The Rungwa people

Today we are making our way north from Sumbawanga to visit the Rungwa people.

While the Rungwa are on our unengaged people group list, we have heard there may be some engagement by a Great Commission Christian group, so we need to check it out.

Transforming from tropical and beach-like at the shores of Lake Tanganyika, to mountainous and high plateau, to plains and savanna grasslands in just a short distance from west to east, the terrain of the Rukwa region where the Rungwa people live is very diverse.


Since the road goes north and south, we only glimpse the mountains in the distance; nevertheless, these mountains are the culprits.












Our plan was to go west earlier this year, with a volunteer couple; however, with the rains, the water coming out of these mountains washed much of this road away.

Places such as this (pictured on the right) still remain, months after the rains have ended giving a glimpse of how unpassable the road must have been back in March.





The Rungwa live alongside the Fipa and Sukuma peoples.  There are even some Pimbwe people living here.  They are farmers with rice being a major crop.  Cultivating rice in the low marshes at the foot of the mountains, they utilize the water from a good rainy season.

The Rungwa are indeed being targeted by PEFA (Pentecostal Evangelical Fellowship of Africa).  They have a small compound in the heart of the Rungwa people.   This sign says, “PEFA mission church. We sell Bibles for a good price. (meaning cheaper) Everyone is welcome for worship at 8:00 a.m.”
(Some day we will have to explain the concept of telling time in Swahili for you)


While it is good to know that PEFA is here, we would like to talk to a few folks and find out the extent of the ministry.

Going on further down the road, we find a small group of men in a nearby village and get out to chat with them.

While friendly and very willing to pass the time of day with us, these men are not all attenders of the local church.  That is okay – seeds are being planted and God is faithful.






*Pray that God would burden hearts about the Rungwa people and their need for a true and faithful witness.

*Pray that God would empower Christians in the community to be bold and speak out about salvation through Christ.

*Ask God to bless His work among the Rungwa so that all will be witness to the awesome power of God.

Lord, surround them with your favor as a shield.

“But let all who take refuge in You be glad; let them ever sing for joy. Spread Your protection over them, that those who love Your name may rejoice in You. For surely, O LORD, you bless the righteous; You surround them with Your favor as with a shield.”               Psalm 5:11-12

Today’s post is unplanned.  However, we know that those who read these adventures each week are committed to pray and we are grateful.

If you have been following Exploring the Land from the beginning, you will remember our adventures in South Sudan.

Our time among the Nuer People is where our story begins today.
If you need to refresh your memory, click here and it will link you to those stories.

Back in December, we asked you to remember Mathew and his family as war broke out in South Sudan between the Dinka and Nuer people.  


Today we are asking you to pray again and continue praying.  (We are just now hearing this story).

As the crisis grew and it became evident that they had to flee their home in Leer, Mathew took Sarah and the children to Bentiu to stay in a refugee camp.

Mathew, having a passport, traveled to Nairobi, Kenya, hoping that from here he could procure travel for the others to follow; this was some months ago.

News came to Mathew that the situation in the Bentiu camp was dire with little food, and water and fighting intensifying, Sarah and the children, at that time eight of them, fled farther north.  They made it to Khartoum and have been living in a refugee camp there for several months.


Just this past week we understand that one of our missionaries secured tickets on a commercial airline for Sarah and four children. (Evidently, the four older children left the camp trying to make their way to a more secure location).

Sarah and the four children made their way to the airport only to be turned away because they only had travel documents not passports.

There is no way for them to obtain passports from South Sudan.

It seems the way forward, now, is to get them back to South Sudan.

We are hoping they can fly to Juba on a humanitarian flight with their travel documents.

After reaching Juba, they would need to travel by bus to Nairobi, an arduous two day journey.  

Don’t you know Sarah and the children are weary – after losing everything and traveling with just the clothes on their back for months? They need to know, with out doubt, that the Lord’s favor is surrounding them as a shield.  Mathew needs to have God’s peace that passes all understanding – he is here in safety while his wife and children are struggling.

*Pray specifically that God would unite this family.  
*Pray that Sarah and the children would be able to fly to Juba and get a bus to Nairobi.  
*Pray that God would spread His protection over them.

*Pray for peace for the country of South Sudan. We knew the window of peace was small – we just didn't think it would close so quickly.

... and I will go with you ...

As the week of training draws to a close, these young candidates, realizing they have just seen the tip of the iceberg, are requesting an additional week of training to sharpen their skills in storying to learn how to use this method to share the Good News with those of other faiths.

Now the real work begins as they put into action all they have learned; as they try to stoke up that fire for the lost among their churches and associations and as they pray through the next steps God puts before them.

Challenges abound for these missionary candidates and they are somewhat different from the challenges western missionaries face. Here, tribalism can be compared with racism. The intolerance and skepticism between many tribes borders on hatred in some cases. With family names clear indicators of various tribes, these who are called will need to find ways to overcome the inherent prejudices they will undoubtedly face.

Logistics is another challenge they will face as they live in their field of ministry. Nairobi churches and associations do not have the finances to fund a missionary full time; but do want to support them through prayer, visits, and monetary gifts. These missionaries will need to work to survive. Just as Paul made tents to provide his living in the book of Acts, these must find ways to support themselves as they minister.



Local and national government create additional challenges. Once the missionary has targeted the people group and locale of ministry, it will be necessary for the local chiefs and chairmen to allow them to stay in that area. Especially if the ministry extends across the Kenya border, national governments need to be convinced that they will not taking jobs away from their own country’s nationals before they will grant work permits.

... but for now – this minute – the week is finished -- it is time to celebrate.
Tomorrow will take care of itself -- especially as God’s people pray!

...go to the land I will show you...

We've circled the nine students so you can recognize them as you pray for them.
The others pictured are church leaders, teachers or workers for the week.

After much prayer and preparation, the School of Missions for the Baptist Regional Convention of Nairobi is upon us. Nine students were chosen and interviewed by their respective associations. Sharing their testimonies and callings before the school began; each student clearly articulated both their salvation experience and the calling of God on their life.


 

God is impressing these young adults to go beyond themselves and their comfortable, familiar lifestyle and take the gospel to those who have never heard.

The use of storying in evangelism, church planting, and leadership development is one of the major areas of training this week, along with Baptist distinctives, dealing with cults, personal witnessing, spiritual disciplines, cross-cultural communication, and tent-making.

Surprisingly, the most popular topic is Baptist distinctives. Realizing the importance and biblical basis of these distinctives allows these young missionaries to gain a greater appreciation for Baptist identity.








Being challenged by the level of syncretism in African churches today, they are gaining a vision to confront and correct syncretism with Bible storying and Biblical truth.

The school would not have been possible with out the support of several local Baptists.

One person in particular, almost indispensable to the school, is Rose Mumu. Demonstrating her commitment to the school through servant leadership, she is driven to see these students succeed in their preparation to get to their mission field. Working tirelessly to make sure the logistics run smoothly, her hard work in buying food, helping to cook, and supervise the meals is invaluable.



Impressed with the calling and commitment of each candidate, the leaders and teachers for this week of intense learning are honored to be a part of God’s calling in the lives of these candidates.  Several local pastors and missionaries are giving of themselves and their time to these young adults willing to follow God’s call on their lives.

*Pray for these nine, young adults as they continue to search God’s calling in their lives.

*Pray for their hearts and minds to be free from the worry about how God will do it, instead being filled with the faith that God WILL do it.

*Pray that as God continues to equip them for the task, they will grasp hold of everything He is teaching them.