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“But you are chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light”  1 Peter 2:9

I thank God for blessing the South Sudan UBF Autumn Bible conference richly. The conference was so blessed and full of grace through main speakers, life testimony speakers, and spiritual environment as well as the attendants’ attitude toward the word of God. 

Before the conference, Satan interrupted us with three incidents. Shepherd Padiet Deng lost his elder sister in Cairo, secondly shepherd Pulis had a motor accident and finally shepherd Stephen was robbed at night while returning from his workplace. These three accidents alarmed us that the conference will not be good so we were caught with fear. But thanks be to God for his mighty work in different ways.  

The conference was held in “Good Shepherd Peace Center” located in Southern Juba about 15km out. It was a nice, beautiful and right place for Bible study. God sent 38 people from different universities mainly from Juba and Upper Nile University in addition to 9 children. We had four group Bible studies led by Sh. Oyor, Philip, Johnson and Padiet.

Missionary Andrew and Dr. Oyor came and participated in the conference, encouraging attendance to keep the faith and share the good news of the Gospel with university students by all means, despite difficulties and hard situations. 

On the first day, Dr. Elia delivered the opening message from the Book of Exodus 33: 13 “Teach Me Your Ways”, followed by GBS 1 and the main message 1 delivered by Sh. Sabino on 1 Samuel 3: 1-21, “God Call Samuel”

On the second day, we had GBS 2 followed by the main message 2 delivered by Shs. Teresa on 1 Samuel 17:1-58, “For the Battle is the Lord”. She confessed that her current Goliath is house church. She is praying may God help her to fight and establish her house church by faith and win the victory as David did.  

In the afternoon, we had Bible testimony writing and sharing, reflecting on how the word of God worked in our hearts. All attendances shared their Bible testimony faithfully in groups. Most of the attendants confessed and repented with broken hearts for neglecting God’s calling and not living a victorious life. They decided to obey the word of God from the bottom of their hearts. 

In the evening, we had two sessions of UBF history film showing and listening to six (6) beautiful life testimonies, which were amazing and powerful. God managed and protected them during the civil war crisis in 2013-2016. They have experienced bad influences and hatred during this conflict. For most of them, their parents or relatives were killed by other tribes, and others have lost their parents while they were a child. Because of that environment, they were not able to forgive the other tribes, simply because they consider them as their enemies. But after studying the Bible, the word of God worked in their hearts powerfully and could change them to forgive others even those who killed their parents or relatives. Praise God! In all these difficult lives, God called them out to be his disciples/ holy nation. One of them testified how he used to come for Bible study drunk but after he studied the Bible, he realized how he can be a holy man while still drinking alcohol? So he decided to leave that kind of life. Also, God trained him through many job failures to come back to UBF. God changed him completely to be a good example of Jesus’ follower. After the life testimony sharing, Missionary Andrew and Oyor laid their hands on them and prayed. 

South Sudan is a nation that is full of hatred, revenge and tribalism spirit because of conflicts, for which the Civil War between two big tribes in the nation was its outcome. So many people became victims of that war. Currently, there are many orphans, widows, breakout children and so on. Those who need not only physical support but spiritual need indeed. 

On the third day, we had GBS 3 followed by the main message 3 delivered by Sh. Stephen (1 Peter 2: 9-12) “You are Chosen People”. This was the theme of the conference. I thank God for renewing our identity as his chosen people to declare the praises of him in Juba as well as South Sudan although we are not worthy. But thanks be to God for his grace upon us. May we keep our faith and live the life of faith at all times.   

Special thanks go to NAMSAN UBF, Korea for donating two-deck top and beam projector for Juba UBF center. 

Prayer topics:

1. To double our 1: 1 Bible study number to 40 as well for Sunday worship service

2. May God bless and use weekly messengers for Sunday Worship Service and Group Bible leaders

3. May God protect new leaders (6) and raise them as his faithful disciples with world mission vision 

4. Continue studying the book of 2 Samuel and Luke Gospel for X-mas 2019

5. One house church established in the year 2020 

6. Permanent peace in the country