July 2023

Esther 4:11,14,15 “…if any man or woman goes to the King inside the inner court without being called, there is but one law—to be put to death, except to the one to whom the king holds out the golden scepter so that he may live. But as for me, I have not been called to come in to the king these thirty days. Then Mordecai replied… For if you keep silent at this time, relief and deliverance will rise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father’s house will perish. And who knows whether you have not come to the kingdom for such a time as this?...Then Esther told them to reply to Mordecai, Go, gather the Jews…hold a fast on my behalf…then I will go to the king…and if I perish, I perish.”

I have placed the picture and quote of Charles Stanley at the top of this newsletter because of his recent home going. Since 2016, In Touch donated to CRM at least 2,800 solar powered MP3 players, and 1,200 micro-SD cards for ministry in the two Sudans. I started with the quote from the Book of Esther because chapter 4 contains one of the clearest examples of a Bible character fleshing out the principle contained in the Dr. Stanley quote. Esther’s obedience resulted in the saving of the Jewish people. Her courage in the face of possible death has inspired millions.

Messages continue to be sent by our Darfurian brethren requesting CRM to help fund the evacuation of more believers from places where, if they do not leave, they believe they are facing certain death. Other messages speak of the need for money to buy food for those who have already fled to places of safety only to discover that unless they receive assistance to purchase food, the more vulnerable among them will die of malnutrition. This is especially true of children and pregnant women.

As I have read their messages over the last several days, my first natural inclination is to reply “we are a small organization with limited funds. Can you not ask someone else or seek another source of help?” Then the Holy Spirit brings Esther to my mind, along with Moses standing before the burning bush, and Jesus saying to the Twelve, “you give them something to eat” (Mk. 6:37). As in Esther’s case, the Bible records for us the first natural inclination which came to the minds of Moses and the 12 disciples, but praise God, it also records the wonderful things which happened when they obeyed despite their initial reservations.

God has already used the obedience and generosity of CRM’s donors to produce wonderful results in the lives of hundreds of Sudanese believers. We have funded the evacuation of believers from horrible conditions to safer places, provided food relief, and money for cell phone credit to leaders so they can communicate. We have rented a house in Arua, Uganda for one year for those who were able to evacuate there and provided them with clothing, food, and household goods. For some requests, I have been enabled by the Lord to coordinate with other organizations such as the Shai Fund and Send Relief, a S. Baptist entity.

However, the fighting in Darfur remains intense and that means the believers living there have totally exhausted what little means that had for procuring the necessities of life. Additionally, it was recently reported that the RSF in El Geneina has lists with the names of Christians and they are actively seeking them out, going from house to house. An audio recording reportedly made by a top RSF commander is circulating. In it he states he plans on killing between 10 to 20 thousand people in Zalengei before he is finished.

Therefore, I am convinced that I must push beyond my initial natural inclination to respond to our Sudanese partners by saying “CRM is a small organization with limited means.” Rather, via this newsletter and through personal interaction with people, I believe the Lord requires that I make known the needs associated with these latest requests for finances to help 60 families evacuate from Zalengei to Nyala, and for funds to help 62 families who have evacuated to Jebel Marra purchase food. Adam and Alamadin’s parents are among those in Zalengei.

The cost per person for evacuation from Zalengei to Nyala is approximately $100. Those in Jebel Marra have stated $150 will feed a family for one month and there are 62 families, which equals $9,300 per month.

Those churches and individuals who donate toward these requests can rest assured that %100 goes straight to the field. When giving online, there is a designation for Sudan on the Clover Give page for those desiring to give specifically to the above. Giving by check avoids the %3 fee associated with online giving and the address is CRM, 4100, Fulton Rd., Corryton, TN 37721. Thank you for praying for peace in Sudan, and for the Lord to speak to His children here in the USA about the role they can play in saving lives. My belief is that every believer delivered from the ravages of this war will become an active evangelist and disciple maker.

Messages from Sudan

Muhammad Yagoub
My dear brothers and sisters, in the Lord. You remember, last time we were only 24 families from Kabkabia and Kutum who moved to Jabal Marra villages, and now 38 more families are added. We are still crying to God for his help. We have a number of widows and orphans who fled from the war zone areas in Kabkabia and Kutum. They are amazing ladies full of faith.

Like Nura, a 35 years old lady with 5 kids whose husband died and lost 16 family members, including her mother and father. She is among the groups that moved from Kabkabia to Jabal Marra’s village of K….. The lady’s situation is miserable. No one thought that she would live normally. But she surprised everybody in the church. She said, “Though I lost my dad and my husband, who were my main source of provision, I still have a hope that Jesus will provide for me, as well as the family of the Lord who is standing with me in this situation. Thank you so much. I and my children are asking God to bless you, as you blessed us with our condition.”

Brother Alamadin, we have many widows like her, and Sudan’s situation is obvious. I felt I had to share this with you to share with our faith families to help our brothers and sisters who fled from the war. Our main source of income here is the food that we get out of rainwater. Now, we have 62 families from the above areas, and still, these people have family members who are daily joining. In security terms, there is no direct threat, but there is no food. Therefore, my brother, I appeal for God’s provision. If we can put them in our prayers that God will provide a budget of three month 150 dollars for each family that will help much for them to survive. But otherwise, the situation is really a life-threatening situation, specifically for widows and orphans. However, we are so thankful for your prayers and support. On top of that, we have there are hundreds of Muslims whose situation is even worse.

Please ask our brothers and sisters in CRM to pray for these needs. May the Lord bless you all.

This message is from Deacon Salim
“God’s family is a wonderful family. Through some wonderful sons and daughters of God, we were able to come out of a dangerous situation. Particularly, CRM people helped us to get out of Khartoum. In Khartoum, my child used to cry whenever the gun was fired. My wife rushed under the bed, which scared me a lot. I will never forget what CRM did to my life. Even when I was arrested and beeten by RSF, I was not scared as I was living in Khartoum. When we were released and we didn’t have anything to eat or drink, God brought our brother Juma driving his lorry, and I told him everything that had happened. Then he took us to Jabal Marra where all our extended family members are living. May God’s love and blessings follow you all your lifetime. Please pray for your own brothers and sisters. Here, the situation is quite difficult.

Adam wrote about the folks who were moved from El Geneina to Nyala
“The brothers who relocated from Geneina are absolutely feeling that they were rescued from the real death. After they were removed from there more than 4000 people were killed in the city and 8000 were wounded All the rest of people were forced to flee to the border of Chad. Many of them lost their children on the way and old people most of them died on the way. Pregnant women many of them died.”

Brother Alsadique from Nyala wrote:
The family of the Lord greetings from the families relocated from Aljinena to Nyala.

Since that time we arrived in Nyala, all of us we have arrived safe and sound only three kids have died. Possibly because of what they have experienced staying more than two weeks in war zone, they eat sometimes they don’t eat. No hospital was there to treat all kinds of sicknesses. However, we are all happy and sad at the same time. Happy because we got a help to escape the tormented war. But sad because many of them have died and others footed to Chad others are still not able to get a way to escape. But we thank God for all that he is doing.

Brother Alamadin, you have given me a very difficult task to do. For me to register these people’s names. People are very much Afraid to give their names as a group. Because RSF has got the list of Christian names. They are so determined to kill all the Christians. But by the grace of the Lord, I was able to do so. I was telling them that our brother Alamadin, who helped you through CRM, wants to share with their prayer partners so that they can pray for you. Therefore, I registered the names of the families and not their children. All of them are sending their best wishes to you.

Please pray for them many children are very sick. Medicine is very expensive, and living costs are extremely costly. Pray for God’s provision and healing.

Here is a story from one of these ladies who have been relocated from Aljinena to Nyala.
I thank God for our brothers and sisters who help us in our condition. I lost hope when I was in Aljinena. But I still had hope for God’s mercy and grace.

The day I was to get out of Aljinena, I was so surprised by Jesus. I was praying together with my children, preparing for death and asking Jesus to receive us into his kingdom. But the answer was a child came running to my house “aunti, aunti we are to leave Nyala now!” She said God wants us to tell his people his words.

Then I said if God took me to any place, I would talk about Him. So, when we came to Nyala. I knew God was telling me I still have you here talk to my people about me. My relatives in Nyala were so surprised by the way we came here. They had a lot of questions.

My answer for them was Jesus is the Lord, I believe, and trust who helped me out. One day my brother asked me, “can you tell me about your Jesus whom you talk too much about him?” I told him a powerful message, which Jesus asked us to forgive our enemies. Can we forgive Janjaweed (now called RSF)? He said no. I told him that’s why there is no peace. If we listened to Jesus and forgive each other, we would live in peace. But because we don’t listen to him, we have a war today. My brother was so interested because he was so challenged. He loved my conversation, and at the end, he believed in the Lord. He then talked with my relatives, and all of the family accepted the Lord Jesus Christ. I believe these people are going to change Darfur.

May the Lord bless those who made our escape possible. Keep praying for me. I know our Lord Jesus Christ is going to do miracles through me.

David Crane