of darkness are raging for children’s hearts, minds, and bodies along this latitudinal corridor of Africa.

How? Along this corridor, for the past two to three years, K*/Q* schools have been quickly built up, and children are being forcibly lured and/or required to attend so they can learn the ways of this burgeoning religious system in Africa. “Get the younger children and you have the nation” is their strategy. Parents are being wooed by free bags of grain by M religious leaders, who are backed by financial support in other oil-rich continents; locals tell us in several West African countries a parent gets a free weekly bag of grain for enrolling their child in the school. In African nations water is always a challenge – and in many strategic places village chiefs are being offered free wells, as long as a K/Q school can be built up in their village. This month BBC reports that “children are increasingly becoming key suicide bombers” for B-H in Nigeria. (source: BBC News, “B-H crisis: Huge rise in ‘child suicide’ bombers” http://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-36023444, April 12, 2016)

This isn’t just happening in Nigeria. It’s happening in many countries across the divide. Even in East Africa, the battle is intensifying. A few years back in Tanzania a camp of lured and deceived 4-14 year olds was discovered, where they were being trained in the arts of guerilla ter*rsm. Most of these stories don’t hit the press.

Whether it hits our daily newsfeed or not, the fastest-growing continent in the world is not neutral. And its dear children are intensely becoming the target.

Amazingly, though, the local African church has been a sleepy giant in the battle. Most local African churches don’t have special Bible-teaching programs for children. Pastors consider children ‘unimportant’ and less than an estimated 1% of African church budgets is dedicated to spiritual nurture, even though studies suggest more than 80% of believers become believers between the ages of 4-14. And even though 50% of the African population is made up of children, most African churches neglect ministering to children.  Even with churches which have ‘children’s church’ often it just means putting kids in a side room or in the back of the church, with a ‘behavior monitor’ making sure they don’t make a noise or disturb the big, important people from the service. The cultural neglect of children is not a new thing. That’s why Jesus had to correct the disciples by saying, “Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for the Kingdom of Heaven belongs to such as these.” (Matthew 19:14)

[Ephesians 4:14-16; John 3:16; 1; 2 Peter 3:9]

At the same time, like Jill and Eustace, often children are those the Lord equips and raises up to bring His love and truth into places that have been overwhelmed by darkness.

I risk making light of what is happening in Africa by even drawing an analogy from a fantasy fiction novel comparison.

But the heart of this message is to bring His light into darkness, and free those who are imprisoned in hopelessness. And somehow, whether we like it or not, children are at the forefront of the battleground between darkness and Light.

And, unlike The Silver Chair, this mission is real, not fantasy. The stakes are high and the battle is intensely palpable.

In response to this, what should the Church do?

In CIC we are focused on one key thing: coming alongside local indigenous churches to inspire, equip, and help them minister deeply to children weekly via CIC Children’s Clubs and Child Leadership Trainings in 20 countries across this battlefront. Today, the Lord is working through CIC to inspire and equip over 18,000 local indigenous volunteers to minister His genuine love to all children – regardless of their ethnicity or faith background, and deeply encourage and equip them with His life-giving Love and Truth.

Children learn God’s Word in CIC events

In just the past 3 years over 210,000 children have expressed their faith in Jesus as Lord and Savior. And of these children many courageously share their faith with their peers, families, communities; but even often without a word, their transformed behavior and lives witness His love and truth to others.

Children write us testimonies every month and many of these tell us amazing stories of unreached sisters, brothers, moms, dads, aunties, uncles, neighbors and whole villages joyfully receiving the Good News through CHILDREN!

Reflecting today on the unique position of CIC — by God’s grace ministering miraculously in countries that span the bottom of the 10/40 Window-the most unreached latitude region of the world and where children are most often at risk– the Lord has positioned CIC in a unique, strategic Kingdom mission.

Would you prayerfully consider helping these children to know Him and make Him known?

PRAYER:
They need your regular prayers for protection & wisdom. We need your prayers too as we train local ministry volunteers and the children. Subscribe to our newsletter and we can keep you posted on prayer requests. Click here to subscribe.

GIFTINGS AND TALENTS:
Are you interested in using your God-given gifts and talents for His Kingdom work?  Click here to request more information on ways to help.

FUNDING:
Over 99.7% of global Body of Christ giving focuses on the existing church; less than .3% is focused on reaching unreached (Source: Issachar Initiative) To reach the rest, we need the Lord’s provision & funding through the Body of Christ. Click here to see ways to partner.

The African local churches and volunteers are giving what they can give. If we come alongside them with funds to help do more trainings and clubs, we can say “Yes!” to more children being reached.

May the Lord bless you!

Inside Reaching Children in Africa: An Interview with CIC’s CEO

This interview was conducted and published by Living with Faith on their website at www.livingwithfaith.org

CHILDREN IN CHRIST® (CIC) is a unique Christian organization founded in 1997 and working in some 20 countries across Africa. CIC’s CEO, Jen M., kindly agreed to answer our questions about this organization’s approach and what it is accomplishing. 

LWF: Although it does not ignore adult populations, CIC seems to have a unique approach in its focus on taking the Gospel to many of the world’s children. Could you briefly explain that approach for our readers?

Jen M: Adult missions’ efforts towards resistant unreached people groups can often result in either closed doors or flat-out persecution. This is one of the reasons why there are still 1,292 people groups across the globe with no known church, believer or missionary engaging them. But while adults are often entrenched in their attitudes and ways, children are not. Yet along the 10/40 Window, particularly in Africa, children are marginalized not only economically and socially, but spiritually as well ­– even amongst local churches. And yet children represent 50% of the population today and they are the future of the African church tomorrow.

That is why CIC works to inspire, equip, and mobilize a God-grown indigenous ministry that empowers children in servant Christ-like leadership to impact families, villages, and nations for Christ. These local churches then are inspired and able to go outside their church walls into unreached people group villages and start children’s clubs that reach and disciple children weekly.

Last year over 78,527 received Christ through CIC Clubs. And not only children, but also many of their friends, moms, dads, aunts, uncles, cousins, and neighbors received Christ as a result of their testimony and prayers. We’ve even had village chiefs and villages receive Christ because of the impact of children’s changed lives.

LWF: So CIC is active in the so-called 10/40 Window of North Africa, the Middle East, and Asia where there is the highest concentration of peoples who have the least access to the Gospel, but are there particular areas within that region in which you are trying to make inroads?

Jen M: There is a Kingdom and geo-political significance to Africa that is intensely compelling and urgent, and Africa remains our primary focus. Africa is predicted to be the fastest-growing continent through to 2050, and Sub-Saharan Africa its fastest-growing region. Looking at a missions map you’ll see that the world is divided into people groups that are “green dots” (those considered reached with the Gospel), “yellow dots” (those who are at least 2% or so reached) and “red dots” (those less than 2% reached and/or known to be unreached). Of the continents across the world, Africa has the most people groups without one verse of Scripture – and hundreds of red dots.

Additionally, in Africa there is a significant red dot/green dot divide. The red dots are all to the north (North Africa). And the green dots are all to the South. And a compelling percentage of the turbulent, terrorist activity and clashes in Africa are along the line where green dot Africa meets red dot Africa. It has become a spiritual battleground which will shape not just the continent’s future but also all of ours and the world’s. As just one example, if you look at the source of ISIS fighter recruits, the majority is coming not from Middle Eastern countries, but from northern Africa.

Every year by God’s grace we have been able to strategically partner with over 600-700 local indigenous churches to help them minister where no one has gone before: in other words, to help the “green dot” indigenous churches go to the “red dot villages.” In 2015 we ministered to children with over 18,000,000 child-hours of discipleship across this line.

A new thing for us in 2016 has been India. Though we’ve had many invitations to enter new continents, after much prayer we did feel led this past year to answer one such invitation in India, with a dynamic church-planting church. In just a few weeks the pastors there had started roughly 10 CIC clubs in extremist village regions.

LWF: Your website stresses the fact that Africa, with 20% of the world’s population, has well over 200 million people who have not heard the Gospel, and that most of these individuals are children.   What are the social conditions or attitudes that lead to relatively fewer children being taught the basics of Christianity even in Christianized areas?

Jen M: Amazingly, the African indigenous culture and church context isn’t so different from the days of Jesus when He was indignant that the disciples were rebuking parents bringing their children. The first time I attended a typical African church I was struck by the strangeness of watching children being corralled to a special corner of the assembly space. A church member was on duty to oversee them and, if a child made a noise or disrupted the service, the ‘miscreant’ was whacked with a stick. Other African churches might send children to ‘children’s church’ where they are kept in another room, most of the time without materials or teaching. And in other churches, children are left to their own devices – to play outside in the street or field nearby while the ‘important people’ (the grown-ups) enjoy their church service.

In our CIC trainings with pastors, we often show them two candles – one burnt halfway down, and one brand new candle out of the box. We’ll ask the pastors, “Which one of these candles is a child and which one is an adult?” And the pastors will look and quickly point to the tall candle and say, “This one is the adult,” and point to the small one and say, “This one is the child.” And we’ll pause and then tell them, “No. . . . Don’t you see? The short candle – the one half-burned – that one is an adult, because that person’s life and testimony is already half gone. But the tall candle, it has a lifetime to burn and shine the light into the darkest corners.” In Africa, the average life expectancy is age 50 and the median age range is 14-20. To reach Africa for Christ means reaching the children!

LWF:   CIC proclaims the visionary goal of “every child reached,” and you are making tremendous progress with some 250,000 children being discipled weekly. Tell us a little about the “CIC Clubs” you utilize to do this work.

Jen M: While we have fun games and laughter, we also have lively, participatory learning of the Word – from the Old Testament to the New Testament – and we do this weekly. And the genuine love of the Club mentors, the adults, truly sharing Jesus’ love, is also what really impacts children. These mentors aren’t just ‘on’ during club hours. They care for these children, pray with them, visit their families, coach them through problems and issues, and serve as a loving Biblical counsel and mentor in their day-to-day lives. Volunteerism is definitely key. Unlike many ministries, we don’t pay children’s ministry workers to spend time with children. Nor do we pay churches to participate. So the people who stay with CIC only stay because they are deeply, fervently inspired and called. Their reward is a spiritual blessing, not a monetary one.

Another core value in CIC Club ministry is coaching, equipping and empowering Child Leaders. Within each club, adult mentors identify children between the ages of 9-18 who bubble up as highly committed and called individuals. In separate trainings (5-day long Biblical worldview camps) and discipleship meetings, we coach them in servant leadership, biblical worldview, life skills, how to lead CIC Clubs, how to reach peers with the Gospel, how to disciple one-on-one with peers, and other Kingdom leadership content. These Child Leaders co-lead the CIC Clubs with the adult volunteer and play a vital role in the impact and multiplication of the ministry. The idea of youth leadership is counter-cultural for Africa. But these young leaders are the life, vitality, and future of this ministry. Several of our current field leaders started out as Child Leaders in a CIC Club!

LWF: Africa has seen the horrendous activities of groups such as the so-called “Lord’s Resistance Army,” which include abductions and abuse of children, forcing them to serve as soldiers or in other ways. More recently, the terrorist group Boko Haram and others have been widely utilizing the same practices. Are there ways in which organizations such as yours can help to alleviate the sad results of this situation?

Jen M: That’s such a great question. Reaching these children with the love of Christ and nurturing them in His Truth is paramount to stemming and reversing the tide of these groups who are actively trying to recruit children through deceptive teaching and radicalization.

There is an escalating, dangerous battle for the souls of these children. There’s never been more urgency to reach and disciple them than now. The question is, “Who will reach them first?”

LWF: Your work also brings CIC into contact with the results of African witchcraft. Could you explain the significance of that?

Jen M: There’s a famous saying in Africa that “The Christian goes to church on Sunday, but goes to the witchdoctor on Monday.” Having lived in Africa, I am still trying to process and wrap my East Coast evangelical Protestant mind around traditionalism and occultic practices that seep into everyday life – even into the church membership. In the contexts where we operate, the church is often not able to deeply disciple its members and this shallow teaching can sometimes lead to syncretism and confusion, with clashing worldviews that destabilize the very Body of Christ. The shallow teaching is one of the reasons why Rwanda had an 80% Christian population somehow perpetrate the horrific slaughter of genocide.

And while some in the West have relegated witchcraft to fairytales, it’s still a real, powerful shaping force in Africa. We have thousands of children who tell us they live in fear every day of demons and the supernatural, and though our Western ears have a hard time believing it, it is not wholly uncommon to hear of ‘child sacrifices’ and evil acts perpetrated against children. In one village in Ghana 7 years ago, villagers were still conducting a “rite of passage” for children that forced them to be placed into a burning kiln. Those who survived were considered to have special protective forces. This was in 2009! Soon after our CIC Club started ministering there, the parents and children refused to participate in this ritual. And now, the kiln has been fully dismantled – it’s no longer in use. Such things are not uncommon across Africa. During election years, child sacrifices increase as politicians hope to win the gods’ favor in the polls. And occultic prosperity theology perpetuates such heinous acts as well.

LWF: CIC believes strongly in mission partnership and collaboration. Could you tell us briefly about some of your current or recent collaborations?

Jen M: First and foremost, we believe the indigenous local church is uniquely gifted by God for finishing the Great Commission. They know the heart language, the culture, the context, the terrain, and they can sustainably stay, nurture, and build up the Body of Christ while remaining under the radar. We truly believe they will be some of the great heroes of the faith who finish the task. So our whole heart is to inspire, encourage, embolden, uplift and equip as needed our fellow brothers and sisters who are part of the Body of Christ in these countries. That’s what we do every day. While some NGO’s build buildings, dig wells, or provide material resources, we inspire, train and mobilize.

CIC also partners with a range of in-field Kingdom partners in various countries across Africa. For example: providing weekly spiritual nurture for about 60,000+ World Vision children annually over many years, providing an ongoing discipleship venue for Samaritan’s Purse shoeboxes in a variety of regions, coming alongside Open Doors for children’s ministry in several challenging contexts, partnering with DAI for indigenous leadership training, etc. The list is long, and each one enriches the collaborative fruitfulness of the Body of Christ working together in the field.

Along with this, CIC has had a faithful core of Kingdom-focused partners and donors in the US who have given prayer support and resources to equip the local churches to serve His call across Africa. We’re thankful for every single one of them. We’re always praying for more people to join us.

LWF: CIC is clearly a vibrant and forward-looking organization. What are some of your plans as you look to the future?

Jen M: We’re prayerfully seeking to enter 20 completely unengaged and unreached people groups this year and more deeply establish an inspired and equipped indigenous volunteer church network in 3 undisclosed countries/regions. We are also seeking the Lord’s continued wisdom and strength to finish and roll out a completely new orality-based (storytelling) curriculum and methodology made for this context. This will be a watershed project for us – having the potential for even greater multiplication as well as enhanced retention within an extremely oral-based learning culture. In partnership with DAI, we are also co-authoring an advanced level curriculum for Child Leadership principles that will further develop biblical worldview leadership amongst this generation. But we look to the Lord for His wisdom, plans, and timing as we hold onto all these projects loosely. All of it – every single bit of it – is done by Him. It’s just a privilege for all of us to be a witness to His power, work, and glory in CIC.

Editor’s Note: This interview was conducted by Living With Faith. You can visit their website at http://www.livingwithfaith.org/

My Story: The Road from Traditional Islam to Jesus

The following is the direct testimony of one of our country leaders, who left a traditional Muslim family and tribe when she discovered the love and hope of Jesus. She currently leads a CIC team of 712 indigenous local church ministry volunteers, ministering to over 2,500 children in weekly CIC Clubs. The children love her and call her “Aunty” – and there is tremendous fruit of transformed lives in this very challenging country in Sub-Saharan Africa.

For security purposes, her name and the country is withheld.

 

I Came From A Fulani Muslim Family

I was born and grew up in a very fervent, polygamous Muslim family with the consciousness that the Muslim way is what we have to be and nothing else. This was done with the strong traditional and cultural beliefs and practices as a Fulani. We were required to observe Islamic Quranic recitation from childhood, observe the five pillars of Islam daily prayers, and many others.

Fulani calabashes used for the storage of milk and butter Photo Credit

How I Encountered Jesus as Lord and Savior and God’s Son

I came from such large Muslim family as the last born to my father and mother. I can fortunately admit that during my youthful and school days, I was surrounded with some Christian friends whose faith was very strong in the Lord. Thus they were always telling me about the Lord Jesus and His goodness in their lives and families. For me to give my life to Christ was almost  impossible, due to my strong beliefs in Islam by birth.

But in 1991 April 12, the day of my birthday, my friends decided to organize a party for me, but their hearts’ prayer was that I would receive the freedom and love of Christ. They asked me to attend Bible school with them on my birthday. I felt convicted I needed to follow them though it was unknown to my family members, my sisters and brothers. My first week in the bible school was a week of encounters with the Lord Jesus and specifically He appeared to me in a dream and it was so powerful it made me convinced that Jesus is the son of God and not just a prophet as Muslims believe. I saw Him with my spiritual eyes with glory shining light around that night. Since this time, I have known many other Muslims who have come to faith in Jesus through dreams like this. For me, I woke up with a new heart and fresh looks, peace and laughter bobbling within my inner spirit. It was so strong that I could not keep myself from speaking out to my parents and elders and confess that I had received Jesus as my Savior.  I had seen Jesus with my own eyes. And with boldness I could not pray the Muslim way but now only in Jesus’ name.

The Early Call Amidst Persecution

The persecution was fast and it started with rejection from all sides, but I still held on to that encounter I had in the dream and this scripture in Mark 10: 29-30:

Jesus said, “Truly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands, for my sake and for the gospel, who will not receive a hundredfold now in this time, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions, and in the age to come eternal life.”

I thought – If Jesus will take care of me, I vow I will not return to the darkness of Islam.

Yes it was very tough for me then, but God helped me to go through all persecutions, with help, prayer, and support of believers who adopted me like they were my own parents and my friends encouraged me during that whole time. I received my first Bible at the Bible school as a gift by Pastor B. and he discipled me in the core foundations of our faith and baptism. Seven months after receiving Christ, I was baptized. The power of the Holy Spirit also gave me strength, refreshment, and encouragement in my new faith. I decided to volunteer at the local Bible school, and took part in some outreaches to children. There, I heard the voice of God speaking to me: “I have called you to share my love and peace to the children and I am going to use you for this purpose, and don’t say you are small and that you don’t know anything.” Then I was just 20 years old. In 1992, my spiritual growth was very rapid because of my association with the Bible school and the men and women of God that He surrounded me with. There I served for 7 years.

In The Midst of Stonings, The Call Continued

In 2001, I decided to visit my elder sister residing in another West African country during summer break. There I was invited to a church and was asked by the pastor to help and teach the Sunday school children because the teacher was absent. In the midst of my teaching we had some Muslim youths around who began to throw stones at me and the children. I was hurt on my forehead, but in the midst of this I heard the voice again: “I have called you to share my love and peace to the children, now you will have to go back and then return again for a mission for the children in this country.”

In 2003, I came again for a second visit. During my attendance at a crusade event, a ministry leader came to me and said, “I have been looking for you for the past three days to share a vision of children with you. Tonight I am coming with you to your house for a meeting.” He knew something of me beforehand and the Lord made a way for us to meet.  Shortly after, he had a vision-casting of the importance of children and God’s call to minister to them – the beginning of Children in Christ in this country.  The vision-casting was very successful and we recruited about 29 volunteers for CIC and launched the first CIC Club in that country. And there we were also stoned just because of the mention of the name of Jesus during our teachings.

Organic Growth and A Call I Could No Longer Resist

CIC "Aunty" gathers with CIC child leaders

CIC was now growing organically amongst the indigenous church, and the leaders asked if I would take on leadership of the rapidly growing ministry. Instead, I said, “I will serve as a supervisor until the Lord brings a leader.”  But then the Lord spoke to many in the team and they came to me and said, “We believe the Lord is telling us that He has called you to share love and peace to the children of this country with CIC. He is calling you to stay here and not return to your home country. The Lord has called you.” After this I could not resist anymore. These were the same words I had heard from the Lord these many times before.

A Bell in My Heart

I surrendered all to God and accepted to take the lead in 2003. God gave me this Scripture in Mark, with Jesus speaking: “Whosoever that giveth a cup of water to this little ones he has done it unto me.” This Scripture is like a bell that rings in my heart a passion and love for children. And I entered full time into ministry, in 2004 with CIC.

My calling became more real with much fruit and great rewards of serving children. I am blessed with a wonderful husband whose heart and passion and calling is also children, with no doubt we are just a unique marriage with the same passion and with two wonderful children. In my calling, I found assurance of hope, love, peace, and above all a lovely family in CIC, with mothers, fathers, brothers and sisters.

All that I have seen and lived is a living testimony with many great proofs that Jesus is the only way to Heaven, with this, some of my sisters and brothers are now saved, committed Christians and their children as well. More are yet to join the faith. Now I am free from all rejection and strong persecution, praise the Lord and I am able to live out my calling as a woman of God. I am of great courage and thanks to the Lord for His bringing me from darkness to His light and Christianity. No going back to Egypt. My life is now to fish as many as possible for the kingdom of God till Jesus comes. To God alone be all the Glory.

Jesus is Lord for ever more.

Light Shines in the Midst of Refugee Camp Darkness

Fleeing from Danger

Photo Credit: Al Jazeera Online, “UN: Refugees from South Sudan cross 1.5 million mark”

Martin Otwere, 15 years old from Torit, South Sudan, woke up one morning and life would never be the same.

He and his family had frantically fled from South Sudan like so many other South Sudanese.

The conflict between the president of South Sudan, Kiir (Dinka tribe), and his deputy, Machar (Nuer tribe), had already devastated many parts of South Sudan since 2013. But when Machar fled the country back in August 2016, some South Sudanese hoped peace would come.

But peace didn’t come.

Since that time, the military has split into two factions – the government soldiers and the so-called ‘rebel’ soldiers. And it is these vengeful, opposing forces that have been ripping through villages, claiming territory for themselves, burning homes, killing and kidnapping many, and raping women and children, leaving little in their paths. The atrocities are unthinkable for most of us. There are reports that children as young as 2 years old have been raped! (Source link) The situation has become so alarming, the UN Human Rights Commission is signaling major alarm bells that South Sudan is in danger of a “Rwanda-like genocide” with violence actively enroute to ethnic cleansing.

The conflict is so complex, it is hard to grasp in words how such a schism could happen amongst fellow countrymen. South Sudan became an independent country in 2011 to be a Christian nation that would be a witness to those around the world. But, as Christians we know that the enemy opposes any such testimony and instead seeks to kill and destroy. Sin, ambition, and evil have all combined to create a frightening conflict that is destroying many. This is clearly not just a horrifying physical battle, but a spiritual one as well.

 

A New Life for Martin

Martin is almost like any other 15-year old boy.

He wants a life to learn, study, grow, laugh and play.

But he, some of his family members, and 1.5 million other South Sudanese were now living in cramped tent villages, receiving low levels of food rations, experiencing malnutrition and still healing from the trauma of seeing parents and villagers shot dead, aunties, moms and sisters being raped, and family huts being burned.

But there is one thing that has given Martin hope, joy, and abundant life in the midst of this place. And that is Jesus!

Before all of this, back in his home village, Martin had joined Naraboni CIC Club in 2013. There he enjoyed every bit of weekly CIC Club activities and developed a deep passion and love for the word of God.

In 2014 Victor, the CIC Volunteer Coordinator in Torit, invited Martin to attend a CIC Child Leaders Training that was held in the same year and through this training, Martin received Christ as His Lord and Savior! Through the training, Martin was inspired and equipped to be a servant leader for Christ, and returned home to teach the word of God to his peers. He also helped lead his local CIC Club.

 

What the Enemy Meant for Evil, God Turned for Good

In 2015 the conflict intensified in South Sudan, which forced Martin and his family to flee to Uganda where they sought refuge at the Pagirinya Refugees Camp. The passion and love for the CIC Club Ministry still bubbled in Martin’s heart. While Martin found the refugee camp a place of broken-hearted trauma, loss and a sense of meaninglessness, Martin knew that Jesus is Life and Light – and His hope and truth can shine hope and meaning and joy into any darkness.

 

15-Year Old Martin Brings Good News to a Dark Place

Through this zeal and vision, the Lord inspired Martin to start a CIC Club in this dark place without any directives or help from a CIC leader. He used what the Lord had taught him in CIC Club and Leadership Training to start ministry where the Lord planted him.

Little by little the club grew as many children who were idle began attending the weekly club activities led by Martin. This not only ministered deeply to the children but also to the parents, who were also drawn to the Club to hear the Word of God.

Eventually the CIC Club developed into a ministry and fellowship of both adults and children, since there was no church.

We are told that when AIC church missionaries came to the camp they were amazed to find a vibrant fellowship happening, all due to the initiative and leadership of a 15-year old boy! They adopted the church fellowship.

And as we speak today the CIC Club is still meeting with approximately 63 children and the new church is additionally impacting about 50 adults.

It is the Lord who works in these children, like Martin, “both to will and to work for His good pleasure.” (Philippians 2:13)

We thank you Lord!

If you would like to help share the love and truth of Christ, disciple, and equip more children like Martin in the refugee camps and in the CIC Clubs still operating in South Sudan, click here.

Note: We are thankful that the Lord has made a way for many to safely reach refugee camps, but we also are painfully aware of the horrors and tragedy still going on in South Sudan. Hundreds of thousands of people have been killed and the terror continues. Famine, death, and danger continue to rip through this country. Of the 12 million population in South Sudan, roughly 2 million have been internally displaced and more than 1.5 million have fled the country. The UN is projecting 6 million are facing starvation.

Please pray for all of South Sudan for provision, protection, peace, healing, and restoration.