A Slice Of Sudan

He had walked for seven days and seven nights, stopping only one hour a day to sleep, to catch a truck and ride for two more days, to be at the Far Reaching Ministries Chaplains Refresher Course. He stoically offered this information in between bites of rice and beans, in response to my question of how long he had traveled to attend the conference in Nimule, Sudan, a small village on the bank of the Nile River. Such is the life of the chaplains in the Sudanese Peoples Liberation Army, which I had traveled (for a puny two days by plane) to teach the book of 2 Timothy to.

The chaplains are an astounding collection of men. Some of them have been soldiers since they were nine years old. Until I met them I never fathomed 20 year front line veterans that were but 30 years old. It is true that they fire a rifle when they must, but these men would rather wield the two edged sword of God’s word. They are the picture of meekness; warriors of top caliber, and yet harmless as a dove when sharing and serving Jesus. They are truly both the lion and the lamb at the same time.

In Southern Sudan, for the first time in many years, there is a cease fire with their Muslim aggressors from the north. The chaplains have taken this opportunity to further equip themselves in order to further the cause of the gospel. Around 60 chaplains walked/hitch hiked in from the units they are deployed in all over the country, to the conference at Calvary Chapel Nimule, located inside Far Reaching Ministries Compound, that Wes and Vicky Bentley constructed under mortar fire and maintain under an ongoing spiritual firefight. At this compound they train chaplains, hold Bible studies daily, teach widows to sow, and act as hub for Calvary Chapel church plants throughout Northern Uganda and Southern Sudan.

For a solid week, Pastor Ray Bentley of Maranatha Chapel (my pastor), his assistant pastor Gary Lawton, Maranatha Chapel members Andy Puterbaugh and Daniel Massieh, Pastor John Spencer of Calvary Chapel Gulf Breeze, and myself, taught the Bible for eight hours a day, to the eager group in front of us. Their worship was infectious. Their warmth, humility, strength and godliness were contagious.

These men want to win their friends, family, fellow soldiers and even their Muslim military foes to Christ. As they depart back to their units many will be taking a generator equipped projector to show the Jesus Film to the villages they pass through. Many of these villages will be largely Muslim. They are using the cease fire to spread the gospel like wildfire.

One chaplain stood during prayer requests one day, and with a quivering voice, stated, “Two Muslim soldiers shot and killed my family in front of me. Would you pray that I could forgive them? How do I react to these men if I see them walking down the street in a village? Please pray that I could share the gospel with them.” As he sat down I had a whole new slant on the words of Jesus when He said “love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you.” (Matt. 5:44) I have always put parameters on this verse. I would reason, this verse holds true unless…someone touches my child, my wife, my bank account, my property, and on and on the list can go. But Jesus didn’t put any parameters on loving your enemies. In fact, He went on to say in verse 46 of that same chapter, “For if you love only those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same?”

This chaplain exemplified for me Jesus’ heart toward the hateful and harmful individuals and groups that keep the spiritual, emotional and physical dust stirred up all across the globe. When called to defend our home or our country, we must respond to that duty. But we have a mandate to love the unlovable, yes, even the one who has harmed us, because Jesus, who lives in us, did.

“Love is not provoked” said Paul to the Corinthians. “God demonstrates His love toward us in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us”, he urged the Romans. “Love will cover a multitude of sins”, said Peter to a persecuted people.

I flew half way around the world to teach, and I am the one who was taught.

For all those who prayed for me and supported me, thank you. For my church family at Parkland Chapel, who took care of Lucinda and Nathaniel in my absence and kept the home fires burning, I love you guys. A pastor couldn’t be more thankful for his flock.

Here are a few pics. I threw in one of Lucinda and Nathaniel just for good measure.

God bless,

Mike