Key verse: - Matthew 9: 38 "Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field"

 

I. God prepared me for Egypt Mission

My name is Oyor M. I was born and grew up in South Sudan.  Because of the long civil war between south Sudanese rebels and the northern Islamic government, many young people lost their lives. I hated Arabs and M so much. I regarded them as my enemies. I also hated my poverty situation. I couldn't find any hope in my life in that situation. In order to escape my situation, I became a drunkard and adulterer. I became a useless sinner.

 

In 1994 when I was in my fourth year at Juba University, God called me through invitation to UBF Bible study with missionary Andrew Kim. Since then God healed me from drunkenness, adultery, and hatred. Then God gave me a strong desire to live a holy life and I was changed. Since then, I faithfully studied the Bible and became a Bible teacher. After I graduated from Juba University, and according to missionary Andrew Kim's direction, I joined the Masters Program in Khartoum University with a vision to serve campus ministry as a professor. In 2000 God answered our prayers and I became a lecturer at the Upper Nile University in South Sudan. I taught the Bible to 20-30 students on campus every week. God changed a useless drunkard to a spiritual leader and a Bible teacher to take care of students with the words of God.

 

II. Egypt Mission

Since 1996, Sudan UBF began to pray to send missionaries to Muslim nations. In 2005, I applied to Ain Shams University in Egypt for PhD study. In spite of many obstacles, God helped me to obtain a visa to study in Egypt. My heart was full of joy because God granted me victory to go to Egypt as a self-supporting missionary. I arrived in Cairo on February 15, 2006. I had great fear because of the racial discrimination between Arabs and Africans. Since this happened to me in my own country, how much more would it happen to me in a foreign land. I struggled to fix my eyes only on Jesus and his authority, which he gave me by faith. I walked into the campus bravely like a lion. Though some Egyptians called me "Bonga Bonga", which means "monkey", I replied to them with a big smile and a loving heart. God used this smile to make friends among Egyptians.

 

In Egypt, it is prohibited to teach the Bible to M. However, the love of God is stronger than any obstacles. So I could overcome segregation and the aggressive behavior of Egyptians. When I helped my colleagues with their difficult courses, some of them opened their hearts to Bible study. I struggled to have 20 one to one Bible studies and Sunday worship attendants. We invited students to my small apartment for the Bible studies and Sunday worship. Momdouh was one of my faithful students who have been studying the Bible. He was full of lustful desire and pride before but God’s words changed him and gave him a broken heart and a vision to help students of Asyot University as their Bible teacher. He attended the International African conference in Kenya with a great vision. Ayman who is a student of Ain Shams University was growing through one to one Bible study and constant prayer. All of them attended the 2012 Africa Regional Conference in Uganda. At that time I prayed that they may be ancestors of faith in Egypt.

 

The Moment of Despair:

In 2010 our 1:1 Bible studies dropped dramatically. I now only do Bible study with the members of my family and with one high school girl. I invite many Egyptians to Bible study. They come the first time only to make a good relationship with me hoping that they will be invited to the UBF international conference. After studying one or two times they disappear. Whenever I call them they just simply asked me "is there any international conference soon". Their purpose for UBF is not Bible study but to attend UBF international Bible conferences. I always receive phone calls from many of them not to ask about Bible study but just to ask if there is an international conference and if they have a chance to attend the conference or not.

 

Egyptian brother Mamdouh started with a good spirit in our ministry. He provided his apartment to be used for one to one Bible study. And activity he invited many people to our conferences. By doing so, many of his relatives joyfully join the Bible study every week. But later Mamdouh became always busy because he was invited to many Christian programs due to his musical skill. Moreover, he traveled to Asyut and stayed there continually with his family. In Asyout he received an offer of a full time job from a certain Christian group with good pay in order to play music in their choir. I felt despair when I heard this from him. One month later, he phoned me from Asyut saying that he found five students from Asyut University. Unfortunately, he could not help these sheep because he does not study the Bible with me every week due to the long distance between Cairo and Asyut. Finally his sheep scattered. The only thing I did was to pray that he may have a clear identity as an UBF shepherd candidate and concentrate on  Biblical training. I prayed for him to grow as a Bible teacher and an ancestor of faith for the Egyptian gospel mission.  Mamdouh was my best Bible student whom I thought would continue to do the work of God after I go back to Sudan. But his decision made me feel a sense of failure and despair. I felt that the time I spent in Egypt was a waste, if the UBF ministry would come to an end after I go back to Sudan without raising an Abraham of Faith.

 

III. Malakal Ministry in South Sudan

During the missionary life in Egypt for the last six years, I suffered because the process for PhD registration was too slow. Many years I had to wait for procedures to complete my PhD registration. But I believed that it was God’s divine plan to use me to help more Egyptians during that time. I came back from Egypt to Malakal in the Republic of South Sudan in April 2012, according to the demand of the Vice Chancellor of the Upper Nile University. That time I was teaching courses as a faculty in the Upper Nile University, one of the three major universities in South Sudan.

 

As I rejoined Malakal UBF, our leaders struggle to help students and feed them with the words of God despite the bad economic situation. South Sudan became independent from Sudan, which is an Arab and Muslim country two years ago. After the secession, the border between Sudan and South Sudan has been closed up til now. The two nations fought constantly because of many unsolved national problems. As a result, South Sudan is suffering because of a shortage of food, fuel, electricity, and other facilities. Despite the situation, we pray to God and struggle to have 15 one to one Bible studies every week. We are praying for 20 one to one Bible study every week.

 

By the grace of God, we had a wedding ceremony on May, 19 this year in Malakal – Republic of South Sudan. Jonson Deng and Regina Mayiek, who have been trained for more than ten years by Missionary Andrew and Hope K, established a house church for South Sudan and African campus mission. It was the first house church to be established in a new nation, the Republic of South Sudan UBF. Missionary Daniel and Miso Rhee from South Africa, Dr. Joseph and Esther Chung from Uganda, Missionary Andrew K from Sudan, and two UBF co-workers from Juba, the capital of South Sudan, happily attended the wedding ceremony and blessed this house church. I believe that it is God’s sign to bless the new nation, South Sudan, to be a Kingdom of Priests and a Holy nation. We are studying the Bible under a tree on campus and Sunday worship service at Peter and Philip Angelo’s house now. We pray that God provides us a good Bible center near campus. I praise to God for his wonderful vision for South Sudan.

 

UBF relief work in Malakal:

With the sense of broken shepherd heart Korea and USA UBF helped more than 300 poor and displaced families in Malakal, South Sudan. In order to help the people of South Sudan, mission Andrew Kim sacrifices his time, energy, and health to go to Malakal in the rainy season where Malaria and Typhoid diseases were at the highest outbreak. That relief work blessed the poor people and planted joy in their desperate lives.

 

IV. Back to Egypt

I came to Egypt in September last year in order to defend my thesis. By the grace of God, I defended it successfully and was awarded a Ph.D. on October 11, 2012. I was so happy and I pray that God may help me to use this degree for his mission work and for his glory. Upon my arrival in Cairo, we had a beautiful Bible study with Ayman, a student of Ain Shams University. He is one of the faithful UBF members in Egypt. He attended the last Regional African Conference in Kampala, Uganda together with Mamdouh, a leader candidate.  I prayerfully encouraged Ayman to start the UBF gospel ministry in his house because I am leaving for Malakal, South Sudan. Since that time, he has been having Bible study and worship service in his apartment. He invited two students from Ain Shams and Cairo universities in addition to his relatives. The total number of Bible studies and worship service attendees are approximately 15 every week. We are currently praying for 20 attendees. These days Ayman is preparing Bible study and writing messages every week. He succeeded me as the Egypt UBF leader for Aim Shams and Cairo University. Ayman's wife takes care of CBF and Second Gens. They are still young but I believe that God will raise them by his grace and power. We pray that they may visit Sudan UBF to have Bible study with Msn Andrew Kim during the holidays.

 

V. Bible Study and Christmas Worship Service

Egypt UBF is now studying Luke's gospel.  We had four lessons of Christmas Bible study. Egyptians celebrate Christmas on January 7, so our Christmas celebration will be on January 5, 2013.   Mamdouh is helping two students in Asyut University in southern Egypt. They will joint for the Christmas celebration in Cairo.

 

Malaklal UBF is studding Luke’s gospel too. They did the Christmas celebration on December 24 in the house of Shep. Peter and Philip Angelo.

 

Second generation: My elder daughter, Sabanta is studying in Cairo University. My son Butros applied for scholarship to study in Egypt next year. Sarah, Hannah and Joc. are in primary school. Yeyo. the youngest daughter is will go to primary school next year. Yeyo is still suffering from a disease of legs muscle leisure, but her situation is better than before. Please send us the workers, oh God!

           

Prayer topics:

 

One word: “Seek God and Work wholeheartedly!"

 

By Oyer Moses