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Jesus Wept InternationalNovember 08 Moving forward after a time of waiting on God The last six month of waiting on God since my return from Sudan has been some of the hardest time of my life. It is much easier to do something for our Lord than to wait on Him to show us what and how He is going to use us in His plan. During this time, in the last two years I have been in Sudan, and not being there has been very difficult for me.
Let me share with you what God has done over the last six months. He has provided a number of contacts, that Glenda and I had nothing to do with, that holds a very strong possibility of me getting into the Nuba Mts. as early as January or as late as April. Also in the April time frame, the Bible study with the local military is on schedule.
Glenda and I have been waiting and praying, so that we are available and are depending on Jesus to continue to put the details together. Here is a list of specific prayer requests.
1) That we continue to be obedient to Jesus, and allow Him to lead us.
2) That He supplies one man called to travel with me into the Nuba Mts. (April)
3) That the finances for the trip to Nuba Mts. (Jan or April) be available ($4000 to $5000)
4) That the teachers for the April Bible Study in Yei, Sudan commit. (3 to 6 men/women ?)
5) That the finances for the Yei Bible study be provided ($2500-$3000)
6) That whatever role Jesus has for you in Jesus Wept Ministries become clear.
May God continue to bless us all in the future as He has in the past.
October 28 Sept. and Oct. 2009Hello everyone. This is going to be another double entry. Last month at this time we were dealing with the deaths of two family members, one from Bob's side, the other from my side. Those of you that received a prayer request and prayed for our families, we want to thank you. It was evident that God was providing each person involved with stength and understanding. As I mentioned in the last update, God opened the door for us to make contact with a person that will help Bob get his visa thru North Sudan. He also gave us some very important suggestions that we greatly appreciate. The trip we will get the most benefit from those suggestions will be planned after we find out if Bob gets to go into the Nuba Mts with the mission organization I also mentioned in the last update. The only contact he has had with them said they were looking at Jan. 2010. If that is what God wants to happen, we feel it will be a tremendous learning experience for Bob. Since they are a well established organization they will have the necessary details worked out, which takes most of the workload from him. FINANCIAL BLESSINGS FROM GOD! I want to let you know that the Lord is answering your prayers for our finances. In Sept we made a trip to IL to visit a friend's church and found out they have decided to support Jesus Wept International. Also He has provided another parttime job that allows us to have time off for travel. OUR GOD IS SOOO GOOOOD! This month we were allowed to travel to Florida to enjoy our timeshare in the Orlando area as well as spend time with Craig and his family. On this trip we also visited friends and churches in Ocala, Port St Lucie, Lake Worth FL and Cornelia, and Atlanta GA. Every one of them were a great blessing and encouragement to us. Our next mission trip will be to the Big Feed along the border of Texas and Mexico which will be the week between Christmas and New Years. It isn't to late for you to commit to go with us if God is leading you. In closing I want to share a prayer request from a pastor friend who finished seminary here in Memphis and is now back in his home in Cote d'Ivoire, West Africa. They are asking for prayer for the release of their belongings from the shipping company without having to pay more fees. Also pray for three of their four children adjusting to french speaking school. (I hope to be able to put a link for their newsletter for all of you to read) As for prayer for us - we are still praying for the people that have told us they want to go to Sudan with us but have not committed yet. For contributions to buy the Bibles for the Bible study at the SPLA bases in Mar or Apr. But most of all that we continue to SEEK, LISTEN, and OBEY. God bless you all. August 30 August 2009While Bob and I were talking about the update for this month we were a little disappointed that we didn't have much to share. Althought we see God in everyday things, we really like telling you about the details that will be getting us closer to the next Sudan trip. We decided that the biggest news was the opportunity we will have to meet with a person that will help us get the visa thru North Sudan. We anticipate it making the trip into Nuba Mts. shorter and easier. The need for the letters of invitation will be taken care of as soon a couple of people commit. They keep tell us how much they want to go, but have to work out the details. Well we are continuing to pray that the Lord will make it happen for the ones He wants to go. Now having said that...God surprised us today with something only He could do. Bob received an email from our friends in Sudan that are missionaries from Australia. They said they referred someone from a well established mission organization that is looking for someone that has contacts in the Nuba Mts. Well like I said - it has to be a God thing! Okay, I guess that is pretty much the important things. We had hoped some of the invitations to speak at some churches for the first time would have happened this month. We just have to trust the Lord will make it happen in His time. If any of you would like for us to share with your group, Bible class or congregation, please contact us at 901-508-2000. And as always we ask for your prayers in whatever way you are led but definitely for us to continue seeking God, listening to what He says and being obedient. July 31 June and July ReportBob and I have had a hard time communicating lately. I thought he had included everything in his entry. So when he asked me if I had done anything I thought he was talking about emailing everyone about the update. I won't bore you with all the details but we have finally worked out all the misunderstandings. So I get to tell you all the things that aren't in his entry. The get together on the 27th of June was a blessing. And Bob said the Sudanese recipes I made were exactly what they should have been. The 29th we left for TX/MX. On the way we stopped in Texarkana and visited with Paul and Amanda Bragida. We are hoping the Lord opens the door for us to share about our work in Sudan with the church they are serving in now. Upon arriving in TX we worked with missionary friends Nathan and Melody Durant, Bart and Sherrie Effinger and Jake and Shiann Johnson and a group from OK. Each meeting we had across the border had a low turnout. But as always we believe that God brought exactly the ones He wanted to be there. And the estimate of decision for Christ was 120. On the way home we spent a few restful days in OK then went to KS and spoke at Lone Cherry Baptist Church. The fellowship of that church and the friendship of the Smilko family is a true blessing. After an overnight stop in MO at my parents house that put us back in Millington on the 17th. We spent five nights at home instead of just one because the trip the church had planned to Ohio was canceled. So we got to have lunch with another Africa missionary, Alice Stanback who had just returned from a month in Kenya. It was great to hear what God is doing there. On the 22nd we went to IL to visit winter Texan friends, Myron and Faye Perry and former missionary coworkers Tony and Brenda Miller. God allowed us to speak at the Millers church. Afterwards one of the their members shared with us that she has a cousin who also works in Sudan, she just couldn't remember the exact location. Wouldn't it be just like God to find out that maybe her cousin works in the Nuba Mts? Well we are back home again and it looks like we will stay put for the month of August Until next month...remember to SEEK GOD, LISTEN TO WHAT HE SAYS, AND THEN BE OBEDIENT. We will be and hope you will be along beside us. July 12 Struggel to reach the Nuba Mts. Well I have been back from Sudan for just over a month, I've spent time in prayer and thought about what I must share with you. It is a long story that some of you have heard at least part of it. (The Nuba Mts.)
The most important thing in my life is to be obediant to God's call for me to go to the Nuba Mts. I am absolutely sure that He is calling Jesus Wept International to work with the local churches in the Mts., no question about that. Jesus has confirmed His call to me
a hundred times over.
This trip in May of 2009 was the second attempt to reach the Nuba Mts. The journey goes from Memphis to Detroit to Amsterdam to Nirobie to Entebie to Yei, Sudan (the easy part, 40 hours). Then I spent the night in Yei picked up a traveling companion (Martin) and started out for Juba, 100 miles over dirt roads in the back of a land rover with ten other passengers. When we arrived in Juba, it took 5 hours and an extra $60 to make contact with the people I would travel to the Nuba Mts. with.
I said good-bye to my traveling companion from Yei and left with Pastor Yousif to meet with others to discuss the rest of the trip. Before long we met wit two other men, and it didn't take long to discover there were some serious challenges to overcome. One was finances. I had planned for one to travel and I found out that they expected me to pay for their travel also. The second situation compounded by the 1st was that once they got me in I would have to travel the 800 miles back to Yei, alone when I was coming out.
I am sorry to say that I did not have the faith reguired to travel into the Nuba Mts. with what I believed to be insuficient funds and travel all the way back alone. Some have told me it was a wise decision. I know God is calling me to the Nuba Mts., I believe it was a wrong decision, but it is much easier saying that sitting in the safety of my home than it was at the time.
Soon after I desided not to travel to Nuba Mts. the man that came to Juba with me, that should have already been on his way back to Yei called me on my cell phone to tell me he had lost some of the money to travel back to Yei. So we got together and made the journey together the next day. (God at work in His perfect plan)
This experiance has changed the way we will do ministry in the future, the next time we will.
1) Plan for one or two local pastors to travel all the way to Nuba Mts with us.
2) Plan for someone to travel all the way with me, Satan freq. attacks me when alone.
3) Budget / carry emergency funds only to be used in an emergency
When we returned to Yei, God blessed that part of the trip, that I hadn't planned to be in Yei at all. He opened the door for me to preach and distribute bibles in the prison, we saw about 60 people come to know Christ. The next day we went to one of the local army bases (SPLA) and gave out about 450 bibles and lifted up the name of Jesus.
The local base commander invited us back to do one or two day bible studies with the troops. We are praying about this opertunity to take a team of 3 to 6 people (pastors / lay people) for 10 days to do bible study / training. (Cost $2800 based on todays cost )
God is at work in Sudan, He has call Glenda and I to work there and He may be calling you. Please pray about how God is calling you to be part of what we (God and Jesus Wept) are doing in Sudan.
June 17 Future Ministry Needs This may seem like an extravagant request, but bare with me it really makes sense. The Christan school at Sudan for Christ is going to start a class to teach computer fundamentals. They are in need of some good used laptops, if they are internet compatable that would be even better. Why laptops, because they are much easier to transport, and if you're taking them to Sudan, that's a good reason. Just think, if you donate your laptop you can upgrade and everyone wins. Jesus Wept can give you a tax reciept for your donation. June 01 May 2009 ReportWell I did it again...I let the month get away from me without completing my report. Please forgive me for rushing thru this so it will not take any longer. You all got Bob's emails that I forwarded to you so I will fill in the gaps here but will include the actual emails at the end so new readers in the future will be able to get those details. When Bob met with the people from the Nuba Mts. there was an extra person and the budget had to be refigured. Then there was the fact that Bob would be making the return trip from Nuba back to Juba alone. He said he felt the Lord closing the door. Godly men that the Lord has brought into Bob's life has pointed out to him that it is biblical to travel in pairs...hense Paul's mission journeys. So he returned to Yei and Sudan for Christ. He really stuggled about that decision but finally got peace. Bob went to the children's home...got pictures...and got to speak at a different church as well as a prison. Since he couldn't make contact with the SPLA's chaplin, he had his interepter make contact at the local base and was allowed to speak to the troops. He was able to give out the Bibles that many of you helped purchase at both the prison and the base. (pictures)
May 5 email - I am in Yei preparing to leave for Juba in the morning, the phone numbers have not worked so I am little concerned but not much. I have a few ideas of how to get up with the people in Juba. Then we will be off, things this far have gone very well.
on Wednesday May 6 I got a call from Bob in Juba, Sudan. He said he has made contact but didn't know when he will leave to actually go to Nuba Mts.
on Thursday May 7 he called again and said he was going back to Yei. early on Friday May 8 I got this email Well I am back at Yei, I am a little depressed, tired, sore but also encouraged about events that have unfolded. we left by taxi yesterday at 8:00 AM I prayed for God to supernaturally shorten the road, it took 3 1/2 hrs to get there and 5 1/2 hrs to return today. When we arrived we spent 4hrs. trying to get up with Bishop Yousif, when we did I gave my traveling partner some money so he could return to Yei, then we left to have a meeting about the trip. In the meeting we decided I didn't have enough money, maybe ? and I was paying for myself and Bishop Yousif and his traveling partner. Also when I was done I would have to return from Nuba Mts. to Yei alone. As hard as it was I decided not to Go, I was very depressed only slept about 4hrs. But Martin, my traveling companion, lost part of his money and could not leave Juba. He called me, stayed the night and we traveled back to Yei together today. I am very tired hope I get a good night sleep tonight. also late afternoon on Friday I got this email Today is Friday, I am in Yei and Ester is taking good care of me. I got ten hours of sleep last night which is the 1st time that I have slept more than 4 hours at a time in over a week. Five days of travel has worn me down some. I have no plans for today (just rest around Sudan for Christ) I hope to preach on Sunday and visit some people. I will take a picture of the new baby boy that arrived on the same day that I did and send it out to the world. received this today - Saturday May 9 Today was slow and I rested some more. During the day it was very hot, but had an early evening rain and cooled things off. I met with some people and am developing a plan for the next few days or a week. I will preach at a small church tomorrow and may be involved with a dicipleship program later in the week. I just happened to bring the material I attended before I left Millington. On Monday (May 11) I went to the children's home. In a recent storm three buildings were damaged or destroyed, the kitchen was destroyed, at this time all cooking is being done out side. One of the dorms has been damaged so that it leaks badly, and the roof was torn off the out house. All buildings are under repair as funds will allow. There has also been work done on the school and a chicken coop has been built for chickens that have yet to be bought. On Tuesday (May 12) I spent some time preparing for a discipleship conference that I have been ask to help with. I also went to Across Ministries to visit some friends that just got back in town, Rhys and Rhonda Hall who are missionaries from Australia. Last night was the beginning of rainy season, it rained for 4 hrs very hard, then for about 10 hrs just Hard. I have open and updating an account on Face book. Wednesday May 13 Some time next month I would like too have a Reception / Gathering at the church for all of you to hear about this trip. Two days ago after the long heavy rain there was an increase in bugs. Some were like the termites we experience last year at this time. Last night there was an increase of killer crickets, also like last year. There is nothing going on here, I believe I am going to come home early, after I purchase the Bibles. Thursday May 14 God has finally gave me a peace over all that has and is going on. I will come home early. Last night God showed me the plan for next year, that will get a team into the Nuba Mts. I'm anxious to get home and start working on it. It rained again today. Each time it rains the bugs get worse. I even tired siting in the dark typing this email but the light from the screen attracted all the bugs in the room. Julia at Riverside Travel got back with me, I'm all set for Tues. Tomorrow I will schedule the flight on Eagle for Tuesday morning. I also plan to buy another $300 worth of Bibles (in English, Bari, and Dinka languages) ((I can't find where he said he bought Bibles)) Friday May 15 Today I spent another $300 on Bibles and it looks like on Monday will spend the last $400 for a total of $1000. It looks like the need will be much greater than our present resources. I will be preaching at a prison on Sunday and a Church on Monday to a large group of SPLA soldiers. ((Sundan People's Liberation Army, Bob also referred to them as the Army of Southern Sudan or the Christian Army)) Today is Independence Day. That is the day when the SPLA went into the bush and started fighting back. Tomorrow I am to have lunch with Rhys and Rhonda, as is always the case things start to get busy at the end of a trip. Sunday May 17 Today at the prison thing eventually went well gave out 50 Bibles in three languages and saw 60 to 75 people pray to receive Christ. after that I preached in a church of about 100, ended up praying for most of the church at the alter. Everyone is gone and I'll be alone here for the next two nights. All is on schedule for the SPLA preaching and Bible dist. in the morning.
Monday May 18 At the SPLA camp today things went well we gave out 250 Bibles and talked about teaching some conference type Bibe lessons in the future, Tom will go to another camp tomorrow. My bags are packed, I've taken all my medicine, I have said good-by, I'm tired of dodging crickets.
Okay Bob got home on the 20th. We have started the plans for the get together and look forward to seeing all of you that live close enough to come. We feel very responsible about reporting and being held accountable, so hope most of you will come and challenge us with questions. We really are blessed by each of you and feel you would be blessed by attending this event. As always, we ask you to pray that the Lord will use us this month as Bob speaks a couple of times at other churches and working with Crosspointe's Minister of Missions for our congregation. April 30 The Time is NOWWell it is the last day of the month and I hope to get this out in one sitting. Apirl has been a busy month at home. Bob has worked for the Census Bureau, which helped divert his attention. Otherwise he may have driven us both crazy. In the last entry I mentioned us fasting, well of the three big things we were focusing on the Lord has finished two and reassured me He is still working on the 3rd. If you have never done this you are missing out on a tremedous blessing. Bob spoke at River Nile again (I needed to be at Crosspointe) and was invited to be involved with their local mission-outreach. Again we feel this is a door of opportunity the Lord is providing. We felt it was specificly for us but they included Crosspointe in the invitation also. As it has turned out the date had to be changed to the end of the month when Bob will be in Sudan and I will be out of town for a family function. Our personal prayer is Crosspointe will be there. (River Nile Church / Leewood Baptist church) About the middle of the month Bob felt he should postpone the Gulu, Uganda pastor's conference. I thought he was jumping ahead of God but kept my mouth shut for once! When he emailed the pastor in Gulu, he responded right away with the challenges he was dealing with and felt the same. Now I believe the Holy Spirit was working in that the whole time - especially with me. In the last few days many of you have contacted us about donating to the trip. We are thanking God for you allowing Him to work thru you...you are trully a blessing to us. Bob has said several times that he knew he could get into Nuba Mts but may not get back. And he was very concerned about getting enough Bibles for the Christian Army of the South. (SPLA). Your generousity has taken care of both these concerns and probably some unknown. We are excited about the email he got this morning from the pastor in Nuba Mts. He has arranged a very aggressive itinerary for the first six days provided Bob makes all the connections. As usual we are relying on God to arrange the contacts and details for Bob to be where He wants him to be. We need your prayers more on this trip than ever before. Please pray whatever way the Holy Spirit leads you. April 01 March '09 ReportThis is the second entry this month, but I promised to let you know how spring break went. We arrived before the groups so were able to see friends around Harlingen and at Second Bapt Church. Even tho we visited after Navidad just ten weeks before, the pastor asked Bob to share. And you all know he never passes an opportunity to talk. When the groups arrived there were fewer than expected but we always trust the Lord to bring exactly who He wants to be there. With the concern over the violence across the border, the group leaders requested WOTC to provide ministry opportunities in Texas. As you will see in the pictures the groups had no trouble drawing a crowd. I am sorry to say this time we didn't get Bob in any of the pictures and like always I prefer NOT to be in them. The last day Bob and Roger went to South Padre Island and got pictures of the sunrise over the Gulf of Mexico. We were home just a few days when we started to pack for a weekend trip to Atlanta. Before we left God opened the door for us to make a new acquaintance with a family that has an interest in the Nuba Mts. We spent Sunday afternoon getting to know them. We don't know how the Lord will use all of us but we agreed to join our prayers about reaching the people there. While we were in Atlanta we visited New Seasons Church and the Flockhart family. It is encouraging to see how God is working thru that congregation in that area. Well that covers March. The first day of the April will bring the opportunity for Bob to speak to our friends at Egypt Bapt Church. The second we will be fasting for three important concerns. Once we first committed to fast the the other two needs became more intense. On the fifth Bob will be speaking to friends at River Nile Church. Please pray for Bob as he starts this month with more than usual committments to serve the Lord. Also the next four weeks will be the preparation time for his trip to Sudan/Nuba Mts/Uganda. There are many details He has yet to pull together for Bob. We hope you will pray for that trip as the Holy Spirit leads you. God bless you all and thank you for allowing Him to use you to bless us. March 12 Prayer Request for Mexico / Sudan / UgandaTo Friends, Family and Brothers and Sisters in Christ On Friday night or early Saturday morning Glenda and I and Roger Murray will leave for Texas/Mexico. We may be on the border or in the interior wherever God assigns us. This will be a relatively easy trip. We will be working with Way of the Cross, so all we have to do is show up and let God use us. WOTC has to do all the planning. In May our plans call for me to be in Sudan/Nuba Mts. Glenda could possible go but that still remains to be worked out. And in June the pastors conference in Gulu, Uganda is still in the works. This will be the last prayer request we send out prior to our making the decision to buy the airline tickets, and decide if the entire african trip should go on or what parts of it might need to wait. It is completely in the Lords hands, and Glenda and I are comfortable with His decision. Here is a short list of prayers to be lifted up to the Lord: 1) That Glenda and I continue to Seek God, Listen to Him and Be Obedient to His will. 2) Traveling Mercies 3) That the people that Jesus is calling to this trip come forward (team for Nuba Mts. and for pastors conf. in Gulu, Uganda) 4) That the money for travel into the Nuba Mts. (3 local Sudanese pastors from Yei and myself) plus the resources to do ministry while we are there and living expenses - a total of Ten Thousand Dollars. 5) I have committed to provide 500 Bibles for the Sudanese Army located around Yei, South Sudan. Donations for about 200 of those have already been committed. (one Bible is two dollars when purchased in Yei) 6) There are many other things to pray for: peace in Sudan, good health while in the Nuba Mts. (no medical for 800 miles, except what we carry) and whatever the Holy Spirit reveal to you. In Christ's Love Bob and Glenda Ries
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