Juba, the land of wonders!

INITIATED TO ACCIDENTS BY WITCHCRAFT
Recently, I, Reverend Stephen Mutune visited Juba. I found some major meetings concluding on a very rainy Monday. Someone invited me to his house to pray for him, and to my surprise, he had organized many people to be there. It ended up being a crusade, and we (together with other ministers who had been at the meeting,) prayed for many people.
We prayed for one lady who had been experiencing multiple accidents in her home. She recounted a couple of them to us. Her son had fallen with a vehicle and broken his leg and ribs, and been on bed-rest for four months. Her daughter had on a fresh plaster on her leg which had broken just that week. The lady herself had almost been killed in a road accident when a car hit her on the back. On another occasion, she narrated, “my daughter had been making my hair, and the needle that she was using accidentally went into her eye – now she is blind in one eye.” We prayed for and cleansed her home against the spirit of accidents and for divine protection for her family.

A TREE REACTED BY EVIL POWERS
As we prayed, some people tended to go towards a certain tree within the compound. The tree started reacting and sending out bees to all the people who were praying. The bees were not stinging the on-lookers; they were stinging only the people who were praying. The lady said that there had never been bees in that tree, and also told us that she had observed that whenever a mad person would come to that village, he would come and sit by that tree. She hadn’t understood it before, but now it seemed clear. We rebuked the bees and they went.

SATANIC TREE
Another lady that we prayed with told us that she had bought a piece of land but had always felt restless about it. There had been a huge tree in the compound which she decided to have brought down so that she could build. To her surprise, the tree stood tall as ever the following morning after it had been brought down. She got really scared, and has never tried to cut it again or build. She believed that such things could only be handled by prayer. So we prayed. I reckon that traditional religion is bad. Her pastors had been coming, and in robes offering prayers and sprinkling water, but nothing had changed. We advised her to cut the tree, believe it won’t grow again, and when she decided to cut the tree to call the preachers with whom we had been praying.

ADBUDCTED BY THE LRA
The Ugandan Lord’s Resistance Army usually abducts people in Sudan. The men rape the abducted women and force them to marry soldiers in the bush. When someone is abducted in that community, the person usually does not return because the abductors torture and kill that person. Robert’s relative had been abducted, but she did come back, albeit confused and demon possessed with no coordination with which to tell how she escaped. After we prayed for her, she was able to tell us that she came back through the forest. It is as if God blinded the abductors, because they usually kill anyone who tries to escape, and they did not see her as she escaped! That’s a miracle! Continuous prayers had been held on her behalf for protection and eventual return. The family reunion brought great joy and a number of people got saved.

LAND
ACMI received land from Kuda community, and 80 acre piece of land for the vision of Agriculture, education Institutions and a modern university. The clan elders also said that if we utilized that piece of land well, they could give us more land.

TEACHERS AND NURSES NEEDED
People are returning to Sudan from Kenya and Uganda in large numbers. The city’s population is growing rapidly. This creates a growing need for teachers, and nurses. Well-wishers are also welcome to partner with ACMI in the Agriculture Project, as well as building the educational institutions among them a modern university. For details, please email us at acm@missionsafrica.org.
Let us stay in prayer for Juba.
Blessings,
Rev. Stephen Mutune.

COMMUNITY CHANGE

It’s two o’clock on Thursday, and everyone is busy packing up, shutting down computers, drawing the blinds. Sure that it is in good working condition, the keyboard that had filled the air with such beautiful melody during the testing period is disconnected from power. The speed heightens, and things start moving upwards, into the big ORA truck. Lights go off, locks click as the keys turn, and we are now outside, together with CCI Neema members, ready to board the truck.

Two fifty five. Someone prays and the forty-five minute journey begins. Upon arrival, offloading becomes the main task right after a thanksgiving prayer for the safe journey. We set up the instruments, and some walk around covering the grounds with prayer. We notice children running around playing, blowing polythene bags as balloons, some men welding, and women cleaning up and making several trips carrying water from one side of the estate to another. The elderly but surprisingly strong man weaving his mat right next to our ORA truck runs and scares away some children who are beginning to play with fire. They fear him and scatter in all directions, shrieking in laughter and anxiety at the same time.

The day’s moderator welcomes the people of Githurai to the crusades, and invites some young ISOM students to make presentations. Their dancing draws people to where we’re at, and so when the worship team takes over there’s quite a crowd, albeit not very large. A couple of people testify about the changes that Jesus has brought into their lives – from smoking cigarettes, bhang, extensive drinking, rearing dreadlocks, all the while being in poor health; to being healthy drug-free family men respected in their community. We hope that those smoking and drinking in the nearby kiosks are receiving this message of hope.

The preacher comes on and gives a chance to a lady to testify. She gave her life to Jesus just the day before and her right eye which had been paining, tearing and not seeing well is now completely healed. After preaching, the preacher makes an altar call and people come forward to receive prayer. Some receive Jesus as their Lord and savior, some offer prayer requests for other varied needs. A counselor speaks to them as we pack the instruments again, and get ready to leave. After prayer, around seven o’clock, we start off for home….

Then Sunday is here, and all those who got saved during the week attend service at the Tumaini Community Church, and are warmly welcomed. The service turns out great. We are all grateful that the crusades were a success; we give all the glory to God.