Below is a report by Hannington Munyao, Director, Mission to Unreached People (MUPE) concerning the event of the Jie tribe in southern Sudan receiving fresh water for the first time (May 2009). Before you read the report, take a look at the video below produced in early 2007 describing the need of the Jie people. Note the profound need for clean water.

JIE TRIP IN MAY 2009 BY HANNINGTON MUNYAO

Wonderful greetings in our savior’s name.

I just returned from Lopet, South Sudan. We praise God for keeping us safe in His arms there.

This time our team comprised of Viola, new missionary to Jie, Rachel Nyamai—on a strategic visit, Pr. Dickson Musembi—prospective missionary and myself. We had a hard start from Eldoret through Kakuma—we were delayed by a day in Ortum owing to problem of shifting gears; another delay in Kainuk and Lodwar due to replacement of spring brushes and a broken front main spring problem. After Lodwar we had four punctures, one after another.

At the border, Lokichogio, a seasonal river overflow delayed us for yet another day. 25KM before arriving in Lopet Jie, a mud hole, caused us to sleep out in the bush two nights. After seven days of a hard journey we victoriously arrived to a warm welcome by the Jie.

My main mission was threefold;-

1. Build two mission houses at the new station
2. Evangelize through Jesus film
3. Research on the strongholds that have kept Jie from the Gospel and development. It was supposed to take six weeks.

Through a very hard schedule we managed to finish the first house in almost three weeks and set frame for the second. Then fate struck! One late afternoon I heard a motorcycle sound – it was Pr. Nzungula and Pr. Odoyo. The Presence of Odoyo made my nerves to stand! I knew something drastic must have happened. And it was.

After receiving the gentlemen, as we took a cup of hot tea, they shared their news—that the wife of Pr. Kamwara had died—and that efforts to get a vehicle to transport the body upcountry had become fruitless. Every vehicle owner contacted charged too much money – e.g one school bus was charging Kshs.200,000/= while another man asked for Kshs.160,000/= and another Kshs.120,000/=!

All these unrealistic charges prompted Odoyo to think of the MUPE Land Cruiser—but it was in Sudan. While this seemed an easy option Pr. Odoyo forgot the logistics of a trip to find me in Sudan and bring back the Land Cruiser given the emergency at hand.

I really contended with the Lord about the whole issue and it was with a very heavy heart I ascended to this emergency call. Obviously we all missed the funeral which took place on Saturday 30th, the day Pr. Odoyo and I arrived at Lokichogio, Kenya.

We have rested a bit and now are planning on visiting Pr. Kamwara and the children in Tharaka district, his birthplace and where the funeral took place. Though I feel my mission was gravely curtailed we trust God for another quick trip whereby I could complete the strategic research. Vehicle repairs plus fuel is the hurdle.

Nevertheless, we achieved the following:

1. Missionary House
2. Teachers house(the roof)
3. Showed Jesus film in two villages
4. Met water drilling people
5. Met Jie elders

I must report on an interesting phenomenon that took place the day the Borehole drillers came.

• We welcomed the team to put up in the mission station and treated them to a cup of tea.
• I joined them to go to the village elders who are the authority.
• I joined them as they started their survey.
• I went aside to pray in order for God to guide into finding a suitable location to bore.
• I requested the team if I could pray for them before they started. They accepted I prayed and broke the stronghold that blocked efforts to get the Jie clean water.
• On reaching home rain clouds formed and very severe thunderstorm begun. A continuous lightening hit the region with such brightness as I have never seen in my life. Wind began to blow – it blew the thorn bush which we had set around the station. It even blew off the canvas of our pick up where we had stored our food stuff – all our flour went wet.

The thunder and lightening grew so worse that a few Jie men who came to shelter in our station yelled “oh great God—don’t destroy us—please save us—it is enough—cause this wind to cease! Oh God help!” Rachel and I held hands together in prayer. She too was terrified. My eyes could see clearly on account of the bright glare. Rachel asked me, “Pastor Munyao, what did you tell God when you prayed about the water situation.” I responded, “I told God to release the Jie from their ancestral curses, and to raise the water table for the drillers to find and drill.

Amazingly, after it calmed down water filled our little house. It was all mud! In the morning when the surveyors went seeking they found three spots and they promised to return after a week and begin drilling. I could hardly believe my ears to hear the surveyors state that at one spot water could be found only sixty meters!

It was a day of great joy and will be greater when one day in Jie there will be clean borehole water! I want to believe God did a miracle to raise the water table. Strange as it may be the following day when Pr. Odoyo and Pr. Nzungula came in they reported that this massive rain thunderstorm extended only to the outskirts of Lopet village!

Please remember the Kamwara’s in prayers for comfort and provision to handle this time of sorrow and grief. They incurred some debts in the process.

May God bless you richly.

Hannington Munyao
Director, Mission to Unreached People

My prayer is the God will raise up a Mission ONE Ambassador to serve as an advocate for Mission to Unreached People (MUPE), and to help the dreams come true of Pastor Hannington Munyao. Who do you know who might be a candidate to serve as the Ambassador for MUPE? … Someone with Christian character, a love for adventure and great challenge, an entrepreneurial spirit, a track record for results—plus good health and good humor, and the willingness to learn the knowledge, skills and attitudes to serve effectively? We will train you to be successful! If you or someone you know might qualify for this kind of ministry, please let me know. –Werner Mischke, werner@mission1.org