The Lost Boys Church

I had an opportunity last Sunday to visit a church led by Pastor Williamm Deng. Both he and all of the men in the congregation were lost boys of Sudan.

The first thing I noticed is that there are no women, no old men, no children. All of them were either murdered or taken into slavery by the Arab Muslims who destroyed their villages. Only the young boys out in the fields herding goats escaped by running into the jungles.

I thought about their difficult journey walking across Africa, some eaten by lions and hyenas, some bitten by deadly snakes, some starved, some died of thirst walking across the desert. But here before me were the survivors, unbelievably tall dark and handsome, smiling as they listend to the gospel in their native Dinka. When they began to sing and the drums and tambourine began to play, I felt I was in the heart of Africa. The music of their deep voices gave me shivers.

And truly these young men who survived ARE the heart of Africa. I hope and pray that they will someday be able to return and rebuild Sudan.

Lost Boys of Sudan

It's been awhile since I blogged. I've been busy helping one of the lost boys of Sudan. It started like this: I prayed that God would show me the poorest of the poor here in Bellingham. The next day I saw a very tall, very thin, very black man standing on top of the library steps. So of course I went right up to him and asked, "Are you from Sudan?"

He said 'Yes."

So I asked, "Are you one of the lost boys?"

And he said "yes."

Then he said, "I cannot read. I want to read."

And I said, "Well, I can teach you how to read."

And so we began a friendship. I learned he was homeless and sleeping under a bridge. He had no family here and was physically disabled from many gunshot wounds suffered during the war in Sudan. I helped him go to alcohol rehab and he is now living with a housemate and has a job.

The BIGGEST NEWS happened this week. His old girlfriend whom he has not heard from in over five years looked him up and said, "I have your son and I don't want him. YOU take him."
So, WOW, now there will be a little boy to add to the picture. I have so many prayers for them. If you a person who prays, leave a comment and I'll send you my list of hopes for them.