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Romans 8:28: “and we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose”

I thank God for giving us his one and only son Jesus Christ to die on the cross for our sins and for giving us salvation and hope of the kingdom of heaven. I thank God for blessing me to be used as a director of Sudan UBF for the last two years.

Sudan UBF and South Sudan UBF are studying the Book of Luke’s Gospel this year. More than 20 students attend Bible study and Sunday worship service every week in Khartoum, Sudan, in spite of the situation that many South Sudanese Bible study students left for their home country. Our leaders in Malakal and Juba in South Sudan are also faithfully studying the Book of Luke. For their study and Sunday worship service, A. sends study materials to them by e-mail every week.

The tensions between the two nations, Sudan and South Sudan are growing and their relationship is getting worse every day. The Sudan Arab government is warning the South Sudanese living in the North to leave or register as foreigners by April 8. We worry that the Sudanese government will make trouble against the South Sudanese who are living in the North because of the bad political relationship. Though South Sudan became an independent nation from Sudan, an Arab state, there are still many problems which have not been solved between the two nations: border problems, expense of transit oil, national debts, citizenship, etc.

Most of the oil fields are in the territory of South Sudan. One month ago, South Sudan stopped producing and sending oil to the North because the South Sudanese government accused the Sudanese government of stealing their oil. The South Sudanese government also expelled the Chinese president of my petroleum company with the accusation of supporting the Arab Sudanese government some days ago. My company, which is a Chinese Petroleum Company, has been pressured to close the office in Khartoum and move to Juba, the capital of South Sudan by the South Sudanese government. All South Sudanese staff are ordered to move to South Sudan as soon as possible by our government. Our company also said that they will not guarantee our security in Sudan after April 8.

Because of these problems, I have to go to Juba, the capital of South Sudan soon. A. and I have decided to pioneer Juba as a director while O. leads the UBF ministry in Malakal, the capital of the Upper Nile State in South Sudan. O. will complete his PhD study in Cairo and return to the Upper Nile University in Malakal as a professor soon. There are many leaders and members in Malakal but few members in Juba now. However, we expect many of our students in Khartoum to go back to Juba after they graduate. Therefore we must establish a Bible center in Juba. We also consider that P. may take the directorship in Khartoum, Sudan after I leave. P. is delivering messages every other Sunday taking turns with me, since the beginning of the last year. There are still many South Sudanese students in Khartoum. All South Sudanese students are permitted to study in universities in Sudan according to the agreement between the two nations. South Sudan is one of poorest countries in the world in spite of producing oil. There are still no roads which connect each city, a shortage of electricity, no water service, lack of schools, and hospitals. That is why many South Sudanese are still in Khartoum, Sudan regardless of the bad political situation up to now. But those who have no visa to remain must leave before April 8, which is the deadline the two nations have agreed on. Please pray for us as below.

1. Pray for me to pioneer Juba University in the capital of South Sudan with faith and world mission vision and find a house near campus to be used as Bible house.

2. Pray for O. to finish his Ph.D. study as soon as possible and return to Malakal in South Sudan.

3. Pray for P. to have faith to serve the gospel ministry in Khartoum, Sudan which is an Arab state, as a new director.

4. Pray for selling our center building with land in Khartoum with a good price before any legal problem in the future. After we sell it, we will purchase land and build centers in Malakal and Juba where many UBF members are now.

5. Pray for J., I and O. to prepare a main lecture and reports for North and East Africa regional conference.

6. Pray for J. and R’s marriage this year.