Greetings from a peaceful Maridi!

The surrounding areas have also quietened down except for Yei which is still suffering from attacks from both armies. Yei is foremost in my mind because of the horrors being committed by both armies which are led by the chiefs of the Dinka and Nuer people. The other 58 or so people groups are warm, loving and peaceful and it goes against everything in Christ to see them being treated this way. However, the road to Yambio is safe and people are starting to travel there and back again.

Our diocese leadership team are on their way there now for what I think is a new province for the Episcopal Church of South Sudan and Sudan (ECSS&S). My other main focus this month

has been getting MSF (Médecins Sans Frontières, or Doctors Without Borders) to come and assess and treat the burns victims from the petrol tanker explosion a year ago. They attended to 29 patients here but unfortunately there were 100-175 nearer to the explosion, about a 60-minute drive (40km) away, who were unable to get here because the road was too unsafe. Motorbikes would have brought them in convoy but at SSP2000 (about $20) a round trip, it was unaffordable. I am waiting for the report from MSF on the patients they did see so that we can at least apply for

LYNN TRENEARY LINK LETTER NO.3 | OCTOBER 2016

Hello from South Sudan!

CHURCHMISSIONSOCIETY.ORG/TRENEARY

Name: Lynn Treneary

Location: South Sudan

My Role: Teaching English at Chaima Christian Institute and serving the Church in various ways, such as accompanying the evangelist teams and the Mothers’ Union.

My Call: To encourage and strengthen the people in Maridi through faith and love to live out their lives as sons and daughters of the most high God through Jesus in the power of the Holy Spirit.

Top: A snatched glance

Bottom: One of the people that God has brought me into contact with

CHURCHMISSIONSOCIETY.ORG/TRENEARY

antibiotics and bandages etc., and then find a way to get it to them.

People are still dying from infections a year after the event. I’m applying to ICRC (The International Committee of the Red Cross) to try and get those who need plastic surgery out to Egypt. It’s a tall order but God is my father and he can do it!

Chaima is going well, if somewhat lacking in money for tutors and food. We are still trying to persuade the internet server company to come and fix the internet. However, lessons are going well. I have started a group for adults wanting to learn to read and write in Juba Arabic. They had originally come to learn English and thought they could read but unfortunately they have only learnt how to write and cannot read what they have written. It’s a common problem - with over 100 pupils in classes, these students slip through the net.

Most of my Chaima news is sent in another e-letter, however, and if you would like to

receive this, then please let me know.

My compound is a hive of activity as always. The house has yet to be renovated as all the paint and other things we bought is still stuck in Yei (at least I hope it’s still there) with the building stuff for the town nursery school (still only half built). But the children are eating porridge after some marvellous people in Scotland ran the

“Tough Mudder” and raised enough for porridge and staff wages for a while. So that place is a lot happier.

My home church, Christ Church Southport, also raised funds for Christ the King nursery school so they too have porridge and some wages for staff. Unfortunately, most of the money they raised is being spent on new pit latrines as the old ones fell down. As you can imagine with around 100 children, a toilet is a priority. My watchman Matthew is building the new one.

I am so happy to have helpers around the house; they are called “watch men” (I have two who do one week on and one week off) because they do guard the place but they do so much more, including helping the wider community. This week they helped to rebuild the carport whose tin roof was threatening to fall on top of the cars because the wooden posts had been eaten; they also helped to prepare the guest house for MSF coming and dig the latrine!

“As I rabbit on with my news from Maridi, I am aware that we are in some kind of protective dome of the Lord... I am sorry I am not able to be in touch with everybody as often as I’d like but I want to say that I do think of myself as ‘we’, not just me. I am we.”

Top left: English class

Top right: Power Rangers run the Tough Mudder - raising funds for a nursery in Maridi

LYNN TRENEARY LINK LETTER NO.3 | OCTOBER 2016

This week I hope they will raise the hen-house up higher as cats keep getting in and stealing the little ones.

I am starting a Bible study group soon using a programme I learnt about on the Church Mission Society mission partner training course. It was devised in South Africa and concentrates on what is relevant to people here. I do not have any expertise

in leading Bible studies but the course is designed for co-ordinators without expertise and I’ve attended a few so we’re just going to jump right in and trust God to lead us. I mention it because I want you to pray for us.

As I rabbit on with my news from Maridi, I am aware that we are in some kind of protective dome of the Lord but all around the country things are not so great and I ask you to pray about that too as I’m sure you do. I am sorry I am not able to be in touch with everybody as often

as I’d like but I want to say that I do think of myself as “we”, not just me. I am we. The Lord showed me I am one of many with you, on this

mission, all kneeling before the throne.

Lots of love because of Jesus

Lynn

PS: The Lord showed me his personal care just now by sending to my door a sister called Esther. She’s a trained counsellor, counselling those with HIV/AIDS, and is collecting up orphans into an empty nursery school. She helps to get them their school report cards which are needed to join any other school and she is preparing a trauma healing course for the said orphans. We have been a drink of cool water for each other. Give glory to God Almighty!

You can give online to Lynn at: churchmissionsociety.org/treneary

Contact details: ltreneary@gmail.com

PRAYER POINTS

Please pray for the nation of South Sudan and that peace would flourish and that all people facing malnutrition receive food.

Please continue to please pray for spiritual and physical protection for me and also wisdom and discernment as I move forwards in my work.

Top: St Barnabus from the outside

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