Greetings from Jacob + ASC

When I was seven years old, two very important things happened to me. The first was a dream I had when I was out in cattle camp with my brother and cousins, tending to our parents’ cattle. I saw myself standing in front of a large congregation of our people, wearing a clerical collar. I told my brother and cousins about my dream and they were very upset with me. They said, “No one in our family has ever been a pastor. If you are a leader you must be a military or political leader.” They even beat me when I kept talking about my dream. However, that dream never left me.

The second occurrence was that fateful night when members of a militia raided our peaceful village with guns and bombs. Once again, I was outside the village, and I and many others ran into the bush without any clothes on our backs. For the next fourteen years, I was a refugee, moving between refugee camps across East Africa to stay ahead of danger. In 2001, I was brought to the United States as one of the “Lost Boys” of Sudan. America has given me a home and an education, and I have fulfilled my dream of becoming a pastor. This photo shows some of my fellow “Lost Boys” in 1992 in a refugee camp in Kenya.

I always knew that I wanted to return to my homeland (now called South Sudan, after separating from Sudan). I wanted to help my country to rebuild after decades of conflict. This is best done though providing education for my people. To do this, God has given me a vision of building a school in my hometown of Bor. I formed a non-profit agency named Africa Sunrise Communities and through it am raising funds to build the school.

REPORT ON MY TRIP TO BOR

This is the latest report on our project of building a school in Bor. We at Africa Sunrise Communities have given the name Rising Hope Christian Center to the overall project. After the perimeter security wall is in place, we will begin building the Akechkuai School. Our goal is that eventually we will have other buildings surrounding the school, a church, and perhaps even a medical clinic.

In the Bible, the book of Nehemiah tells of his return to Jerusalem to build the wall for safety for its people. Nehemiah is my role model for our Rising Hope Christian Center in Bor, South Sudan. First we must build the wall for safety and security. Only then can we proceed with the school and the other buildings to complete the project.

For my latest trip to South Sudan in July, I went first to Nairobi, Kenya, to visit my mother. She is taking care of the orphaned children of my sister and I am helping to support them. Then, on July 9th , I traveled to Juba, the capital of South Sudan. My mission there was to establish contacts and meet with the key stakeholders of Africa Sunrise Communities and brief them on the progress of my mission in South Sudan.

Bor Project Updates

Connections Made In Juba

I met with the Director of Buffalo Bank of South Sudan, Dr. Mayen Akuak Mayen, who helped the ASC to open up the bank accounts for US and South Sudanese currencies. Dr. Mayen appreciates the great effort of the ASC management board and me for raising the funds to start the Bor project.

I was then able to meet the most senior government officials who supported me in our 2018 acquisition of land for the school in Bor and give them an update that we began the project with the wall it made full pledge of support to help to open some other doors for us if we are need of any future plan.They were amazed by our quick efforts to start the fence construction, are happy for the Rising Hope Christian Center initiative and promise to give support to this work.

Visit To The School Project Site

On July 11th I traveled to the city of Bor to meet with officials concerning the registration of Africa Sunrise Communities in Juba. A group of interested pastors who inquired about the objectives, mission and vision of the African Sunrise Communities also met with me. I had the privilege of preaching for them and explaining to them my mission in South Sudan.

I then went to visit the project site. The perimeter security wall is being built in 3 phases, at a total cost of $95,000. Phase One is under construction now, and includes the excavation and footers, at a total cost of $37,665 of which $29,250 has been raised. Phase Two (costing $24,500) includes the ground beam and columns. Phase Three encompasses the final wall and gate (at a cost of $33,060). Our date for the wall project to be finish is January 2020 by Gods grace.

I went to the site and met with Engineer Lual, who oversees the construction work for the wall. The work is progressing well, though the advent of the rainy season has brought so much rain and mud it has made accessing the project site difficult. When it rains, workers have to stop since they lack the equipment to work in the rain. Some corners of the fence are being flooded; an area of about 62 meters needs beams for reinforcement. There are long distances between the locations of the construction materials and the construction site. Lual and his team suggested that the workers need raincoats and gumboots. A water pump is needed to empty part of the construction site filled with rain. The workers need to be paid on a weekly basis for their work.Even though I was not dressed in work clothes, I encouraged the workers by helping out on the site.

Despite the rain, our construction work is progressing well. The materials have been purchased and the work goes on with written approval from our Bor Project coordinator, Marial, and our Juba project coordinator, John Lual Nyok. If we can raise the total amount of funds needed, we can pay the workers and afford any site maintenance to get Phase One completed in time. The remaining objective is completing the foundation wall, for which about 80% of the materials is readily available.

Challenges We Are Facing

AT THE WORK SITE:

Rainy weather constantly causes delays, such as taking hours to pull out of the mud a truck loaded with supplies, which means offloading the truck and then reloading it again on drier ground. Our contractor found that the dimensions of our land had been incorrectly measured by the government, giving us a plot of land only 90 x 90 meters rather than the 100 x 100 meters we thought we had. We had to obtain the services of a surveyor to correct this, again costing us time and money.

The owner of an adjoining plot cut a tree which fell on our side, and slowed our measuring process. We have managed to complete about 376 meters of the foundation for the wall fence. The remaining 24 meters will be completed soon. It should have been finished by now but rains have delayed the work. We will need to drain the trenches before we commence with the foundation wall and casting of column bases.

OTHER CHALLENGES FOR ASC:

ASC is a duly registered 501©3 organization in the United States, but we must secure a Tax Identification Number from the government of South Sudan. This involves not only paying a hefty fee ($2,000) but we must specify job descriptions for all our employees and register them with the tax authorities. Such administrative tasks take time and effort, both of which are costly.

As mandated by the government, ASC must have a physical office in Juba, the capital city, even though the school will be built in Bor. We have rented office space, but chairs and a cabinet are needed. We need funds for monthly bills such as renting the office and for paying the custodian and the security guard, as well as the electric bill.

This is one of three blogs in a series, sharing highlights of my trip to South Sudan in January 2018. The series includes Part 1: Fortune; Part 2: Family; and Part 3: Future. Thank you for sharing this journey with me!  ~JacobLike Nehemiah in the Old Testament, the Lord placed a burning desire in my heart to help the country I left as a child.  In January, I returned to Bor, the main town in my home state, to conduct an assessment of the needs—just like Nehemiah did a secret survey of the broken-down walls of his beloved city, Jerusalem. (more…)

Purpose for the TripThe purpose for this trip was to view firsthand the situation in Kiryandongo Refugee Camp in the Bweyale region of western Uganda, where some 53,000 South Sudanese refugees are living. These people have fled the warfare resulting from the incursion of Muslim militia fighters from Sudan in the north, but they are also running away from intertribal warfare within South Sudan itself. The y have found their way over the border into Uganda, where the United Nations and the Ugandan government have set up 13 camps like Kiryandongo, which is the largest one.When I began organizing Africa Sunrise Communities and trying to decide what my focus should be in working with my own people, I had thought that my mission was to return to Uganda to work within this refugee camp in setting up an elementary school, teaching the children, and, through them, begin to reach their parents with Christ’s message of peace and reconciliation. However, this trip showed me that there are already educational opportunities available for children in the camp.Conditions Within the Camp Several organizations are working within the camp. These include the United Nations High Commission for Refugees, International Rescue Committee, Windle Trust International, and several others.This Kiryandongo refugee settlement is on 27 square miles and contains a total of 18 “clusters.” Clusters are structured and designed to ease management of people and are basically smaller groups of people, families living together with an elected leader and supportive community structures.There is now much more tribal diversification in the camp than what I found when I was there last in 2014, though the Dinka and the Nuer tribes are still the largest groups.Living conditions are very primitive, with no running water or electricity. Homes are mostly mud huts. There are many water wells available, so water does not seem to be in short supply.There are schools, all of which charge at least a minimal tuition fee, even if they are called “free” schools. All children must purchase uniforms to attend school. School fees for children are typically about $12 tuition per child per month. One uniform costs around $9.School materials, such as chalkboards, textbooks, exercise books, etc., are procured by the United Nations. Because of all the variety of dialects spoken within the camp, the schools are taught in English. Most of the orphan children are out of school, as they have no one to pay their tuition and fees and to buy them uniforms.Orphans Will Become My New FocusI learned that the one group that is not being served well in the camp is that of young orphans. These boys and girls have lost their families to war and have fled alone to the refugee camp, much as I did at the age of 7 when war first broke out between Sudan and South Sudan. While they may be assigned in the camp to other families in which to be raised, the truth is that many of these children end up abandoned and having to fend for themselves. I am beginning to see that my focus should be on these children.From what I could find out, the official number of orphan children is 1,800 within the camp, but the chances are good that there are many more not included in this official count.These children are in need of a place of their own – a safe place to sleep, where they can be taken care of, with food available, with the means to go to school, and a place to come back to after school. Group homes seem to me to be the best way to care for the children. A group home would house 10-12 young children, ages about 4-10. Setting up such a group home will involve renting a dwelling within the camp and hiring a woman or a couple to be houseparents to see to the needs of the children.Where Do I Go From Here?It is necessary for me to set up a local non-government organization (NGO) with a different name, as my American-based Africa Sunrise Communities will not be recognized in Uganda. My local Ugandan organization’s name will be “Rising Hope Africa.” One of the reasons for my trip to Uganda was to begin the process of setting up this organization and registering it with the Ugandan authorities. The registration process is complicated by the fact that I am not a Ugandan citizen. I am in the process of filling out the registration forms and sending them back to Kampala, the capital of Uganda. Each step in this process calls for the payment of fees, such as the $150 registration fee, which I must send back with the papers.When Rising Hope Africa is registered in Uganda, I will have to set up a physical office in Kampala, which is about 3 hours away from the camp. This means renting office space there. The office will need to be staffed, at last minimally. This demonstrates to the Ugandan government that my intentions are to stay in Uganda and to work with government and other officials within the refugee camp. I will be partnering in every way possible with the Ugandan government and the United Nations and other NGOs working there.How You Can Help I am currently raising support to enable my family and myself to relocate to East Africa. As my family will not be living within the refugee camp themselves, I must set up a home for them, in Uganda or in Kenya, and send my children to school. I myself will also not be living in the refugee camp, but must find lodging nearby.It will cost $100,000 for the first year. This amount includes travel to Uganda, renting and setting up a home there, getting the children settled in school, finding a place for me to live, setting up an office in Kampala, renting and setting up an orphan group home in the refugee camp, hiring houseparents, in-country transportation costs, my salary, and ministry expenses. After that, my personal expenses will be $50,000 per year (including salary, living expenses, transportation, fees, etc.,) and the cost for running one group home will be $30,000 per year. Africa Sunrise Communities needs partners who will come alongside and commit to this ministry. We need you to pledge to give regularly (monthly, quarterly, or yearly) at a level that you can give to sustain this work. If one hundred supporters would pledge to give $100 a month, that would provide funds for me to go back to East Africa and to begin the ministry to which God has called me. Will you partner with me to help the orphan South Sudanese refugee children in Kiryandongo Camp? Will you support me in my mission to bring hope, education, and the Good News of Jesus Christ to my people?  May God bless you as you consider partnering with me in this work.Jacob Guot, Executive Director and Founder

Personal Testimony, MY Experience As I walked across the campus during my time at Asbury Theological Seminary, several students kept asking me, “What happened to your head?” They were looking at my scarification. Some of my friends saw my scar as funny or they said, “I am so sorry for your accident on your head.” I said, “Dude, this is not an accident, it is my cultural norm.”The Problem– devaluing a person through devaluing their culture is dehumanizingThey asked me again: “Would you please tell us what happened and why?” I would tell them that it is my pleasure to talk about this; that it blessed me to discuss it. I would say that far from being an accident, this is a cultural norm among the Dinka tribes of South Sudan.The Need – Understanding through Conversation: Meeting people within their own cultureJesus meets people within their own culture, He does not devalue people because of their culture, rather He illuminates their value through their culture. We all must be aware of cultural differences when we speak to others. It’s all to easy to force our cultural norms on others, and to question them for being different than our idea of normal. Why Did I Write a Book?My classmates’ confusion about scarification and my culture caused me much anguish. My book is the solution. The Lost is Found: A “Lost Boy’s” Story of Faith, Hope, Charity, and Love tells my story of becoming a “Lost Boy,” when Muslim militias raided my village in what was then Sudan in 1987, when I was 7 years old. It details my years of running for my life, living in refugee camps, before being brought to the US in 2001. It describes a great deal about my life in Sudan and answers the questions about this lesser known culture. It tells a great deal about Dinka society, including marriage customs, the scarification rite of passage, and describes the rituals in detail. Great news! Jacob’s book, The Lost is Found, is now available in print and eBook format. All proceeds from his book go towards funding his mission to his own people, South Sudanese refugees, especially orphan children, in Uganda.EBooks are available from Amazon, as are print copies. However, if you make a gift of $50 to Africa Sunrise Communities, you will receive an autographed copy. Special thanks to www.EABooksPublishing.com. Thank you much for your generous support.Jacob Thon GuotExecutive Director and FounderAfrica Sunrise Communities

My trip to Uganda is now underway. I am going to Bweyale Refugee Camp to make a general assessment of the situation there. I will meet with leaders of the refugees to talk about their needs and to assess the children’s educational needs from pre-school to 12^th grade. I need to know which agencies are working in education in the camp, what they are doing, and how I can partner with them. I will meet with three groups of leaders: Sudanese refugees (Dinka, Nuer, and others); local Ugandan civil authorities in the camp; and officials from the United Nations High Commission on Refugees (UNHCR).I am going to Kampala to register as a local organization in Uganda. I will register as Living Hope Africa, which will function as the local arm of Africa Sunrise Communities. Fundraising in the U.S. will continue to flow through Africa Sunrise Communities. A local organization gives me freedom to do work in Uganda as a US-based one will not allow me to work there.In Nairobi I will be visiting the family of refugees whom I am supporting.I will go to Juba, South Sudan, to learn about four orphaned Dinka children from my village of Bor. Their parents were killed during a conflict in Bor; they were abducted by the Murle tribe but handed back to the UNHCR during negotiations. The UN contacted me to see if I could support these children, who are in a UN refugee camp in Juba: one 5-year old, two 6-year-olds, and one 7-year-old.I will be helped by Lual, who is my cousin. He lives in Juba and knows how help me negotiate the various officials and departments I must meet with.Please pray for me during this trip, that I might be able to meet with the right people and make the right contacts, and that the next steps for Africa Sunrise Communities/Living Hope Africa will become clear.My trip to Uganda will cost approximately $7,500. This will take care of airfare, food, lodging, and ground transportation, visas, organization registration fees, etc. If you can help me meet these financial obligations, please send a check to Africa Sunrise Communities, PO Box 82, Wilmore, KY 40390 or visit our website at www.africasunrise.org/get-involved/ to give towards my trip. All gifts are tax deductible. Thank you for your prayers and your financial support.Jacob GuotExecutive Director and Founder

The Lost is Found: A “Lost Boy’s” Story of Faith, Hope, Charity, and Love is now available in paperback from Amazon. My book tells my story of running for my life at age 7 as radical Muslims attacked my village in Sudan, and spending the next 14 years either on the run or living in refugee camps in Ethiopia and Kenya. I came to the United States as a “Lost Boy” of Sudan in 2001 and since then have learned a new language, become an American citizen, and obtained an education. Now that I have graduated from Asbury Theological Seminary, I am turning my attention to raising funds through Africa Sunrise Communities to fulfill my mission to help bring education, peace, and reconciliation to South Sudanese refugees in Bweyale Refugee Camp in Uganda. My people of South Sudan need the opportunity to obtain an education and to find a better way to live together if my country is to grow and prosper.A portion of proceeds from the purchase of this book will go to support the mission of Africa Sunrise Communities. An EBook will be available soon and you can purchase a paperback on Amazon.Jacob GuotExecutive Director and Founder

Several other Asbury Seminary students and I went to Costa Rica for a week-long workshop in June. My experience to Costa Rica was wonderful and I loved it. One of the strong points of Costa Rica is that it an extremely peaceful country. They even did away with their army in 1949 and all of their crime problems are handled by their police force. Everywhere you go the people are very welcoming as they greet you with smiles and seem happy to see you. It has become known as an unchanged tropical paradise due to its quiet history as a backwoods area, which protected it from early historical colonial turmoil and exploitation. Today’s Costa Rica cashes in on its purity and cleanliness. It has a famous jungle awning and they have constructed an “awning walk” tour that lets you travel through the jungle like a monkey. It’s also known for its zip-lining tours. There are world-famous surfing waves on the beaches on both sides of the country and they are known as one of the top three surfing destinations in the world. In addition to all of the exciting and adventurous things to do in Costa Rica, it is also a great place for those who just need a break in between adventures or who want a time of rest and relaxation. The rainy season can be the best time to go since it is not so crowded.With the peaceful and prosperous atmosphere of Costa Rica, it is no surprise that their pastors and the bishop are among the happiest in the church. The food in Costa Rica is also some of the best I have ever tasted. It’s main staple foods are rice and beans, known as gallo pinto. Much of the flavor of their food comes from their main sauce called lizano salsa. They put it on everything and the people love it. They even sell it at the airport. Costa Rica is also a huge producer of coffee, along with bananas and chocolate. Anyone who goes there should be sure to take a tour of Villa Vanilla farms to see how they make chocolate and vanilla, along with pepper, cinnamon and more. During my recent visit to Costa Rica for a one-week workshop concerning mission experiences, I met a friend who asked me a very interesting question that I had never thought about. Alex never gave me his full name, because of security reasons, he said. He said he would give me his heart forever, but not his name.Alex was interested in my life experience, because, as he said, “My life experiences have not been like yours, Jacob. All my experiences were from drugs, running after women, prostitutes, and so on. All that bad stuff has gone through my life. But, my amigo Jacob, you were facing such difficulties, even death, in your life experience. I am always interested in looking at the experiences of others so that I can learn from them and adjust my life. I am very excited to learn from you by knowing about your life.“First of all, I am very excited to meet you. Also, I am very thankful to God to bring you here to Alajuela Provenance in Costa Rica. I have never met an African or African-American in my life. God brought you here so I could meet you.“You remember what happened in I Kings 18:21 when Elijah said to the people, ‘How long halt ye between two opinions? If the LORD be God, follow him; but if Baal, then follow him.’ I know, Jacob, you will be like Elijah to your people by bringing them peace and justice. If they choose peace and restoration, then they will live. If they do not choose peace, then the refugees in East African countries will continue to be dead like they are already.”Alex asked me why black Africans don’t do mission outside of their world like white people do. Is it because they lack the resources? Or because they don’t like mission and don’t want to do mission in the world? He reminded me that only three of us in this workshop are black. When I asked him how many times he had been to this workshop, he replied he had been here four times. “This is a part of my knowledge and experience,” he said, “so I know what I am talking about.”When I asked him why he asked me such a searching question, he said, “Jacob, I know mission. I know more than you do. I am 67 years old, and have been a pastor leading a church for 27 years.”He told me about a man who had come to do mission work in Costa Rica with his family, but after a year he and his family left. They had five children and no support – no insurance, no money for school fees or for transportation, no money for rent. “I want to warn you, Jacob: is it about you or is it about God? I mean your family comes first, then the mission. Other people can pick up your mission but no one else can pick up and care for your family.”I can see good and evil in this advice. If God calls you into His service, you can’t say no. But evil can cause all sorts of problems for you and your family while following God’s call. It happened in my village when Muslims came and attacked my family just for being Christians.Alex told me that he had heard of many people leading in ministries and encouraging others to support them and then later backing out because the ministry had not been what they expected. “I am not saying that this is what you will do, amigo,” Alex said. “I am praying for your mission. I have a lot of sympathy for what you have been through and I know that God is on His throne. At the same time I worry about your family. I know you have already paid a heavy price and that God has given you a mission, but be careful in your journey and with the people who come alongside to help you.”He encouraged me to keep close to the people who helped me since I came to the United States and those who have supported my education. “They love you and your family,” Alex said. “Listen to them and work with them, whether they continue to help you financially or not.”Alex continued, “They have invested in you and they have big hearts towards you. Be strong in your mission. Keep looking ahead, even if some people turn negative towards you. Know that God is your guide, your protector, your helper, and He will provide your resources. Don’t be fearful; if God has called you He will make a way for you.”“I advise you to put your family first and your mission second,” Alex said. “Don’t leave for Africa unless you have a clear idea of your support and when it will begin and end. I see you like a Martin Luther King or a Gandhi, bringing change to your people. Don’t become discouraged if some people do not get on board with your mission right away; sometimes people need to see something in action before they can bring themselves to support it. As Jesus said, look for the ‘house of peace’ in the community and work through that. Look for those who are ready to be helped.“I will be praying for you that God will bring people who will support you in your mission. Costa Rica is a very poor country and we don’t have much to support our ministry, but we can pray.”I appreciated talking with Alex because he was encouraging me while at the same time giving me advice from long experience in ministry. He reminded me to be grateful for those who have supported me in my education, my family and my mission. He also encouraged me to put God in charge of my mission. I realize that I need to look at my current reality to determine the direction I must go. I have been discussing his conversations with my wife. It was a blessing to me to meet this godly man, Alex. I will never forget him, because he is truly a man of God. If you want to see more of my time in Costa Rica, check out this videohttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-UpKmVu6XO0  Blessings,Jacob GuotASC Founder, and President   

Jacob Guot will be speaking at First United Methodist Church in Lancaster, PA, the weekend of Sunday, July 24, 2016. He will be sharing his story and his vision for work among the refugees of South Sudan in the three Sunday morning services. He will also be meeting with the Missions Committee of the church over the weekend.If you are in the area, Jacob invites you to attend the church that morning and to hear him speak. Jacob has just graduated from Asbury Theological Seminary. He is now seeking to build up his non-profit organization, Africa Sunrise Communities, by accepting speaking engagements and encouraging others to join him in carrying out his vision. He is seeking financial partners who will help him to do so.If you would like to help Jacob in his work with South Sudanese refugees, as he begins the process of helping them to achieve literacy and to begin the work of restoration and reconciliation, please check out the “Get Involved” section of this website and give generously to his work. All gifts are tax-deductible.

Nearly 100,000 South Sudanese fled from their homes into Uganda when political disputes within the ruling party in South Sudan led to the breakout of violence.Within the settlement camps in Uganda, South Sudanese refugees are using their agricultural skills to raise funds for their children’s school fees. Among these concerned parents is James Maker Ter. He works every day to clear weeds from his farm. During their holidays, his five children work alongside him to expand the land they are working. Although the United Nation refugee agency is supporting him, “I have to do more,” he says, “in order to support my family. I see this land has a lot of opportunities and I have decided to cultivate and I know doing this job will strengthen me.”Last year he produced 50 bags of maize, each weighing around 25 pounds. He intends to produce more this year. Out of those 50 bags last year, he sold 20 of them to buy school uniforms for his children and to pay their medical bills.He is encouraging his fellow refugees in the displaced camps to take up their hoes and begin cultivation. Farming, he pointed out, does not require lots of capital. “When you produce more food, you will not have any problem. By engaging yourself into agriculture is likely to make you richer. If you sell clothes it may not work out in the hunger time, but if you have more grain stored and then your business can still boom,” said Maker.Another refugee, Mary Nyaber Koryom, who cares for 10 children in her house, says it has not been easy to provide for her children’s needs, like school uniforms and fees. “We have so many challenges to do this job. We lack tractors and buying pesticide become very expensive. We lack support to practice agriculture; we do this work for the sake of our own surviving in the camp,” she said.This is one of the two major thrusts of Africa Sunrise Communities – to help refugees in the Ugandan camps to take up gardening and agriculture, both for their own food source and for them to be able to afford schooling for their children. Your gift to our foundation can help to provide the means for these refugees to get started in providing for themselves and their families.(Information for this article was adapted from an article from the Sudan Tribune, March 6, 2016.)    

At the very young age of 7, I became a “Lost Boy” of Sudan. This term was coined to describe the over 20,000 boys from the Sudanese ethnic groups who were displaced and/or orphaned during the Second Sudanese Civil War (1983-2005). I am a member of the Dinka tribe and I became one of the “Lost Boys” in 1987. We lost everything – our families, our homes, and even our country – at the hands of the North Sudanese Army and radical Muslim militants.Through God’s grace and protection, I was able to flee over 1,000 miles of barren wilderness, making life-and-death decisions most adults would shrink from. God protected me on this nightmare journey. I ended up in a Kenyan refugee camp in Kakuna and grew up there from 1992-2001, staying until I was 21 years old.Through a series of miracles, I came to the United States (Houston, Texas) in March of 2001 and was able to obtain an education, completing my BS degree in Bible, Christian Life, and Ministry and even becoming an American citizen. I am currently studying for two Master’s degrees – in Intercultural Studies and in Christian Leadership – at Asbury Theological Seminary in Wilmore, Kentucky. I think of myself as a modern-day Nehemiah. “When I heard these things, I sat down and wept. For some days I mourned and fasted and prayed before the God of heaven. Then I said: ‘Lord, the God of heaven, the great and awesome God, who keeps his covenant of love with those who love him and keep his commandments, let your ear be attentive and your eyes open to hear the prayer your servant is praying before you day and night for your servants, the people of Israel. I confess the sins we Israelites, including myself and my father’s family, have committed against you. We have acted very wickedly toward you. We have not obeyed the commands, decrees and laws you gave your servant Moses.’” (Nehemiah 1:4-7 NIV).Today, actually, I am praying this same prayer because my country of South Sudan has come out of war only go to right into another one. I am in exile just as Nehemiah was and I feel the same call as Nehemiah did. Nehemiah was called to rebuild the wall in the city of Jerusalem. I, Jacob, am called to bring restoration to my people and to bring them a message of hope. In the Old Testament, Nehemiah was a captive Israelite in Babylon, one who was blessed by being permitted to return to his home country to help rebuild it. That is my dream and my desire.God has brought me through a modern exodus. Like the ancient Israelites, God used my journey from Sudan to Kenya to provide me with instruction, teach me patience, instill resolve within me, and deepen my relationship with Him. I am now an ordained Anglican Priest from the Bor Diocese, and I wish to further my walk with the Lord and return to my own promised land. My heart’s desire is to become a pastor and missionary and forgive all the Muslims who killed my family, relatives, and friends.With much help from others who came alongside me, I founded Africa Sunrise Communities to help me work within the Buyawale Refugee Camp in Uganda, where some 20,000 communities/tribes and refugees from South Sudan are living.Much of the problem we have concerns tribal warfare and killing, which is still going on in South Sudan. Late last year I lost my mother-in-law, who was killed in a rebel attack, and four of my nieces and nephews, who had traveled with her, were displaced. Africa Sunrise Communities raised the funds to get those children back to safety in a Ugandan refugee camp. Now we are raising funds to pay the fees for their education.I ask you to continue to pray for the situation in South Sudan. Also please pray that God would touch the hearts of donors who can help Africa Sunrise Communities financially, especially for the education of these relatives and other refugee children in the camp. Although I am from the Dinka tribe, I believe that the men and women of South Sudan, regardless of their tribe, are one people and need to learn to act in that way. The same justice must be available to all. God sent me to America to help me get an education so that I can help my own people. Nehemiah prayed, “Send me to the city…where my ancestors are buried so that I can rebuild it.” (Nehemiah 2:5, NIV). The same prayer is within me.In Matthew 28:18-20, Jesus sends out those whom he had loved, lived with, and trained. Their field was the world, and their mission was to make disciples, to baptize them, and to teach them to obey what Jesus had taught them. Our mission at Africa Sunrise Communities, in line with this Great Commission, is to go out to refugees, to disciple them, and to teach them how to live in peace with one another, through education and by supporting themselves with the work of their handsThat is my dream and my mission, and I invite you to join me in this great cause, through your prayers and your financial support.President and Founder,Jacob Guot