Meet Santino Bak.
He comes from Tonj North County. He's a
member of the Dinka tribe. He is a pastor.
On October 6th, 2012, Santino, along with 11 of his classmates graduated from the Pastor's Training School run by In Deed and Truth Ministries, a three year program.
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| Santino after graduation with teachers, Joe and Nancy |
He's also one of our CHE trainers.
During the last week of October, he completed his third CHE training
of trainers.
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| CHE TOT 3! |
During his time here in Tonj town
(located in Tonj South County) for school, Santino planted a church
in a village called Malony (the y is almost silent – sounds like
Malone to English speakers).
After he graduated, Santino could have
gone home to be with his relatives, and work with some of his fellow
CHE trainers in that area, but his heart and his calling were leading
him to Malony. So he decided to stay with this young church and help
it grow and stick around to see how the whole community could be
impacted for the Kingdom of God. And the church grew. He shares with
them stories from the Bible through STS in a way that they can
remember the word of God and let it sink into their hearts. He shares
with them CHE lessons of ways to give every part of their lives over
to God, not just the spiritual aspects, to see God's Kingdom come.
They want to start a community project to build a fence around their
church compound.
Now, in this same village, the IDAT
clinic does an outreach clinic one or two days a week, with one staff
member from nearby who does follow up visits. On days when the
outreach clinic happens, there are often over 100 patients who come
from all around. They arrive and wait in line to register, then wait
in line to see the doctor, then wait in line to pick up their
medications. So, Santino decided this was a great opportunity to share
the Word of God. He began sharing Bible stories with patients while
they were waiting at this clinic.
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| A child posing for a picture at the clinic at Malony. In the background you can see patients waiting in line to see the doctor. (Yes, the clinic is under a tree) |
Then, things changed. Several people
came to him very aggressively, accusing him, saying, “Who are you
to come and tell us what to do, how to live?”
Why should we listen to you? You are
not from here! You're not of this place!”
You're just trying to change our ways!
You're teaching our women and children things we do not believe!”
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| This is a state map of South Sudan. Can you find Warrap State? (Hint: it's the green one) States in South Sudan are divided into counties, just like our states in the U.S. |
These were people who had been at the
clinic, who had heard the messages that Santino shared. They were
hearing but not understanding; seeing but not believing.
When Santino was asked how he was doing
with all of this hostility toward him personally, he smiled and
simply said, “Jesus Christ suffered for me. I am happy because this
means I must be doing something right.”
Then the people of the church (who
were, in fact, more than just women and children) came to Santino and
said, “Wherever you go in this village we will go with you. That
way when someone comes to you saying, 'You're not from here. We wont
listen to you,' we will tell them this is what we believe and we are
from here!”
I had the privilege to be in Malony on Nov 28th, when Santino and Sabet baptized many of the new believers in this church. There were nearly twenty who were baptized as they proclaimed to their community and before God that they had been saved by his grace through the work of Jesus Christ. I can't explain the grace God pours out into all his children when one of his is baptized. To be united in such a way is truly a work of the Holy Spirit.
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| Santino (left) and Sabet (right) baptizing a woman from the Malony church |
So you see, where
God's word is sent out, it will not return back void. His word and
his work are of eternal value, and His Spirit works through our
efforts to accomplish more than we can see.
Santino is making
the effort and proclaiming God's word. I praise God for that and pray
that I can have the commitment and courage to do the same.
