As a team, we are always encouraged and uplifted when we receive news of how the Lord is spreading the fame of His name throughout the nations. Recently, we received an update from one of the most pain-stricken, war-torn regions in the world: South Sudan. Since 1955, the region has experienced two civil wars and casualties of more than 2.5 million people. In this seemingly hopeless land, Emilie Gonzalez and her team are being used to share the truth of the Gospel and the beauty of God’s character to children using Sally Michael’s book
God’s Names. In her message to us, Emilie writes,
I wanted to let you know that we have been using your “God's Names” [book] in our Sunday school in South Sudan. I have been struggling to find resources to teach that were cross-cultural here; with the demographic of post-war, poverty, illiteracy, and non-English speakers, I had to stay away from so many curriculums that had illustrations that were not understood culturally, or else tied to crafts that the kids wouldn't connect to. But then my mom gave me your book and it has been PERFECT to teach, and the kids are now memorizing verses in their local language (Madi) and understanding God in a new light. I have a translator at this point, and enhance the lessons to fit things here, but the overlap is almost complete for using what your books have taught. We are teaching around 50+ children from the ages of 0-12.
It was such a joy to hear how the message of God’s character transcends cultural, geographic, and social barriers! We’d invite you to join us in supporting Emilie and her team in prayer. In her words,
What we have learned is that the church here in general is still on much of its most basic understandings of the Word and the Lord. It is one of the highest places for biblical-illiteracy.
Pray that the Lord would give Emilie and the team boldness in spreading the truth from the Scriptures, which alone can bring light, healing, and eternal redemption. Pray for the native pastors and leaders to come to a better understanding of biblical doctrines, so they can in turn teach and feed their congregations. Most importantly, pray for the salvation of children and adults alike: pray that as they hear their hearts would be quickened, their spiritual eyes and ears opened, and that they would respond in repentance and faith so that God would be their eternal treasure and joy!
“All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to the LORD, and all the families of the nations shall worship before you.”—Psalm 22:27
