An Introduction
Well, here it is - my first blog entry. This is the start to a long line of entries that will chronicle my experiences in life, the lessons I have learned, and the ways God is revealed in both. It is fitting that this beginning comes at the brink of one of the most incredible opportunities I have ever had - professionally, educationally, and spiritually speaking.
From mid-June to mid-November, I am interning with Samaritan's Purse as a part of their Church Reconstruction programs in Sudan, Africa (see "About Sudan" link for more information). The internship opportunity first came to my attention this past February when I was doing research on Franklin Graham for a class paper. While looking at the website for Samaritan's Purse (see "Samaritan's Purse" link for more information), which is the "organization providing spiritual and physical aid to hurting people around the world" that Graham is the President and CEO of, I stumbled upon the internship program under the employment listings.
Because of my past experiences with mission work and disaster relief, having gone to Honduras several times and to Indonesia post-tsunami, I had been very interested in the possibility of this kind of work as a career. The internship presented itself as a chance to test the waters and because it is designed for applicants who have completed post-secondary degrees, I also felt it was perfect timing as I had committed to taking the year after graduation to get a little bit more direction before continuing schooling or jumping right into a job. So, I applied. From mid-February to the end of March, I went through the process of application as well as a phone interview and was selected as one of fifteen interns out of more than one hundred applicants to work with Samaritan's Purse this year.
Of all the interns, I am the only one going to Sudan; others are going to other places such as Liberia, Afghanistan, Uganda, Kenya, Indonesia, El Salvador, Mongolia, and Sri Lanka. The specifics of my job are still unclear, as the Church Reconstruction program is constantly changing. The basics, though, include my involvement with the logistics and management of the rebuilding of churches in parts of southern Sudan. Over the decades of civil war that this region experienced prior to the peace agreement of 2005, a great number of churches were destroyed and pastors killed. Samaritan's Purse's mission in this afflicted area is to provide Sudanese Christians a place of worship and strong leadership. This leadership comes as a result of SP's other focus in this area which is pastoral training. My role in this work will become more specific in the next few weeks and I look forward to sharing that with you.
With that being said, we all know that a blog can have a variety of purposes, some for only a season and many for great lengths of time. Mine will hopefully serve, at least for the next five months, as an opportunity for me to give my family and friends somewhat of a look into my journey in Sudan. Because of limited access to telephone and the Internet, I will provide updates through my family, as well as Kristine, who will post weekly entries as news from the field becomes available. Any opportunities I may have to post will probably be few, but I might be able to make a few updates myself. With that, I will also try to update my Yahoo photo account with pictures I take while in Africa (see "My Photos" link).
I hope that you'll check-in occasionally to see the result of your prayers and support. Please continue to lift-up my safety and health, as I will be in Boone, NC for orientation training from the 19th-29th and then leave there for Sudan. I will be back in Boone, NC on Nov 13th and then Cleveland, TN on Nov 17th (and the count down begins!). Also, please pray for peace for my loved ones, for the people of Sudan, and for the work of Samaritan's Purse.
Thanks!
-Cliff
posted by Cliff @ 9:45 PM
1 comments
1 Comments:
cliff, i'm still praying. i can't wait to hear stories!
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