During this season of giving, we asked ITMI partners to give you their heartfelt answers to several questions. May their answers bless and encourage you!
Jahim and Gisma Buli
Juba, South Sudan
What has God done in your ministry this year?
I praise and thank God for the year 2016. I began this year with a theme in Isaiah 60:1 - 2016 is the year of "Greater Light.” I did not know what will happen in 2016, but God asked me trust that even in a very dark and difficult place, the greater light of God will shine upon you.
It is rare to find people trusting and leaning on God completely.
Many trust in guns and witchcraft for protection.
It was a Sunday in July of this year. We were in our normal Sunday service and there was an intensive war with big artilleries and helicopter was hovering over us.
I was not scared or afraid because I knew God is in control of the situation and nothing will happen to us. A certain man came and quarreled with me in the church for making noise and yet there is war. We were using speakers in our service.
I told man, "Nothing will happen to them and the Lord will protect them but if you are afraid go home a wait for your death."
“I have power to protect me more than your God,” he told me.
I did not know that he is a General and who had gathered powers from witchcraft.
Surprisingly after he left for his house a missile landed in his house and he died with all His family. This man was well known in the area south of the church and his death has caused so many people to realize that God is the true source of power, and turn to him in belief.
I can personally see the hunger for God in lives of the believers and church members, there is un usual prayers in the lives of the believers. Prayers with passion. Some go 3 to 7 days, dry fasting without water and food and praying.
God has also allowed us to provide 3 months of training and equipping teenagers. After 3 months they graduated, and God is using them in an amazing way.
Word of Life Youth being equipped for ministry.
Jahim with youth graduating from the 3 month training program.
Two of these teenagers went from house to house, preaching.
They found an old woman suffering from Hepatitis B. She had gone from one hospital to another but she could not get help because the prescription drugs were so expensive to buy.
She told them it is better for me to die than to live.
These two teenagers spoke to the woman from James 5:15-16. They told her that if we pray for you a prayer of faith, God will heal you, and it will cost you nothing.
The woman said, “These boys could be angles sent by God to bring my healing into my body so let me believe what they are saying and believe in their God, how come they are small children and speak words that pierce my heart?”
After two weeks of the prayers she started experiencing a new change of get getting better than before. She when beck to hospital to check up, they said she was healed completely.
God is raising an army through Word of Life Church.
What would you like ITMI supporters to know?
I am deeply humbled and honored to have supporters like you, and I want ITMI supporters also to know that without them I could not be a full time pastor of Word of life Church. May you all know that I am your feet, your hands and your mouth in South Sudan. Your prayers and financial support are transforming and changing lives.
I also want you to know that those who got saved and delivered from the hands of the enemy, it is because of your support and know that you are investing for your eternity. Thank you so much for supporting us and prayerfully throughout the year 2016.
The Buli Family
