Frank Dimmock - January 2020 Update
Africa Mission Specialist
Dear friends,
Elizabeth and Hawida are two of my heroes, whose lives have deeply inspired mine this past year and whose stories it is my privilege to share. Elizabeth fled the ravages of the civil war in South Sudan with 30+ children in her care and managed to bring them to safety across the border in Kenya. She is currently raising 10 of the children and has shared the care of the others with a group of foster widows. Her Presbyterian congregation has stepped up to help the widows with moral support and encouragement and by sharing their food rations. Sewing machines and training to help sustain the widows’ foster-care program have been provided by generous donors through The Outreach Foundation.
And what a privilege it was to meet Hawida during a November visit, a 20-year old young woman who fled fighting in the Nuba Mountains and walked for many days before reaching safety in Kakuma camp in northern Kenya. She was raised in the Muslim faith and is not of the predominant Nuer tribe. She was lonely and hopeless and isolated. She longed for hope and a sense of belonging. Last June she was chosen to take part in an Outreach Foundation facilitated trauma healing training and found faith, hope and a sense of belonging in the Christian “tribe” that gathered around her. She is redeemed, and God has a future and a hope for her!
Elizabeth and Hawida have lived out Psalm 107 – God “redeemed them from the hand of the foe, as they fled war in their homeland. They wandered in desert wastelands. They were hungry and thirsty, and many died on the way. But the Lord delivered them from their distress, and led them to safety.” And they daily “give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for mankind!”
Both of these women, overcoming deep, ongoing trauma in their own lives – by God’s power and through the training offered by Outreach – are now training and facilitating the healing of others. What inexpressible joy it is to be a part of what God is doing in the lives of individuals like Elizabeth and Hawida. I am inspired and thankful.
And I am so thankful for YOU, who have given of your time, talents, and treasure to support the Rebuilding Hope in South Sudan project and my ministry with The Outreach Foundation. Together God through us accomplished some pretty amazing things. Perhaps the highlight of this past year was the translation, printing, and distribution of the trauma healing training materials into the Nuer language. Thank you to the financial donors, the translators, the illustrator, the printers, and the trainers themselves – who were so excited to receive the materials to be able to train others also!
At the beginning of a new decade, we have big plans to produce 15,000 Nuer language Bibles for refugees and members of the Presbyterian Church of South Sudan (PCOSS). The PCOSS is a displaced church and many of its members have been scattered in refugee camps in neighboring countries.
I invite you to join “my team” of supporters (churches and individuals) who provide funding for my salary and support as a missionary of The Outreach Foundation. I also need your prayerful encouragement and support to sustain these critical programs in Africa.
Thank you so much!
Read more about Frank Dimmock’s ministry HERE.
THE NEED
The Outreach Foundation is seeking gifts totaling $50,000 for Frank’s support and $100,000 to address needs requested by the PCOSS through the Rebuilding Hope in South Sudan project: Bibles, hymnals, education, trauma healing, leadership development, and emergency relief. Make a gift HERE or by sending a check to our office.
Advanced trauma healing trainees with Nuer book