Sinclair Stirrings

Sudan 2006

On January 19 Curtis Dubose and I boarded a Mission Aviation Fellowship (MAF) plane bound for Lohutok (Low-Who-Toke), Lopit (Low-Pete), Southern Sudan. A couple of hours later, Laura, our pilot, skillfully maneuvered the Cessna 206 between the mountain peaks. She checked the coordinates, looked at us and pointed toward the ground. The only things I could see were dirt, rocks and a few trees. Since MAF-Uganda had never flown to Lohutok before, we had to make a circling descent to find the airstrip. And find it we did – not a boring, paved, straight-and-level runway, but an undulating, dog-legged, dirt-with-clumps-of-grass affair. After a remarkably smooth landing, I shouted, “Good job!” over the roar of the engine.

About 50 people awaited our arrival. Although most of them were curious onlookers including young boys with homemade bows and arrows, we were surprised to see a white face in the crowd. Stephen, a South African working under a German mission board, offered to drive us to the village, sparing us the long, hot walk. Patrick, our host, showed us to our accommodations at the “Lohutok Sheraton” – mud huts with grass roofs. The village is at the edge of the desert, and it is very hot (100°+ in the shade every day). It was still over 90° when we went to bed, so I didn’t even think about getting in my sleeping bag. Instead, I overlaid it with a towel and lay on top of it. It is very windy – a hot wind carrying fine sand and dust that readily sticks to moist bodies. The local food, posho, reminds me a little of grits, but it’s much thicker. You cut a slice of it and put a sauce on top – peas, beans, or mystery meat. I found meat inedible but could handle the veggies okay.

Supposedly we were there to do a conference for Christian leaders, but most of the men did not even understand the Gospel. People there call themselves Christians because they are not Muslims. Actually most are pagans who consult witch doctors and try to appease local spirits. We presented the Gospel at least 30 times during the week. By the end of the time all 22 men had professed faith in Christ. We think that there were some genuine conversions, but it’s really hard to tell.

Most of them had very poor command of the English language and we didn’t use an interpreter except when I preached in church Sunday.

The church meeting place was simply a shady spot where three mango trees grow in close proximity. The “pews” are five bamboo poles stretched across y-shaped branches that have been placed in the ground. The bamboo poles are not side by side but simply bundled together and tied with palm leaves. I can’t imagine how the students tolerated sitting on those things six hours a day to listen to our lectures, but they did.

Patrick, Pius and Daniel are three graduates from our college in Uganda who are carrying on the work of reaching Lopit with the gospel. To date two churches have been planted with a combined attendance of about 150. On Sunday afternoon we traveled to Daniel’s village to see his church. We arrived in the midst of a pagan dance to the spirit of the harvest. The dance is accompanied by drinking and immorality. Although the spiritual darkness is palpable, we received a warm welcome from everyone except the local witch doctor. We pray that our visit was an encouragement to Daniel and his little flock.

The vision of our graduates working in Lopit is to reach all 57 villages with the gospel. Mere preaching without the exemplary presence of a Christian leader has proved to be ineffective in reaching the 100,000+ people of this tribe. So Patrick has adopted a strategy of bringing people from every village to Lohutok for training. The schedule alternates between two months of training and two months in the village. So far, men from ten villages have been coming for biblical training.

Upon our return from Sudan, Curtis remarked, “I have never been so glad to see Uganda!” I agreed with that sentiment, but we are both very glad that we went and are thankful for the privilege of being used by God during our time in Sudan.

Westminster Theological College

Classes resume in early February. We are expecting as many as 15 new students. Bruce will be teaching Pentateuch, Hermeneutics, and Ministry Finance. He is also teaching a course on the book of Exodus at a neighboring school, African Bible College.

Praise God for…

· The blessing of having our whole family together for two weeks over Christmas

· A wonderful ministry trip to Sudan for Bruce and some quality time for Pam with Celeste

· Providing a flat where we can live for the next few months

· God’s hand of protection and blessing on our family

Prayer Bullets

Uganda ministry needs

· The incoming class, returning students, faculty and staff at Westminster Theological College as the new semester begins

· God’s continued blessing on the ministry at Zana Community Presbyterian Church

· Pam’s seminars on Creative Teaching Methods at Ugandan Christian schools

Sudan ministry needs

· The outpouring of God’s blessing on the lives and work of our Sudanese graduates in Lopit

· Opening of many hearts to believe the Gospel

· Translation of the Bible into the Lopit language

· More and stronger churches

· Emerging of schools and community development projects in the area that has been devastated by 20 years of civil war

· The glory of God to shine brightly into the spiritual darkness of Lopit

Family needs

· Protection – especially during Uganda’s volatile election period (February & March)

· Continuing provision for all of our spiritual, emotional and material needs

· Divine blessing, protection, wisdom and guidance for our children, Tim at Covenant College and Celeste at Rift Valley Academy

Bruce and Pam Sinclair

Westminster Theological College

P.O. Box 21312

Kampala, Uganda

EAST AFRICA

Phone: 011-256-782-761-501

(Please note that this has changed!)

Bruce@SinclairUganda.org