Pastor Tito's ministry headquarters.

This building will soon be the home of PPF-supported pastor, Tito Abaha, and his family. Once completed, the home will function as a guest house and the headquarters for Pastor Tito’s ministry in Torit, Southern Sudan. This home is being built with bricks made by a machine provided by PPF. The machine was purchased mainly through the generosity of the late Joanne Wilson, whose life of selfless giving is still “building” God’s Kingdom on earth, even though Joanne is now with her Savior in heaven.

Joanne and Alan Wilson

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Despite exams, these STAND students gathered to present their donation to PPF.

STAND, the student branch of the Genocide Intervention Network, has active groups on college and high school campuses across the nation. The STAND chapter at Mount Tabor High School began in 2007 under the guidance of Ms. Laurie Schaefer, a tenth grade English teacher. Current sponsors also include Ms. Eileen Coates, Ms. Emily Bennett, Ms. Carrie Bennett, and Ms. Becky Maier. STAND membership at Mt. Tabor has grown each year, climbing over the one hundred mark during the 2009-2010 school year. It is encouraging to know, in this racially diverse school with an enrollment of approximately 1700 students, that there are so many students who truly care for other people. Mount Tabor’s STAND members specifically focus their efforts on addressing the genocide in Darfur, and the purpose of the organization is to educate other students and community members about the genocide in order to raise funds to help victims.

During the club’s first two years of operation, funds were raised in order to provide protection for the women often victimized at displaced-persons camps in the Darfur region, as well as to support a much-needed school in Darfur. With the assistance of the Persecution Project Foundation (PPF), students became aware of the great need for safe drinking water in this region of the world, and it was decided that all monies raised during the 2009/2010 year would go towards PPF’s 100 Wells Campaign. STAND held a “Dance for Darfur” in the fall and the “Darfur Fast” in the spring, with the goal of raising $5,000 to donate to the 100 Wells Campaign. All who participated were touched by the generosity of the students and community, and were thrilled to present a check of $10,500 to PPF on June 2.

On behalf of thousands of Darfur refugees who will benefit from the generosity of the Mt. Tabor STAND club, PPF would like to thank these courageous young people who decided to make a difference in their world.

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“No one serving as a soldier gets involved in civilian affairs – he wants to please his commanding officer.” – 2 Timothy 2:4

As we landed on the Jaac airstrip in March, I noticed two soldiers standing under a tree at the edge of the runway. They were there to protect our plane.

Wilson Wal Malith proudly holds his new Bible, the message of which he proceeded to share with his friend.

Our pilot, Linnie Weeks, offered to spend a couple of days with us on the ground, participating in our outreaches in Jaac. This meant securing the plane from possible vandals and the curious children who may have been tempted to use our Cessna Caravan as playground equipment.

Wilson Wal Malith was one of the two soldiers charged with guarding the aircraft. He immediately approached a PPF team member and requested a Bible, which we were more than happy to supply. As we handed him the Bible, he began to tell us his story.

Wilson had been stationed in Jaac since 2005 and had once owned a Bible. He explained that while he was employed by the military, he was a soldier for God first. He felt that he was a pastor to the other men in his regiment. In fact, he had given his previous Bible to another soldier who had been transferred far away. He hadn’t been able to obtain a replacement Bible for a very long time.

Holding his new copy of God’s Word close to his heart, Wilson smiled. He pointed his thumb at the soldier standing quietly beside him and said, “Now I can share Jesus Christ with this man.”

For 3 days, Wilson shared his faith and the Word of God with his fellow soldier under this tree.

Wilson and this other soldier sat on a cot under a tree, which shaded them from the blazing sun, on the edge of the Jaac airstrip for the next 3 days. Bible open. Words of love and hope pouring forth from a soldier who was “pleasing his commanding officer.”

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These men are in the process of drilling yet another borehole in Jaac.

According to the UN, the war in Darfur has killed 300,000 people and displaced another 2.7 million. Other estimates put the death toll as high as 400,000 killed.  

Escalating violence in Darfur means more refugees – people fleeing the conflict zones. And one of the major “safe zones” where refugees go is the community of Jaac, on the Southern Darfur/Southern Sudan border. Since 2005, the community has grown from a few thousand to now over 200,000 displaced persons. People are spread out over a couple hundred square miles of flat, dry “no man’s land.”  

Persecution Project Foundation is feverishly working to provide a basic water canopy for the population in Jaac. The 100 Wells Campaign has drilled 62 clean water wells in Jaac, with plans to complete 100 by the end of 2010. But this aggressive goal is totally dependent on God’s grace working through the generosity of thousands of Christians in America.  

By using your community in America to support their community in Darfur, thousands of lives are saved. But, most importantly, many souls are saved as well. God has presented PPF with a perfect opportunity to teach the Gospel message in word and deed to many people who have never heard about Jesus Christ. We give them something their bodies need: clean water. And then we introduce them to the Water of Life that nourishes their souls. 

This young girl gets a mouthful of fresh, clean water from a new well.

War is a terrible thing. It is our responsibility to do what is within our power to promote peace. But even when peace seems impossible, Christians can still be encouraged, because we know God is sovereign. Our God uses the wickedness of men to work great good. In the case of Darfur, wicked men are killing and destroying to promote their own selfish agendas. But God is using the extreme upheaval in Darfur to drive many people to Faith in Him. In the end, this is the only way peace will come to Darfur – or anywhere else in the world.

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More than 100 years ago, the boll weevil destroyed much of the area’s cotton crop and forced farmers to diversify by planting other plants – including peanuts, which became a new cash crop. In gratitude for the unexpected blessing of this little bug, citizens of Enterprise built a monument in the center of town as a reminder that good things can come from unexpected places.

Matt Chancey presenting the PPF ministry at the 100 Wells fundraiser.

But Enterprise is also the home town of PPF Director, Matt Chancey, and recently, many of his family and friends turned out at a reception to support PPF’s 100 Wells Campaign. At the event, Matt introduced his neighbors to the work of PPF and told them how they could engage in “active compassion for the persecuted.”

“It’s really easy to live in a bubble,” said Chancey, who has been with PPF since its incorporation in 2000. “Christians are so blessed in America that we forget that much of the Church is still being persecuted.”

Justice Parker with PPF's Matt Chancey.

Assisting Matt at the reception was Justice Tom Parker from the Alabama Supreme Court. Justice Parker drove down from his office in Montgomery to serve as Master of Ceremonies. “The most important job I have is not being a judge, but being a servant of my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ,” said Parker. “More Christians have been killed for their Faith in the last 100 years than in the last 1,900 years. And we have a responsibility to intervene and assist our brothers and sisters who are suffering.”

Matt commented how easy it is to organize a small event like the one in Enterprise and encouraged the participants to become ambassadors for the persecuted by hosting their own events, whether it is in their homes, churches, or places of business.

“All of us have something to give persecuted Christians. Whether it’s our time, prayers, or financial assistance, we can all do something. That’s why our motto at PPF is ‘Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can.’”

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I remember reading about some early missionaries to Africa and how they experienced “turf wars” with other missionaries and organizations. At the time, I wondered why there was so much tension between people who were trying to do God’s work in an area that had more than enough work for everybody. Then, I started working in Africa myself, and I found that this “turf warfare” was still alive and well in the 21st Century. 

Brad participates in a baptism ceremony with ministry partners and local pastors in Jaac, Sudan.

In contrast, I am grateful for the many partnerships PPF has developed over the years with several individuals and organizations who share similar goals and purposes – yet without pride and ego thrown into the mix. God has gifted each one of us differently, and sometimes good fences make good neighbors. But building a fence and giving offense are two different things. 

In my recent trip to Kenya, I spent some time with Stephan and Iris Matusik. Stephan and Iris are missionaries in Southern Sudan through a German organization called Diguna. I’ve known Stephan since 1998 and have always been impressed with everything he has been able to accomplish living in a very difficult area of the world. 

PPF's Matt Chancey with Stephan and Iris Matusik.

Steve and Iris have 5 young children and have experienced suffering alongside the people they seek to minister to in Sudan. When I was recently with Stephan, he was in Nairobi with his family receiving treatment for a respiratory illness. This disease has all but been eradicated in the West, yet the Matusiks deal with it all the time in Southern Sudan, along with malaria and other dangerous diseases. I count it a privilege to work among such courageous people and partner with them whenever I can. 

Persecution Project Foundation, and every other mission organization working in Africa, is not the solution, and not even part of the solution. The Solution is Christ. We are just the messengers. It’s not all about us. As Believers, we are part of a big family. We have the same Father. And our goal should be to serve and please Him. We don’t serve our Father by being protective of our “turf” because it all belongs to Him anyway. 

Brad with African Leadership's Larry Warren and his family.

Lord, take away our pride and make us proud to be a part of Your family and desire to work together to bring glory to You, our Heavenly Father. Amen.

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Rodney S. and his small group at Anchor Community Church.

Dear PPF,

One day, I was listening to a local radio station, and they did an interview with someone about Persecution Project Foundation and the 100 Wells Campaign. When I got home from work, I went to the website and watched the video, and it really touched my heart.

I did a little research on PPF and saw that over 90% of all total donations go to program services. So for a small donation of $35, I could help provide clean water for one individual for his/her entire lifetime and get a 100 Wells T-shirt to wear to tell others about the project.

I attend Anchor Community Church in Locust Grove, Georgia. Our pastor and Missions Director thought it would be a great idea to bring up the project in our small congregation.

We started collecting money each week and when we reached $35, we would have a drawing to see who would get the next shirt. We just had our ninth drawing and our goal is to continue until each member of our group has a T-shirt. I pray we will be able to reach 100’s of others in our community and that other small groups in our church do the same thing.

In Christ and for His Glory,
Rodney S.
Anchor Community Church

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The elections in Sudan are now officially over and all winners announced. The good news is that, so far, in the aftermath, there has been comparatively little of the violence that was initially feared by many. 

The bad news is that the elections were a sham. 

President Omar al-Bashir easily won his election – as predicted – after evidence of widespread fraud and voter intimidation was reported by international observers. 

The first head-of-state to be re-elected while facing an international arrest warrant for war crimes.

President Bashir is simply using the cover of “democratic elections” to legitimize his murderous regime. Bashir is the only country leader currently under indictment for war crimes by the International Criminal Court. 

By being officially “elected,” Bashir can now hide behind the so-called “will of the people” and continue his government’s policy of brutally oppressing all opposition. 

President Obama is receiving pressure from the Right and the Left to intervene and use his influence to make sure the terms of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) – signed in 2005 – between North and South Sudan are enforced. One of the provisions in the CPA is to clearly define the border between the North and South. The reason for this is that Southern Sudan will vote in a January 2011 referendum to decide whether to remain a part of Sudan or become its own country. Everyone predicts that Southern Sudan will vote to secede, and that means the borders need to be defined ahead of time to avoid disputes and, heaven forbid, another war. 

Oil fields in Sudan will be hotly contested should the South secede in the 2011 referendum.

The US has sent more diplomats into Sudan to try to hurry along the border demarcation, but time is running out. The truth is that Omar al-Bashir’s government has no desire to lose the majority of the oil fields that currently provide $billions of revenue for the government every year. No matter how much Bashir talks about “respecting” the right of self-determination for Southern Sudan, the reality is that Bashir has a record that contradicts his “democratic rhetoric”: 2 million dead in Southern Sudan; 400,000 dead in Darfur; and millions more displaced and homeless. 

But there is some really good news to report: Jesus Christ is still King, and He sits in the heavens and laughs, as Psalm 2 reminds us. He laughs at the futile attempts of men, who set themselves up as gods to rob the King of Glory the honor due His Name. 

I am reminded of the verses of a wonderful hymn in American history, sung by the Puritans of New England, that the Omar al-Bashirs of the world need to hear – and fear: 

     Let tyrants shake their iron rod, And Slav’ry clank her galling chains, We fear them not, we trust in God, New England’s God forever reigns. 

New England’s God is also Sudan’s God. And Sudan’s God continues to throw the chains of slavery off His people in Africa through the compassion and prayers of His people in America and the rest of Christendom.

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Thank you for keeping our brothers and sisters in Christ at the forefront of our minds and prayer times.

While Dianna prays for PPF, this Sudanese man also prays for his people.

Blessings,

Dianna F.

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Participants in the Walk for Water

I had presented a program about the needs in Jaac to all the participants two weeks earlier. With materials in hand, the walkers proceeded to gather sponsors for the event. All of the participants worked hard, and with a matching check from another church family, $7,588 was raised!

O’Brien, Florida boasts a blinking light, a convenience store, and a lovely brick post office in a beautiful, rural country setting. It is not the size of the group, but the HEART, that matters. With the Persecution Project motto, “Do what you can, where you are, with what you have,” anything is possible when we all work together with the Lord’s help.

What a difference we can make for our persecuted brothers and sisters and to encourage our young people, the next generation, to get involved with missions also. Blessings to all from Northern Florida Christian Center in O’Brien!

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