Rebuilding Hope in South Sudan - February 2021 Update
Dear friends and supporters,
John Jock Gatwech is the coordinator for education in the South Sudanese refugee camps in western Ethiopia. Using public transport and the bicycle provided by Outreach, he supervises 20 preschools in the six camps in the Gambella region. Four of the camps are within about 30 miles of Gambella Town. The other two are about 70 miles in the opposite direction! During his monthly visits, he supervises teachers, encourages students, and assists the trauma healing groups (established and supported by The Outreach Foundation since 2017). John has also helped establish 43 centers for adult learning in the camps – teaching basic literacy and the Bible.
When the South Sudanese fled violence in their homeland, they abandoned their belongings – but they brought their faith with them. Among the six camps, there are now 191 vibrant Presbyterian churches in 45 parishes. These churches are served by six pastors (trained to bachelor’s level), 28 trained at diploma level, and 15 untrained evangelists. There are two Bible schools in the camps where evangelists and pastors can train to the diploma level. Tuition there is $500 per student per term.
These congregations are an essential part of the safety net for the refugees. They worship daily. There are active choirs, youth groups, and many of the preschools and learning centers are hosted by these congregations. The refugees are grateful and eager to worship, hear and read the scriptures in their home language, Nuer.
The Outreach Foundation, through your generous support, is thrilled to report that 5,000 Nuer Bibles were printed last year, and are being shipped to Ethiopia for distribution in the camps. Frank Dimmock, Outreach Africa Partnership Liaison, is planning to travel and share in the joy of joining with John Jock to distribute the Bibles later this year.
John Jock is committed and faithful to ministering to his people in this way. He is a man of energy and integrity, with good communication skills. No wonder he was appointed by the leadership of the Presbyterian Church of South Sudan to this role. And no wonder he is The Outreach Foundation’s “go-to” guy in the region.
He writes of ongoing needs for:
* educational materials for adults and children, constructing classrooms and paying a small stipend to teachers.
*additional materials (print and audio) to extend trauma healing training into new areas
*more Bibles in the Nuer language
*tuition for training more evangelists and pastors
These are vital ministries of the Presbyterian Church of South Sudan, through the “Rebuilding Hope in South Sudan” partnership, and we pray that you will consider how to be a faithful partner with them through The Outreach Foundation. By supporting them we are doing Kingdom Work: building resilience, promoting forgiveness, and reconciling communities, to the glory of God.
Read more about Rebuilding Hope in South Sudan HERE.
THE NEED
The Outreach Foundation is seeking gifts up to $10,000 to address needs requested by the Presbyterian Church of South Sudan: Bibles, hymnals, education, trauma healing, leadership development, and emergency relief. You may make a gift HERE or by sending a check to our office.