Braman Foundation of Charities -Sudan Conference. We were able through God’s Grace to travel to Khartoum, Sudan on Dec. 4th, 2020. For two years the Holy Spirit has inspired us to move forward with securing BFC partners in Sudan. Through God’s Grace, much prayer from our prayer partners and the help of our new Sudan partners we have completed our first of many conferences.
The Sudan region is 98% Islam in its population. However, recently, there has been a tolerance from the Muslim community to allow other faiths into Sudan. We found the government to be very cooperative. We find truly little civil unrest as we do in neighboring South Sudan. We also have been informed that the churches we are working with Methodist, Evangelical, and the Assembly of God churches have given little support this year because of COVID19. In fact, we are told that BFC has been the only missionary that has arrived in 2020 the entire year. We are grateful for our South Sudan BFC partners who helped us make contact here in August to prepare for the conference. This has been a truly pleasant experience!! Praise God.
Next Planning
Our new partners, 6 churches here in this local region have decided that in April 2021 along with BFC we will plan another 3-day conference on Discipleship 2, Defined Discipleship Training. Both trainings can be accomplished in 3 days as training for pastors in their churches. In addition, in April we will gather all the local churches for a one-day convocation on day #4 after the in-house conference. We will continue to plan conferences here at the Acropole Hotel until BFC has its new facility here. Later in November 2021 we may plan another training. BFC must have meetings to organize the 2021 schedule in NY.
Budgeting
During the conference BFC paid for all meals including: AM tea break, Lunch, PM tea break. BFC paid for the conference rental of room and all literature provided. The cost of this conference was approx. was 1,300.00 USD. These are less than other conferences, but we are working with 6 churches. We were not able to secure space for the usual 19 to 20 churches. The airfare cost was 1,100.00 and accommodations for PWB were 525.00. Total cost 3,000.00 USD.
Discipleship Conference
The conference itself was very intense in scripture reading as there are only 3 days to review the work. The Pastors in attendance were incredibly pleased and will use some and all the materials in their prospective churches. This is a very deep training that LRI, Leadership Resources International, has allowed BFC to use. There are 8 sections with 7 sessions per section or a total of 56 hours of instruction the pastors will need to complete this work in their churches. There is a major emphasis on the following: Progressive Sanctification, Reconciliation and Forgiveness, Spiritual Maturity and Spiritual Warfare. Pastors were very attentive, asked questions and read most of the scripture readings. The conference began on Monday the 7th at 9AM-4PM. We broke for 10:30 tea for 30 minutes, an hour lunch at 2PM followed with a 30 minute afternoon break at 4PM. Pastors returned home at 4 PM. We ended our last session, on time, at 4PM Weds the 9th.
Conference Outcome
6 Pastors are well trained in Discipleship and can use this material in their congregations.
We were able to agree to move forward in partnership. We are planning ourfutures together.
We have formed a “leader contact “, Essam Yakub, that can help coordinate as we move forward.
Pastors provided well filled out prayer requests for the BFC Prayer Team.
There was a unity of the Holy Spirit moving throughout the conference. The power has evident.
Pastors were very attentive.
Progressives and Challenges
Participates were on time and we started promptly.
All wore masks, used hand sanitizers and it seems all is well.
The conference venue, while small was particularly good, air conditioned.
Food was delicious and participants were satisfactory.
The participants were Participatory or there was effective interaction between participants and facilitators.
Church leaders are appreciated BFC for supporting churches in term of training and equipping spiritual leaders to be effective and sufficient in their ministries.
Difficult for pastors to walk to Hotel daily. In the future pastors would like bus fares.
The conference was required to have an Arabic interpreter. We knew this going into the conference.
Conference literature will need to be provided in Arabic.
BFC needs to fill out completed Certificates and send to DHL Office, Baladia St. Khartoum.
Recommendations
Braman Foundation of Charities –Sudan, pastors and churches want to move forward with a conference center. We are in prayer.
Pastors would like to use Sudan to launch ministries. In other countries to include Chad, Central Africa, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Egypt, and Libya.
While here we contacted our CEF friends to begin organizing CEF Trainings here. Ghada Anglo will meet with PWB here Thursday 12/10 at the Hotel to organize.
Because of the few Christians here we all agree having an outside gathering can grow the body of Christ.
We will need literature converted into Arabic.
The pastors agreed to help fund the conference center so there will be ongoing conversations.
Pastors also want to move forward with the 9 Biblical Teaching modules that are part of the B.I.H.L Training. (Braman Institute of Higher Learning)
BFC is committed to work as our great example Apostle Paul did and so if the Lord wants us in other northern African countries we will step into that calling.
The facilitators were:
Peter Braman of BFC
Essam Yakub Interpreter/Coordinator (Senior Pastor of SPEC )
Conclusion
We are incredibly grateful to Christ for allowing this Conference to proceed with current COVID19 conditions, as well as the new church partners we have met. Additionally, all the prayer partners that BFC has asked to pray concerning these events; too numerous to mention, but God bless you and your faithfulness. We feel the Lord is opening doors wide open to begin work with our Muslim friends. We understand them, their faith and we welcome the opportunity to work with them. Therefore, we stand in the gap for those souls that are ready to come to Christ as the result of a new religious freedom here in the North African Muslim communities. After all, they too are awaiting the second coming of our Lord Christ according to the Quran. So, let us press in and continue this race to reach the unreached, love our neighbor and answer Christ’s call.
We look forward to what lies ahead with our new pastors and church partners. We serve an all-powerful God that tells to put no ceilings on what He can do or provide. So let us continue to press in and give all the glory to our wonderful friend and savior Jesus Christ. Merry Christmas!
