The first group of missionaries left Boma this week for a well-deserved vacation. To my delight they came out with recent pictures of the progress being made in Boma. Along with the pictures, Henry Okumu, our African Director, sent the following Boma, South Sudan May 2015 update. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
Update from Boma, South Sudan May 2015
Damaged Classrooms from 2013 conflict in Boma South Sudan.
This year, 2015, we set out to accomplish three projects aimed at restoring what was destroyed during the 2013 armed conflict in Boma:
1) Repairs to the school classrooms including the rebuilding of broken walls, fitting 56 windows and 8 doors and replacing the wood pillars supporting classroom verandas with steel.
2) Constructing 60 desks for FLC students.
3) Repair of storage container. Also, we planned to expand our agricultural transformation project.
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| Praise the Lord! The classroom has been repaired. |
In just about two months (Mid-March to Mid-May), we have achieved substantial progress toward the accomplishment of these projects in Boma South Sudan. We have completed three fourths or 75% of all the work of rebuilding the broken classroom walls. Of the 60 desks that needed to be made, 45 have been completed and are being used by students. Half of all the work of fitting windows, doors and steel pillars for the verandas has been accomplished.
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| The new desks give the children more room! These end-of-the semester meetings are a great opportunity to utilize the new desks. |
Agriculture Success
Regarding the agriculture project: we cleared bushes, cultivated land, planted and weeded 10 acres of maize and beans and have applied anti-stalk borer pesticide to the crop.
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| With the help of the students and local South Sudanese day workers, we planted 10 acres of corn(maze) and beans. We should be able to harvest in September. |
We hope to finish the remaining work on all of the projects in the next two months; i.e. by July 2015. We remain short of our funding goal to complete the agriculture program. In order to store the harvest securely, we hope to build a small grain storage facility to dry and store the corn and beans. Please consider helping us complete the funding for this project.
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| Ken, our Construction Manager, is repairing the classroom walls. He is now in Kenya for a short vacation to see his wife and four children. |
We just concluded the first semester at Faith Learning Centre on 8th May and half of our staff have gone for a short rest; on June 8 these members of staff will return to Boma, South Sudan to allow the second half to come out for rest. We do this rotational rest for our staff because we cannot leave the compound unattended.
The church continues to meet and grow; and we thank God for His grace and presence in Boma
Thank you and may the Lord God Almighty bless you for all the effort and sacrifice you make to support His work.
Henry Okumu, African Director,
Final Thoughts
This report from Boma South Sudan brings good news of great joy! God has provided the funding to accomplish this progress and we are so thankful for your continued generosity. In order to securely store the quantity of food this September’s harvest will bring, we need to build a new structure to accommodate the corn and beans which will likely help us feed our FLC students for almost 6 months. Please consider a gift to help us build this new storage facility.
May God bless you for your prayers and support of our brothers and sisters in Boma.
Donnie Brake
President
PS. Please pray that our missionaries on furlough will find rest and refreshment during this time. Also pray for the staff remaining in Boma as they continue to serve the Lord.