Nile Theological College (Bob & Kristi Rice) - March 2024

Read this wonderful update written by our friends Bob and Kristi Rice. They write…

Dear friends,

Last week our network of facilitators for the Healing Hearts, Transforming Nations (HHTN) workshop gathered to share how we saw God at work through the workshops in 2023 and to pray together for God’s work of healing and reconciliation in South Sudan. As I (Kristi) looked around the room of people who have been trained within the last couple of years I was humbled and grateful for the gift of working together in pursuit of helping people to know and experience the true life that Jesus came to give us. Several people shared about the deep divisions and mistrust that they encountered between clans or communities, or even within families. But in each workshop, they saw evidence of the Holy Spirit bringing freedom and healing from those wounds and divisions and enabling people to forgive as they looked deeply at the love and forgiveness of God

Bob and Kristi Rice — August 2022 Update

Young men and women leaned in thoughtfully as I described how Ida B. Wells risked her life to investigate and publish the truth about the lynchings that were happening across the U.S. in the late 1800s and early 1900s. “The environment in South Sudan is a lot like that,” one young man said, “you cannot speak the truth about the injustice that is happening. You will be silenced.” The youth were impressed by how Ida Wells endured opposition, threats, and discrimination to write and speak tirelessly about the brutal culture of lynching and how it opposed God’s standard of justice. While many churches at that time feared speaking out even if they opposed lynching, Ida Wells carried on.

Nyadak, one of the youth leaders, led us in a Bible study about God’s view of justice.

Africa, Global Workers, MissionariesThe Outreach FoundationSeptember 6, 2022Bob and Kristi Rice, South Sudan

Bob and Kristi Rice - June 2022 Update

The greatest joy for me serving in South Sudan these five years has been my students. I am always amazed by their curiosity, thoughtfulness, intelligence, good humor, hard work, and care for me as their teacher and brother in Christ. This semester has been no different. In Philosophy of Religion, we have tackled questions such as “Why is philosophy important?” “What is God’s central attribute according to many theists (believers in God)?” “What analogies help us better understand the Trinity?” “How can Jesus be both fully divine and fully human?” “What is the major weakness of Calvinism?”

Bob and Kristi Rice - May 2022 Update

The South Sudan Presbyterian Evangelical Church (SSPEC) recently collaborated with the Episcopal Church of South Sudan (ECSS) and Mission Aviation Fellowship (MAF) to host a national Training of Facilitators and Training of Trainers in South Sudan. As a result of the collaboration, fifteen new facilitators were trained, and seven new facilitators were certified for the Healing Hearts Transforming Nations (HHTN) workshop. It was the first time that the training of new facilitators for this workshop was held in South Sudan.

Nile Theological College - February 2022 Update

Nile Theological College (NTC) provides theological and practical training to equip men and women for effective ministry in Sudan and South Sudan. Our support helps provide scholarships for students to continue to study and make an impact serving their congregations, denominations, and other organizations. Here are excerpts from NTC’s most recent newsletter, Light to the Nations:

Africa, Projects, PartnershipThe Outreach FoundationFebruary 23, 2022Nile Theological College, South Sudan, Sudan, Bob and Kristi Rice

Bob and Kristi Rice - November 2021 Update

Dear friends,

The wind blows where it chooses, and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit. John 3:8

It all began with a question about the HIV/AIDS course. We wondered, “Can this course be inserted elsewhere as part of another course?” “Maybe it could be grafted into our counseling course?” Alluding to the counseling course, we were then off to the races, finding ourselves in another discussion altogether, which lasted for a good portion of our five-hour meeting. Such was the work of the Spirit on a Saturday morning in early October at Nile Theological College.

Bob and Kristi Rice - January 2021 Update

Dear friends,

Rev. Santino Odong, principal at Nile Theological College (NTC), is getting creative in finding ways for students to continue studying as they prepare for ministry in the church. Schools have been prohibited from meeting since March 23, 2020, in South Sudan, and they did not have the equipment or connectivity to switch to online classes. They were able to use some large church buildings to allow students to social distance while completing interrupted courses from last semester. Most of the students came to Juba from remote regions of South Sudan, leaving their families while they study at NTC in preparation for serving as pastors.

As everyone realized that COVID-19 will continue to hinder the normal way schools have functioned, Rev. Santino and the other faculty at NTC wrestled with how to start the new semester so that students could continue their studies. Now they are experimenting with teaching remotely over WhatsApp, a smartphone application for messaging and calling over the internet. They asked Bob to teach two classes remotely from the U.S. while we wait to be able to return to Juba. With only two weeks’ notice, Bob jumped into the research, planning, and preparation for teaching classes on the Exegesis of Acts and African Church History.

Bob and Kristi Rice - April 2020 Update

Greetings to you in the name of Christ our Savior!

We want to send you a quick update on our current situation. In light of the global pandemic, Presbyterian World Mission requested all mission co-workers to return to the U.S. We had prepared to 'shelter-in-place' in Juba, but realized that with the uncertain future and border closings it might be good to return. We made quick plans and left Juba to return to the U.S. We self-isolated for a couple of weeks as a precaution in case we picked up anything while traveling and are now staying in IL until we can return to Juba.

Bob and Kristi Rice - Update

Greetings to you in the name of Christ our Savior! We want to send you a quick update on our current situation. In light of the current global Coronavirus pandemic, Presbyterian World Mission requested all mission co-workers to return to the U.S. We had prepared to 'shelter-in-place' in Juba, but realized that with the uncertain future and border closings it might be good to return. We made quick plans and left Juba on Sunday to return to the U.S. We are self-isolating for a couple of weeks as a precaution in case we picked up anything while traveling, and then will be staying in IL until we can return to Juba.

It was very hard to leave! We had returned to Juba in January and were so glad to be home, then being uprooted at a time when home is a source of comfort was painful and disconcerting. On Sunday just before leaving, we read Psalm 23 in the message version, and took comfort in the concluding verse, "I'm back home in the house of God for the rest of my life." Truly, our home is with God, wherever we are, and we are grateful for His promises and presence.

Africa, Missionaries, PartnershipThe Outreach FoundationApril 1, 2020Bob and Kristi Rice, South Sudan

Bob and Kristi Rice - Update

How can I repay the Lord for all his goodness to me? Psalm 116:12

At the end of November, we finished our visits to churches for this year. We reflected on all the ways God has encouraged and blessed us as we have traveled around, reconnecting with so many of you who partner with us. We are truly grateful to God and to all the people we encountered along the way. Here are a few pictures and highlights of things we are grateful for in this season:

1. Safe travel…about 10,000 road miles logged and a few flights. We prayed extra hard on the curves and hills of West Virginia in the driving rain!

2. All the people who expressed an interest in South Sudan and the work of the church there – who asked probing questions and wanted to learn more.

Africa, Missionaries, PartnershipThe Outreach FoundationJanuary 6, 2020Bob and Kristi Rice, Nile Theological College

Bob and Kristi Rice - Update

Embracing Hope: The Gift of Presence

Dear friends,

I looked over at the faces of the choir members, rigid with intensity and dripping with sweat as they sang and danced down the road. The drums beat loud, but the people sang even louder, lifting their hands in the air. I was humbled by their enthusiasm and energy. This was something of a “welcome parade” to greet the moderator and the team that accompanied him on a visit to Bentiu. We were walking (or dancing and marching, with the choir) through the large camp for Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), ending with a celebration at the church. Being met by such an enthusiastic crowd was humbling, and then we were welcomed in traditional Nuer fashion by having our feet washed. I was overwhelmed by the welcome and realized how significant it was for this remote congregation to be visited by their leaders and feel connected to the church in other places.

Bob and Kristi Rice - February 2019 Update

Dear friends and supporters,

Theophan the Recluse, a well-known saint and mystic in the 19th century Russian Orthodox church, once said, “To pray is to descend with the mind into the heart, and there to stand before the face of the Lord, ever-present, all-seeing, within you.”

I recently began teaching Spiritual Formation to our fresh intake of students, our “junior” class (I will soon begin teaching the same class to our new diploma students as well). It has been encouraging and even inspiring to see my students’ hunger for learning, their humility, and their desire for growth in the Christian life. I shared how theological reflection helps us to open our minds to God’s truth and wisdom. In most of our classes at Nile Theological College, we reflect on the major themes of our faith and look back to the church of the past for guidance as we step out into the future.

Africa, Missionaries, ProjectsThe Outreach FoundationFebruary 27, 2019Bob and Kristi Rice, Nile Theological College, South Sudan

Bob and Kristi Rice - Update

“The playground is transformed,” said Honorable Rebecca Joshua, government Minister of Roads and Bridges, “adorned with flowers and the presence of many dignitaries.”

It was true – the outdoor basketball stadium in Juba did not look like the same place where we had watched basketball practice the night before. The bold colors of the women’s dresses reflected in the bright sun highlighted an atmosphere of celebration. Families of the graduates brought buckets of home-made sweets from home that they passed out to everyone around them. Government ministers arrived with their security detail, and television cameras were poised to broadcast the event. But it was clear throughout the program that the ‘stars’ of the show were the 15 graduates of Nile Theological College (NTC) proudly receiving their diplomas.

Bob and Kristi Rice Update

Celebrating Peace in South Sudan

Wednesday, October 31 was a big celebration in Juba of the recent peace agreement in South Sudan. Several African presidents came, along with leaders of opposition parties in South Sudan. As the city of Juba was busy preparing for the celebration by painting curbs, picking up trash, and sending truckloads of soldiers to beef up security, we were not sure what to expect. Leaders who had been at war were going to be in the same location. We were advised to stay home and lay low rather than join the crowds at Freedom Field.

Africa, MissionariesThe Outreach FoundationDecember 5, 2018Bob and Kristi Rice, South Sudan

Rev. John Tong Puk 1956-2018

Bob and Kristi Rice shared sad news about Rev. John Tong Puk at Nile Theological College in South Sudan. Please keep Rev. Puk's family, Nile Theological College and the Rices in your prayers.

"If the Lord Does Not Come"

As I nestled into the large outdoor couch overlooking the majestic African valley deep in Murchison Falls National Park during the early evening hours, I took out our iPad and quickly glanced at a few personal emails. One message grabbed my immediate attention and kept it. News had come from Khartoum that morning, Wednesday, June 13th, that Rev. John Tong Puk, a close colleague and friend, a leader in the South Sudan Presbyterian Evangelical Church (SSPEC) and Dean of Studies at Nile Theological College (NTC), where I teach, had died that morning. I read the message over and over in disbelief. I had just been with him and greeted him before his journey to Khartoum to see family. Could it be? It was like a dream. For the next twenty-four hours I kept saying to myself, “John Tong Puk is dead,” a statement of sheer disbelief and quiet quandary.

Bob and Kristi Rice - July 2018 Update

A Proud Teacher
A proud teacher, like a proud parent, marvels and rejoices in the success of his or her students. I was thrilled with my students on the final examination day. For my two classes, Contextual Theology and Church History, I had grouped students together to present for our class, to share with us and teach us what they have learned. For my Contextual Theology class, I asked my students to create a local or contextual theology, a lived theology which speaks to the realities and concerns of the South Sudanese people. For my Church History class, I assigned each of the eight groups a question to respond to, each question covering a significant historical issue and/or person which we have studied together. For each of the two classes and their final group presentations, I was "tickled pink" to see my students use their imagination, their creativity, their gifts and their hard work in sharing with us and helping us learn together as a community.

Bob and Kristi Rice - April 2018 Update

Mama Sarah
Mama Sarah stood and spoke before the large group of mostly men, those being trained at Nile Theological College to serve as pastors and community leaders. While women are unheralded and not valued in this culture, Mama Sarah quickly and easily gained the rapt attention of everyone in the room, sharing her own story in the context of our teaching on forgiveness…

One of the great joys in life is the people we meet. Last month Kristi traveled to Rwanda for a training in healing and reconciliation with three South Sudanese colleagues. One of these colleagues is the inimitable, irrepressible, and unforgettable Mama Sarah.

Mama Sarah is a widow in her late forties; her husband died almost twenty-five years ago. Mama Sarah has raised four children on her own. She has also taken in children not her own from other clans and tribes, an unheard-of reality here in South Sudan. Mama Sarah is a grandmother and she relishes her role as “matriarch,” calling others sons and daughters and cherishing her well-deserved title and status as “Mama Sarah” (Mother Sarah).

Africa, MissionariesThe Outreach FoundationMay 4, 2018Bob and Kristi Rice, South Sudan, Juba

Bob and Kristi Rice - January 2018 Update

Abiding in Christ, Resting in the Lord

While living in Rwanda several years back, Antoine RUTAYISIRE, then team leader of African Evangelistic Enterprise (AEE) Rwanda, and I would spend a week in prayer and fasting as we began the New Year. We enjoyed being refreshed together by God’s presence, earnestly crying out to the Lord about life and ministry issues which lay deep in our hearts. While in seminary at Fuller, each year I would take a few days of retreat at St. Andrew’s Abbey up in the High Desert of Southern California where I would reflect over the past year while seeking God’s presence and will for the year to come. Those were incredibly meaningful times of prayer and silence and enjoying the beauty of God’s creation.

The day after Christmas, Kristi and I spent several days doing a prayer retreat on the shores of the Nile River here in Juba, South Sudan. It was an enjoyable, restful, and relaxing time of reflection, enjoying nature, and praying over 2018.

Africa, MissionariesThe Outreach FoundationJanuary 17, 2018Bob and Kristi Rice, South Sudan

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