SAMS-USA Ministry In

Africa

Interested in Ministry to Africa?

SAMS-USA missionaries partner with Anglican/Episcopal churches in this region to grow the Kingdom of God. We hope you will be encouraged or inspired by these stories and reports from current and former missionaries in the field. We also encourage you to consider becoming a sender to this part of the world.

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Of drones and faith

by | Dec 12, 2017 |

Sometimes I wonder whether my prayers are too small, or whether it’s my faith in God that’s too small. The Lord gently pointed this out to me as I landed at Entebbe last week, after a wonderfully relaxing (though not as academically productive as I’d hoped) home assignment.
I had picked up…

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Bishop Grant and Doctor Wendy 2014-11-15 10:10:00

by | Nov 15, 2014 |

Supermodels, Princesses & Special Police

Undiscovered Gambella Supermodel



Gambella is a strange place. It’s out of the way (we have an airport but it is used mostly by the World Food Programme). It’s poor (nearly half of the current residents of the region are refugees). Our two seasons, ‘rainy’ and ‘dry’, are more simply known as  ‘mud’ and ‘dust’. In Gambella, not many are educated, not many are employed, not many are well-fed.
But on occasion weird and unusual events happen in Gambella.
Seventeen years ago, Paul Pok,  parish priest of Pinyudu Refugee Camp, made the difficult decision to send his two eldest daughters to school in America under the care of  a relative. Recently Paul, now Regional Dean of Pinyudu (overseeing twelve churches), told me that one of his daughters was coming for a visit – they would see their little girl for the first time in almost two decades. As the visit got closer I began to realize that there might be something unusual about this young woman. She was traveling with a small entourage including a photographer and someone who seemed to be a kind of handler. Slowly the story emerged. This young woman is a (famous, I guess…) supermodel working in Milan, London and New York.    
Nikon Paul
We were invited to meet her and had no idea what to expect. Wendy and I travel in some diverse circles, but the world of high fashion supermodels was never our interest, really. As it turns out Nykhor Paul is a delightful, articulate young woman. In spite of being out of Africa for seventeen years she has managed to retain her use of the Nuer language. Although she has not been ‘home’ for most of her life, she cares deeply about the plight of her family and the many South Sudanese refugees once again fleeing their homes because of violence. She has started an organization (“We are Nilotic”: see www.youtube.com/watch?v=lZXJDAwUlEQ) and a fund to help these victims of war (see http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/apr/24/south-sudan-supermodel-nykhor-paul).
Then a few weeks back, while shaking hands with the congregation at St Matthew’s in Addis Ababa, the British Ambassador asked if I was going to be in Gambella at the end of September – sadly no, I was going to be in another country for meetings, I responded.  “Why?” I asked. 
“Well, there is going to be a royal visit,” says he.
HRH Princess Anne with Rev Deng Mark
“In Gambella?? Really? Who?”
“Princess Anne.” (HRH, the daughter of Queen Elizabeth II…) “She is a supporter of a children’s charity that works in Gambella, so she’s visiting the project. She will also lay a wreath at the grave of the only Commonwealth fatality in the World War II ‘Battle of Gambella.’ I thought it might be nice if she could be met by the Bishop, and if he could say a prayer at the grave.”

We have known for a long time that Gambella has many, albeit unofficial, supermodels and princesses – we just didn’t know that Supermodels and Princesses from elsewhere would want to come to visit. We’re glad they did. If their celebrity draws the world’s attention, even just a bit, to the problems in South Sudan and western Ethiopia, well and good!
“In the case of an event keep your head down below the level of the window. The medical kit is right behind your head, just pull it forward if you need it.” The ‘special police’, former British military, were on the alert; an exciting, if somewhat hyper-vigilant introduction to one of the countries in our diocese to east and north of us.
The courtesy and consideration shown to me by the top government official was deeply touching. As we walked to the site of a proposed new Anglican church to be built in this country, it began to rain. “This is a sign of God’s blessing on the relationship between our two faiths”, I was told. Pray for the beloved countries of this part of the world. 
Remembrance Service in a beloved Country

~ Please Pray with us ~

Another Undiscovered Gambella Supermodel

For those undergoing persecution in certain refugee camps
For the St Frumentius’ Anglican Theological college
~ Library and Office building nearing completion
~ Dean’s residence nearing completion
~ St Frumentius’ Chapel plans submitted to contractor
~ Curriculum development
~ Official opening planned for September 2015
For the Horn of Africa Area Assembly November 26-28
For our church leadership, Clergy, Lay readers and Mothers’ Union
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Bishop Grant and Doctor Wendy 2014-09-10 02:00:00

by | Sep 10, 2014 |

Soldiers and Saints
Little Anglicans


“Yes,” he said, smiling happily, “we’ve come here for a holiday, and then we will return!”
I saw Grant’s face tighten with anguish and anger. Images of villages burning, of people shot as they ran, of the elderly and the very young – starving, dying, left behind; tales of the rape of countless women and the desecration of the dead came flooding to mind.
The young man sat back, relaxed, seemingly unaware of the tension that gripped the room. The older men’s faces became stony, their eyes darkened.
We had been sitting in our living room, serving tea to the relatives of a friend. It turned out they were members of the ***** army of South Sudan, and they were here for a break. I could see the young man’s apparent unconcern cut Grant like a knife. “What about the victims,” Grant was thinking, “do they get a break?” Instead he asked, “Why are you fighting?”
“We fight for our rights!” the young man answered.
“What rights did you lack in the new country of South Sudan?”
There was no answer.
“We fight for revenge.”
“Are you Christian?”
“Of course!”
“Revenge is not the way for those who follow Jesus.”
The conversation reached an impasse.
“We are praying for you and for the suffering of South Sudan,” I said. My heart was filled with an overwhelming sense of kindness for those entangled in such cruelty. “Lord, show them Your goodness, that they may know who they truly are,” I prayed.
A few days later the eldest one came to me. Even with almost no common language, we understood each other perfectly. “I return to Nassir tomorrow” he said.

“Pray for me, as you would pray for a little child,” and he bowed his head, that I might place my hand upon him in blessing.

St Martha’s Anglican Church – new (the church)…and old ( the tree)


Wendy and I went to the Lare Mission Centre on a recent Sunday (August 10) to visit two little Nuer-speaking village churches out in the bush. Neither congregation had had a building before – just a tree to worship under. And neither congregation had been given a name (names are only given to churches when the Bishop visits!). So at 9:00am or so (after walking through fields where we were attacked by hordes of flies) we reached the first church in a place called Pietiel, where we dedicated St Martha’s Anglican Church. Then at about 11.15 or so (after slogging through shin deep mud in our wellies) we reached the second church at Waken, where we dedicated Holy Trinity Anglican Church. Both congregations are small, each a part of an eight-point parish, but each has had a long, faithful and enthusiastic ministry in their area – and both are delighted to have a building, even one constructed of mud and sticks and thatch.

Dedication St Martha’s
Bethlehem Church, Abobo


On August 24 the destination was an Anuak-speaking congregation in Abobo. Bethlehem Anglican Church has no full time pastor and is less than a year old. But they have good lay leadership and they are hard workers  – not only have they built a new church building for Abobo town, they have also planted several new congregations in the surrounding villages in the past year.


Thanks to all those whose generous contributions have made the building of new churches in the Gambella region of Ethiopia a reality!


~ Please Pray with us ~

Open heart Surgery for Wecka
For protection and healing for 6 year old Wecca  and 8 year old Sarah as they undergo open heart surgery in early September.

For the Gambella clergy as they begin teaching new candidates for baptism and confirmation
For the Mothers’ Union leaders of our churches as they teach their members in basic health issues and nutrition.

For our new congregations being formed in refugee camps in Ashura, Dimma, Pinyudu, Leitchor, and Akule 1, 2 & 3, and for the new refugee pastors who have recently come from the dioceses of Malakal and Renk.

For the Opo Bible translators who are currently translating the gospel of Luke

Opo Bible translators David Onuk
and James Bol


For blessing and peace for Johann and Louise Vanderbijl as they make their way through the Ethiopian ‘Sea of Red Tape’ to receive residence permits. Johann will be principal of St Frementius’ Anglican Theological College.
Johann and Louise Vanderbijl

 

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