FROM BURUNDI TO THE UNREACHED PEOPLE GROUPS OF SOUTH .

I got an invitation for a conference on the Unreached People Groups of in Juba, South Sudan. I thought that I could know more about unreached people groups in South Sudan but especially I wanted know more about a place called that I had been praying for, and help me to reach there if possible.

At the conference we were asked to choose one or more unreached people groups to adopt. When others went back home I felt that there might be some things I still need to discover so I found missionaries from Torit and asked if I could go there so they could tell me more about unreached peoples in that area. A Dr Ray drew me a map and gave me some contacts of the persons who would help me in different places where I could meet the unreached people groups.

Dr Ray indicated me 6 places where I can see the really unreached people: Loriok, Kimatong, Fraksika, , , and Narus, all in Eastern . So I visited 3 tribes: Larim tribe, Toposa tribe and Didinga tribe. God had already prepared good people who received me and provided all the information I asked about.

In Loriok with Larim people

In Loriok I met a missionary, David Sang from , working with the Larim tribe. He took me to their villages and told the people that I had come from Burundi to pray for them. Then they called their friends and relatives so that I could pray for them. When I finished, they expressed their joy and thanked me in these words: “Thank you for caring us and come to pray for us. We are ignored by people. We do not know God. We want people to come to teach us God for we are in the darkness.”

When I heard this, I remembered how Apostle Paul was called to go to Macedonia in Acts 16:9. From their own mouth they said that they need help. They already know that they are in the darkness. They already know that they are in Satan’s dominion but they do not know how they can be free. They know they cannot free by themselves that is why they said that they need those who can go to pray for them.

I saw how happy they were to hear that someone came to pray for them then I understood Jesus words in Matt 9:36-38:But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd. Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few; Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest. ”

In Kapoeta and Narus with Toposa people

In Kapoeta I met another person who helped me to visit villages around the town where I was able to meet people. While speaking with them, I found that the people listen to the gospel but not in their own language. The churches have to interpret into Arabic, English or Toposa language. There is no Bible in their own language and many people speak only Toposa because English and Arabic are spoken only educated people. In Kapoeta you can find churches in the town but you will never see a church again if you walk to the villages where so many people live. There is no church, no gospel not even a Christian, only idols. Some of the pastors who have churches in the town said that it is very difficult to reach those rural people with gospel. The life there is not easy. No clean water, no medicine, no ways of communication but we still need to consider them.

Narus is another center within Toposa County. It is bordering with Loki in Kenya and many Kenyans are there doing business. I found 3 churches, one is the lady in the picture. She is from another State in a tribe which is reached. All of them agreed that Toposa is a very large tribe which need gospel because there are many villages which have not yet heard. I believe that all of those people living near or far, they are created in God’s image. Christ died for them too. As Paul said in Romans 10:14 and 15, those people need to call on the name of Jesus. There might be believers who could sacrifice themselves and go to preach them. It is not an easy work but it is a command!

In Chukudum and Fraksika with Didinga Tribe

In every place I reached, I met people ready to receive and help me in everything. In Chukudum I met a man of God called Jacob who took care of me in everything.

Jacob explained to me how big is this county and how needy it is. He has a church in the Chukudum centre but for many kilometers around people live without the gospel.

When I asked Jacob his concern now, he answered: I pray that the Lord of the harvest will send laborers into his harvest. Because the work is very big but workers are very few!

Jacob said that just behind the hills surrounding Chukudum live people who have not yet heard the gospel. This place is different from other places I saw. The soil is very fertile. It can grow every crop. The rain comes at the proper time while Kapoeta and Narus are dry places. Fraksika is a small village considered as unreached although there is a church; the missionary working there is working hard to see Didinga being saved and be strong enough to serve the church.

CHALLENGES I FACED IN THIS TRIP.

In this trip many challenges were raised but I recognized that in every work like this the devil must fight us.

At the border entering South Sudan

The first obstacle I met was on the South Sudan and Uganda border at where a policeman robbed me of almost all the money I had. I reached Juba with only US $2. Many policemen in South Sudan are corrupt and charge money without any reason. This policeman took me into his office and told me to give him money. When I asked him why, he replied, “You are in my office. You give me money and you will be released or you stay here all the day.” So there was nothing I could do. But when I was in Juba, God provided all the money I needed and I lacked nothing.

Transportation Although I had money for transport, the roads there are very rough. Sometimes we had to get off the vehicle and walk some distance. Sometimes we had to wait until the water went down in the road. In the vehicle for 10 persons 15 persons travelled with their loads inside. For 120 kilometers from Juba to Torit it took 6 hours because the road is so bad. In other places it was even hard to find transport like in Chukudum I spent 2 days waiting and there are other villages where there is not any transport at all. No road, no vehicle! You will need to walk. But that must not be a cause to hinder us to take the gospel there. Missionaries many years ago met this challenge but did not give up. We too should defeat it and take the gospel to those people.

In Narus the taxi dropped me in a wrong place so I asked someone who said that the place I am looking for is very far away. He was kind to take me to where I could get someone who would take me. When we arrived to that place, I saw a man coming in our direction. And the man who was helping me said: “Look! that is Pastor Simon you were looking for!” Then the man (Simon) said: Are you Solomon from Burundi? I said, yes. Then he said: “How did you get here while I was waiting you at home for a long time?”

Then I answered and said, I was lost and someone brought me here to ask for the way to your home. Then he said: “Praise God you got lost and came here, because if you came direct to my home now, you would not meet me for I was coming here to fix my motorcycle’s plate number.” So we discovered that the Lord directed me here because He knew that Simon was on the way coming there.

At the border exiting South Sudan. I started journey from Kapoeta in a vehicle to Torit, then another one to Juba. Then the Lord revealed that I should have difficulties at the border although I did not know what would happen so in the vehicle I prayed. When I arrived to the border, I presented my passport to the policeman for the exit stamp. Then he examined it from the very first stamp to the last so that he could find any mistakes. When he found none, he started asking me many questions. Finally he told me that he wanted money. I asked him why I should give him money then he took me into his office just like the first one. He treated me badly and even beat me. He asked me to give him all the money I had and intimidated me in different ways. I kept praying in my heart. Finally he closed the door and windows because he wanted to beat me again. He searched in my pockets for all the money I had and put all the money in his pocket. He gathered the small notes put me out of his office. When I got out, someone told me that the same policeman beats others and puts them into jail. God answered my prayer because I did not lose the peace and joy in my heart. I thought in my heart that the devil is trying to discourage me so that I will not come back in South Sudan but I am very determined that nothing will hinder me to return to South Sudan, even though harder difficulties might arise. The small notes were enough to get a bus ticket from the border to Burundi and that was enough for me. Conclusion

If you feel in your heart to do something for those people to bring them the gospel; or you know any other person who is willing, I want to tell you that it is emergency. Remember that even now as you read this, those who are dying without hearing the gospel are perished forever. If you can do anything, please pray and do it as soon as possible. As we delay to take the gospel there, we give Satan an occasion to destroy the souls of many.

Pray that doors will be opened for those who have plans to take the gospel there. Ask the Lord of the harvest to send workers in that area. Pray for those who are already in the field for not to be discouraged. Pray for yourself that the Lord will show you what you can do for them. Pray for me too, that I may be revealed the next step.

King Salomon Butoyi, Burundi. [email protected]

www.dci.org.uk