March 2011 Newsletter

Dear friends and family,

I’m overdue for reporting on your prayers! Forgive me, for the King has been at work and you need to be updated. God has carried us through the referendum here in southern Sudan without returning to war, and this can only be attributed to the mighty arm of God. Even though Independence Day for the south is July 9, tensions continue to rise and fall…and so we continue to pray for peace.

But there’s a real sense in which our life and work is warfare, and we’re not to expect peace. “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.” Eph.6:12. The battle recently for the radio ministry has been in the area of personnel – the battle lines involving contentment, responsibility, and commitment. But our King fights with gentleness and meekness as He speaks the truth in love, and He helps us fight the same way.

Here’s what He’s been doing in answer to the prayer requests of the last newsletter:

1. Leaders committed to peace in the land.

2. The man chosen with much prayer to be the next radio director has had to bow out – the prospect of moving his family was too much. This was God’s protection.

3. The property disputes seem to be finished after some feisty confrontations, favor with the authorities, and the eventual arrest of our adversary. God fought for us.

4. God has given us patience as we continue to look for someone to teach sound doctrine on the radio.

Prayer requests:

1. A new trainee to begin learning the job of radio director.

2. God’s protection on our staff as each one faces very difficult cultural issues from within his family. There seem to be endless ways here in which greed causes people to put their own family members in bondage, especially if the family member works for a kawaja (white man).

3. Someone(“s”) with the gift of giving and an irresistible urge from God to be His perpetual provider for underwriting the radio ministry of Weer Bei. Our annual budget is under $20,000 but should increase by 50% over the next 2-3 years as we improve our stewardship practices (such as including depreciation figures each year as well as planning ahead for growth). We face the reality that the Christian community in this area is years away from being able to support a radio ministry.

Maybe you’ve noticed that I try to limit my newsletters to a page. It’s my purpose to give you a broad overview of recent weeks, report on how God is answering your prayers, and provide an updated prayer list. I realize there might be some out there for whom my “broad overview” is somewhat frustrating because you have the time and interest to know more. Please send me your questions and it would be my pleasure to fill in the details – I really mean it.

So now it’s back to the battleground, to pull down enemy strongholds and take captive every thought, using the weapons of truth and meekness and gentleness (I Corinthians 10).

Soli graci,

Scott