A Call to Prayer

We are calling for a week of prayer for Gambella, from Sunday, April 24 to Sunday May 1.

Last night, a “highlander” was bringing water to refugees in a nearby camp called Jewi when he accidentally hit and killed two Nuer. The driver and some innocent bystanders were immediately beaten to death and more were murdered later that night brining the total up to nine. This is not the only recent incident preceding and following the Jikwo, Lare, and Nininyang massacre. The hatred has to stop somewhere and we are asking the Lord to do what appears to be impossible for humans in spite of their best attempts.

Also, we had planned to bring in a Professor from Addis to teach all our students, both full-time and part-time, on the subject of Early African Church History. This is scheduled for May 2 – 6. Our faculty believe that we must take a step of faith and proceed with this course even though at present fear still keeps our students apart. We believe that this fear is not from God as He clearly says He has not given us a spirit of fear, but of love, and of power, and of a sound mind and we believe we must take a public stand in faith. While we will not force anyone to attend, we are encouraging our Nuer brethren to allow us to bus them to and from the Anglican Centre.

And so we need your prayers for that week also. Satan is seeking to bring this College to its knees…and so to our knees we will go! Remember, St Frumentius is the only seminary in the area. It is no wonder that the forces of darkness rally against us in such a violent manner!

I include a poem I wrote after the most recent killing in Jewi.

We stand before the sea

We stand before the sea, dear Lord,

We stand before the sea.

We see the dust behind us,

We see our enemy.

All human ingenuity

Has failed to save the day

And in our hearts we wonder,

Will Satan have his way?

Will we lie crushed beneath his heel

Will hell victorious be?

Will hatred, strife, and bitterness

Still reign perpetually?

Will sulphurous fumes engulf us all

And drag us down below

The surface of this swollen stream

Infested with our foe?

Stand, believer, stand and see

Salvation by God’s hand!

The God who freed the Hebrew slaves

And wind and waves command,

Is still the God Who was and is

And is to come again…

His Spirit touches deep within

And turns the hearts of men.

Come, Lord Jesus, come to us

You are our only hope.

The evil one walks through the land,

Binding with his rope

Those whose pain and suffering

Have given way to wrath;

Whose hardened hearts and conscience seared

Have led them down this path.

We plead the blood of Jesus Christ

As covering for us all;

We plead for the angelic hosts

To hearken to the call;

To battle principalities

To cast down every power,

And through our prayers may God once more

Become our mighty tower.

We are a mighty army,

And rank on rank we stand

With thousands and ten thousands

Of God’s angelic band.

In fiery chariots ready

To march against the hoards

Of hell and of destruction

To break their fiendish cords.

We stand before the sea, indeed,

But firmly on the Rock!

Our faith will lead us on again

Though others may us mock.

The one who spoke and all was made

Still speaks in healing words;

Your love and care will win the day

And render hate absurd.

Johann van der Bijl © 2016-04-20

Sad Update

18 April 2016 09:19

Ethiopia Massacre Toll Rises to 208, 75 wounded and 100 Kids Abducted

  

 

Ethiopia Massacre Toll Rises to 208, 75 wounded and 100 Kids Abducted

The death toll from a raid carried out by gunmen in Ethiopia's border with South Sudan has risen to more than 200 people, officials say.

Armed men attacked Ethiopia's Gambela region on Friday, killing 208 people and wounding 75 others, Government spokesman Getachew Reda said on Sunday.

Getachew said the assailants also kidnapped 108 children and took 2,000 heads of livestock. “Ethiopian Defense Forces are taking measures. They are closing in on the attackers,” he added.

He said 60 of the assailants have been killed in clashes with Ethiopian troops, PRESS TV reported.

The Gambela region is home to more than 284,000 South Sudanese refugees, who have fled conflict in their country.  It is also home to Ethiopian and South Sudanese armed groups that regularly attack government installations and soldiers.

South Sudanese officials did comment on the raid. The country plunged into chaos in December 2013, when fighting erupted outside the capital, Juba, between troops loyal to President Salva Kiir and defectors led by rebel leader Riek Machar.

The fighting has killed tens of thousands of people and displaced over two million others.

The warring sides reached an internationally-mediated peace deal in August 2015 and agreed to share out ministerial positions in January.

- See more at: http://en.alalam.ir/news/1809378?#sthash.pm1AoLsQ.dpuf

Prayer Letter, April 2016

It is strange how one forgets the calamitous, cacophonic chaos of security and check-in lines at Ethiopian airports.  Private space is not something people seem to be aware of here and one learns to tolerate the constant prodding of the suitcase from behind as well as the double queues. The urgency to board the plane may have something to do with the excess pieces of hand luggage most of the passengers seem to carry in spite of the regulations. Thankfully, there was no livestock on board.

Gambella has cooled down since we left. Rather than a stifling 140+ F (60+ C) we are enjoying 95+ F (36+ C)…but this time we have high humidity added to the mix. The heat in March was so severe that a number of our trees are quite literally burnt and a few are dead.

What a wonderful surprise to have Ajikune, one of our Anuak students, meet us at the airport together with our driver Gutu and Joshua, a linguist from SIL working with the Opo! Karen Salmon, shortly back from Ireland, was on the plane with us and Rosemary Burke had a delicious supper ready for us on arrival. Thankfully no wildlife, other than odd daddy-long-legs, had moved into our home and Louise worked wonders within a few hours. Ah, what a sweet reunion with our beloved brethren here! We continue to have visitors throughout each day!

Linda Abwa from CMS Ireland arrived the day after. We arranged for our students and other interested parties to come hear her speak on pastoral care for those suffering from HIV/AIDS, but unfortunately the tension between Nuer and Anuak has not yet been healed, so we had to have two classes, one in each territory. As Gambella has the highest percentage of HIV in Ethiopia, our folk were more than interested to hear what she had to say and her efforts were well rewarded.

Unfortunately that night reports came in from three neighbouring towns that over 160 people had been killed, an as yet unnumbered amount wounded, many children, food, and cattle taken. This is quite a shock, as usually these types of cattle raids do not claim so many lives. But people are hungry at this time of year, especially since food trucks could not reach these areas due to road closures resulting from the ethnic clashes, and often hunger leads to violence. We are praying that there will be no revenge killings, but rather that the grieving will find solace in the arms of the Prince of Peace. Somewhere…dear Lord…somewhere the hatred has to stop.

While we were in the US, we met with a security specialist. After having drawn a basic map of the area and of our compound, he came to the conclusion that we are not secure at all. I think we have known that for quite a while especially since the Nuer/Anuak incident two months ago, but he gave quite a few good ideas of how we can protect ourselves if evacuation is not an option. The library building seems to be an ideal place of refuge if it comes to that. Of course, we do need to complete the wall around the compound, but that will take funds we do not have at present. The wall and the drilling of a borehole for safe drinking water is a priority as we remain at risk without them.

Also, communication is a problem. Often cell phone and Internet connectivity is disrupted when trouble erupts…we have not had Internet access on the compound since we arrived…until now…YAY!...but satellite phones are expensive and consequently not a viable option for us now. Obviously, this is something we need to think about…soon.

The College reopens on Monday. We will continue to hold classes in two locations, but we are hoping that this will not be a permanent reality. Fear is almost tangible here and understandably so. It is just so sad that our brethren can no longer live together in unity…

As you all know, I had heart surgery six weeks ago. Recovery is taking a lot longer than I had hoped, but I am getting stronger every day. Louise gives me the stern motherly talk often…I haven’t had the strength to disobey.

I have included a poem I wrote about the recent massacre…writing poetry helps me process the unthinkable.

Thank you all again and again for your prayers, your love, and your on-going support. You are very much appreciated.

With much love and tons of blessings.

Johann and Louise

Massacre at Gikuo, Lare, and Nininyang

The murderous hordes stole in at night

Our people were at ease

No one would ever have believed

That they had come to seize

Our cattle and our little ones

…the bit of food we had…

To slaughter all who could not hide…

Had hell itself gone mad?

As Jesus said, the devils’ hour

‘Tis darkness and t’is gloom

As Judas marched with soldiers armed

To send Him to the tomb.

Our Lord was slain through cowardice

Of each and all concerned

Of Priests and Roman Governors

Not one would overturn

The sentence of the Innocent

The slaying of the Good

The only One Who had not sinned

Hung on a cross of wood.

But out of death our Father brought

Salvation to the world

And through the resurrected Christ

Our freedom flag unfurled.

So in the ashes of our lives

Those who believe must find

The light that comforts even those

Whom horror seeks to bind.

The sovereign attributes of God

Unwithered by man’s sin

Remind us in the aftermath

That love will always win.

Oh Gikuo, Lare, Nininyang

Your wailing voice is heard

By God Himself who is the judge

Who has the final word.

For Satan plunders, Satan kills

But Jesus grants us life

And shepherds us through deepest vale

Through sorrow and through strife.

Seek not revenge, but rather stretch

Your hand out to forgive

Those who in sinful ignorance

Do not know what they did.

For Satan blinds the eyes of those

Who do not know the Lord

They are the lost who have no hope

Beyond the things they stored.

For all they have is of this world

They know not of the next

And so from war and so from theft

They simply cannot rest.

But we have not an earthly aim

Our sights are set above

The witness of our lives is this:

We serve a God of love.

We do not ask our fellow man

To give us victory –

All other nations and their kin

To bring to bended knee.

But rather we serve Jesus Christ

Who sits on Heaven’s throne

And bids us go to all the world

To call the peoples home.

Over 160 people were slaughtered in the area, many children were abducted, and cattle and food stolen.

Johann van der Bijl © 2016-04-16

Q&A Johann Vanderbijl Dean of St Frumentius' Anglican Theological College

There is an urgent need for theological training in the region of Gambella, in the west of Ethiopia. There are over 90 Anglican Churches in Gambella, which are part of the Episcopal / Anglican Diocese of Egypt with North Africa and the Horn of Africa. These churches are served by 15 clergy, none of whom has a theological degree. There are no other theological colleges in Gambella. St. Frumentius Theological College opened at the Gambella Anglican Centre in September 2015. The priority of the college will be training new and existing Anglican clergy, as well as lay-leaders, but it is also open to other denominations. We already have some of the needed facilities, but we need your prayers and support to start this college.

Newsletter - February 2016

I was trying to explain the difference between ‘simple’ and ‘complex’ to my English students the other day. “Simple,” I said, “is something that is easy to explain and easy to understand because there is usually only one thing to think about. Complex, on the other hand, is something that takes a long time to explain because there are so many different things to keep in your head at the same time…things that are often strange or unknown to the person you are trying to talk to which makes it harder for them to understand.”

Life in Gambella is not simple.

We returned in January filled with new and exciting ideas about what we were going to do with our students only to have our very first week turned upside down by deadly ethnic clashes.  Nothing has been the same ever since. We now teach two sets of classes in two different areas of Gambela, as neither ethnic group can meet with the other at present. Our Anglican brethren on both sides long for fellowship with each other and will often pray for each other, ask about each other, and send greetings to each other through us. They have responded negatively to other denominations in town that are calling for total segregation.

It is both painful and pleasing to see this…pleasing in that they have transcended traditional tribal barriers and painful in that they are being forced to stay apart because some on both sides do not share that unique oneness in Jesus. It is refreshing to see that our brethren here are not slow to see the spiritual forces of darkness behind the killing and the hatred – not flesh and blood, but principalities and powers in the heavenly places – and so they turn as one united body together against a common spiritual enemy and fight their battles on their knees, fasting and praying for peace.

At the same time, city water has been very scarce and the power has been sporadic. Some of our brethren in outer lying areas do not have food as all the roads were closed during the unrest. And it is hot…very hot. Temperatures are now often between 45 and 55 degrees Celsius with an increasing humidity, even at night. Our students tell us they can’t sleep…we know, because we can’t either. When the power goes off and we don’t have fans going, it feels like we are living in an oven.

Add now this: my dear old heart that just doesn’t seem to be able to handle this extreme environment anymore. I had a really bad episode of Atrial Fibrillation in Addis in December last year just before we went to South Africa. While in South Africa I heard that I ought to have a heart ablation, a procedure in which the surgeon cauterizes the areas where the impulses enter the atrium and cause the heart to beat very fast and irregularly. I had hoped to put this off until July, but the other morning I woke up with A-Fib in spite of the high doses of meds that I am on to prevent this from happening. See? This is so long and difficult to explain! It is complex – not the sort of thing I would have planned for us at this time.

The long and the short of it all is that we are closing the College a week early to go to South Africa so that my ticker can get a service…of course the pacemaker and other problems complicate things, but it just wouldn’t be my life if it was simple, would it?

We are thinking about changing the dates of our current semesters so that the College will be functional only during the less extremely hot seasons...the rest of the time…well, we will have to figure that out as we go along. We remain committed to the Lord’s work and the people here in Gambela…we just have to figure out creative ways to keep me healthy!

We have been moving at quite a pace with our dear students as we have had to cram our lessons into shorter hours because we are now dividing everything into two. We have also had to make up for the lost week in the past two days and have given them projects and assignments to do for next week. After that, they all go to their respective field education areas where they will be engaging in a research project as well as teaching Bible Stories chronologically. They are all so very, very smart and we are very, very proud of each one. So many strikes against them from the start and so many strikes against them as they simply try to live here, but they are troupers and keep on keeping on for Jesus!

We will send out an update once I have had the procedure done.

We love you all and are so blessed to have you as partners…we are not alone…the Father is with us, and you all are with us too. We are encouraged.

Many blessings and tons of love.

Johann and Louise

Newsletter, January 2016

After the dismantling of the apartheid system in South Africa, many previously segregated Bible Colleges and Universities had to rethink the manner in which they taught theology. No longer could they assume that every student had had equal educational opportunities or that they all learned in the same way. This realisation gave birth to a lot of research, creative thought, and bold experimentation as some of the best educators got together to find a solution to the emerging problem. For this reason, I was very interested to chat with a number of educators in South Africa and also in securing some of the articles and books written by Africans on the subject of oral versus literate preference styles of learning.

All of our students in Gambella could be considered higher on the oral scale than on the literate scale. This has a tremendous impact on how St Frumentius proceeds…how we structure the curriculum and how we teach…not that we wish to “dumb down” the material, but rather come up with new and creative ways of communicating in a way that is compatible with oral preference learners and that is culturally relevant. In the past, oral preference learners have had to struggle through literate preference methods only to find that they are no longer able to communicate clearly to their oral preference parishioners once they return to their respective places of ministry.

So the second semester of our first year may prove be one of the most interesting periods in our history as a College as we will be laying a foundation for future students using some of the best research on oral preference learners by Africans in Africa. Everyone in the Anglican Church in Ethiopia will be involved at some level as we will seek to learn more about what our students will need in order to be effective leaders in their respective communities.

On a more personal level, a routine cardiac check-up revealed that I need a surgical procedure known as an ablation. This procedure will correct a worsening condition called Atrial Fibrillation, or A-Fib for short. The choice is between this procedure or taking two meds that have some unpleasant side-effects. The cardiologist wanted me to have it done immediately as I am apparently a high stroke risk right now, but after much thought and prayer, we have decided to continue on the meds until 18 July when I will have the ablation done in Cape Town, South Africa. This will allow me to complete the second semester and to adequately prepare for the next year.

We will be going to the US in March/April for the New Wineskins Conference in Ridgecrest, North Carolina. Both Louise and I will be co-leading workshops with Bishop Grant and Dr Wendy LeMarquand. Prior to the Conference, we will be stopping in Greenville (probably Easter Weekend) and Charleston SC (the first weekend in April). We hope to be able to see as many of our ministry partners as possible during this time.

Please pray for us as we start the second semester next week. Pray for Bishop Grant and Dr Wendy as they continue to provide wise guidance for us all, for Louise as she continues to bring our library up to snuff, for Karen and Jeremiah as they teach, for Rosemary as she helps us all with the administration of the Area, for Roger and Lynn as they lead the congregation in Addis, and for all our priests, deacons, lay-leaders, and Mother’s Union leaders. Pray too for the visit from ACTEA (Association For Christian Theological Education in Africa) in February.

We appreciate you more than we can say…thank you for staying the course with us and for fighting the good fight by our side.

Many blessings.

Johann and Louise