In partnership with Core Training and Development, AID sponsors two South Sudanese theology students, Philip and Seme, as they work towards their degrees at George Whitefield College (GWC).
GWC are running online lectures like the majority of higher education institutions. In the main, Philip, Seme and the other students are staying in their accommodation and continuing with their studies from there, completing assignments and sitting exams remotely. However, the South Sudanese students have decided not to go home for the mid-year break due to the 14-day quarantine that is in place on arrival, both in South Sudan and South Africa. Therefore, they will not see their families until the end of the year. Although this will be really hard for them, they feel that it is the only realistic option at the moment.
‘…Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.’
Philippians 3:13-14
Recently, Core Training and Development got in touch with Philip and Seme to find out how they have been getting on during lockdown. We have reproduced Philip’s update below:
Hi! Greetings to you all in the mighty name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Hope all of you are doing well though the whole world is going through hardship due to this pandemic virus. Over here, I am very healthy physically, spiritually: I could see myself growing stronger in Christ Jesus during this time of coronavirus. I think this pandemic has really changed my thoughts in thinking about the power of our Lord God.
This has made me to conclude in my mind that God’s purpose for allowing this pandemic to occur is because people have turned away from him and tended to do their own things that bring glory to them instead. I think this is not the beginning of the end of the world yet as others thought but it’s rather a powerful call for repentance and to believe (Mark 1:15)…
For my case, I am very secured and very safe here and my feeding is far better; I have breakfast at 7-8 am, lunch from 1-2 pm, and then supper at 5-6 pm daily. Academically, the college is now doing lectures online as some of you might have known and this has forced everything concerning academic to be done online. Therefore, although online learning is very new to me, I am getting used to it now.
Here at the college, we normally eat our breakfast and lunch at the dining hall. We only sit two around the table during breakfast, lunch etc. which wasn’t like that at first. We put on a mask if one is interested to check something at the local supermarket. We do exercise in our rooms. Interestingly, now we are being allowed to run in the morning for only three hours from 6-9am (this has changed since June 1, we can now exercise when we want to). And the final thing is attending lectures online at different times and individually in our rooms.
I’m feeling stressful because it is difficult for me to stay here for one full year away from family – that’s to say wife, son, and so forth. But what else shall we do? Nothing, let’s only pray faithfully to our God…one need to keep himself in Christ, Romans 8:37. Because the suffering Christ went through cannot be compared with any kind of suffering we are now going through…Christ is still in control over any powers of the devil. Be blessed and stay safe and be strong in your faith because these are the real moments that need us to be in Christ. I am always praying that God’s will be done to all who He has chosen to support the growth of His kingdom of heaven here on earth and His blessings to pour on them richly.
AID is committed to raising funds so that Philip and Seme, and two other South Sudanese students, can continue their studies at GWC. If you would like to donate towards this project, you can do so by clicking here, using the donate button or with the following bank details:
Email: info@interanglicanaid.org
Account Name: Anglican International Development
Sort code: 16-10-15
Account number: 10168004
‘Now may the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, equip you with everything good for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.’
Hebrews 13:20-21
