After decades of civil war with what is now Sudan, South Sudan gained independence from the north in 2011. Shortly after gaining independence, the country erupted into political unrest along tribal lines in 2013.
Outbreaks of violence continue and have affected every life in South Sudan. Many have lost loved ones and lived through traumatic experiences. Poverty and displacement is widespread. Economic instability and extreme fluctuations on the cost of basic necessities have destabilized many families, and made it increasingly difficult to maintain a steady income stream.
Nearly 4.5 million South Sudanese have been displaced by outbreaks of violence or other disasters.
The instability and the general lack of infrastructure has isolated many churches, creating the opportunity for over-dependence on one person who enjoys the title of pastor or leader.
It's not uncommon for churches to exist for the benefit of one pastor, who promises his followers prosperity and good fortune that he doesn't have the authority or means to provide.
Infrastructure supplying basic necessities like running water or electricity is not available in most households.
After decades of civil war with what is now Sudan, South Sudan gained independence from the north in 2011. Shortly after gaining independence, the country erupted into political unrest along tribal lines in 2013.
This instability and the general lack of infrastructure has isolated many churches, creating the opportunity for overdependence on one person who enjoys the title of pastor or leader.
It's not uncommon for churches to exist for the benefit of one pastor, who promises his followers prosperity and good fortune that he doesn't have the authority or means to provide.
Revival and Fire Church
When Steve Evers visited South Sudan in 2009, ITMI partner, Vicky Waraka traveled with a group of other believers, including Lazarus, to Mundri, South Sudan, to meet with Steve.
Vicky and the group she traveled with ended up stranded for the night in Mundri, where the ITMI team was teaching the Seven Areas of Life Training (SALT) material, a Biblical discipleship tool developed by Victorious Christian Living.
With nothing else to do, Vicky and her group stayed for the teaching.
When Steve returned to South Sudan in 2012, he discovered that the SALT material he'd presented two years before had taken such root that Vicky, Lazarus and two others had planted a church based on the principles!
Revival and Fire Ministry took what they'd learned from the Biblical teaching and implemented these counter-cultural principles:
Shared leadership - not one leader with a title.
No titles.
No head pastor.
Humbly responsive to the Spirit.
This model was so starkly different from the standard African church, that people were drawn to this church by droves.
They had already funded a church building, which is unheard of for such a young church in a war-torn, impoverished, African country, but quickly grew out of it in 2 months time!
Sports Outreach to Gang Members
When ITMI's Lazarus Yezinai crossed paths with a gang that roamed the Kugi residential area in Juba, South Sudan, he learned many of their sad stories.
Some had voluntarily left their parents' home because of unbearable trauma-driven behavior. Some were beaten if they didn't somehow come home with food for their parents to eat, while they lay drunk all day.
Others were left by parents or orphaned, then plundered by older members of gangs who raided their home and took whatever "valuables" may have been there.
Still others struggle with guilt from past deeds of violence, committed in desperation or in response to injured pride. Some turned to substances to cope.
These youth, ages 10-38, roam the area, desperate enough to steal and hardened enough that they don't care what they have to do to another person. Their victims are often desperate and hurting themselves.
They have endured countless painful injustices and trauma themselves, and the community is scared of them and unwilling to help or offer kindness.
There is no government help in this area, because the government views the area as a "rebel" area, since it was home to a resistance leader at one time.
These are youth who desperately need the transformation that walking with Jesus yields.
By divine design, ITMI's Lazarus Yezinai was given the opportunity to build relationships with several of the gang members. They were so touched that someone, anyone, noticed them and their plight.
Lazarus has taught several Gospel-based seminars for the gangs, and has even been involved in peace negotiations between opposing gangs in the area.
Eventually, Lazarus realized the best way to maintain contact and continued engagement with them was to offer them the opportunity to play on soccer teams. With the help of ITMI partners, Lazarus was able to fund and organize several teams in various locations around Juba.
In addition to their practices and games, the teams meet regularly for Bible study and the entire ministry comes together for teaching on a periodic basis.
Discipleship Training
Since co-teaching SALT with Steve in 2009 and helping Steve demonstrate that any one of the seminar attendees could turn around and teach someone else what they were learning, Lazarus has continued to teach the SALT material in South Sudan.
The Lord has opened up many opportunities for Lazarus to teach people with Biblical truth, including a large gang of marginalized young men from an area particularly hard-hit with tribal violence.
Widows and Orphans
Lazarus ministers in his community by visiting widows and orphans, listening to them share about their struggles and praying for them.
With help from his church or ITMI donors, he is often able to provide gifts of basic necessities.
Lazarus visits an elderly widow.
Home and Family
Lazarus and his wife have opened their home and their resources to 17 relatives and people in need.
As part of Lazarus' household, they take turns leading daily devotions, and even going to neighbors' homes to teach them how to have a family devotion time!
