It may seem that the darkest hour of the night has set upon the country of South Sudan in North Africa. Around 1.3 to 1.5 million people were misplaced because of the violence of civil war. Refugees are forced into harsh living conditions. Things we enjoy on a normal day such as running water and electricity are all but luxuries to the misplaced refugees who try to keep their head above water each day. They ration the beans and flour provided by the United Nations in the hopes that they may see the day that the war that ravaged their country will end.
This is but a glimpse of a day in the life of a refugee in the Morobi Refugees Settlement, a 3-camp safe zone located in the West Nile region, where displaced refugees struggle to survive. Each camp housing more than 30 thousand refugees. But despite this dark chapter in their lives, they are not forsaken. And they are not exempt from the grace and hope that God has extended to humanity.
Despite all the conflict, God has continued to pour out His Spirit to the thousands of people who need Him through leaders and ministers He has placed in the war-torn areas. These anointed people have established churches for the refugees in different parts of the Morobi Camp.
And when God’s people stand together, there is no force on earth that can break it, not even the strength of political conflict. And it was on the start of the month of March that our very own Rev Dr. Dave Sobrepena together with Evangelist Drake Kanaabo organized a one-day global leadership conference for the ministers in the war-torn areas. The initiative was a huge success with over 500 pastors and leaders in attendance to be encouraged and equipped!
After the event was over, Ptr Dave spent and traveled for around 2 and a half days, reaching out and preaching the gospel to the refugees in the Morobi Camp thus making him the first Filipino to preach the gospel in that area! They even provided around 20 tarpaulin tents to shield their sheds where they worship from the harsh sun.
God’s Spirit came down on the people of the Morobi Camp as thousands received the Lord as their Christ in their hearts and lives! And with the dedicated people of the Lord who have established churches there, thousand more are sure to be saved! This just comes to show that the darkest hour of night comes before the dawn, and the Lord will let the sun shine once more not just for the Morobi Camp, but for the whole of South Sudan.
The harvests indeed is ripe, let us not waste time in finishing the task God has called us all to do that none should perish but all should come to repentance.
