Fred Taban provides an update
Bishop of Liwolo, Joseph Aba
On Sunday 21st May Joseph Aba was enthroned as the Bishop fo Liwolo, below is the letter was written to Caroline Lamb our Founder and CEO.
Dear Caroline
What a delight and joy yet to see the glory of the Lord in the new day and new week. Hope by the grace of our Loving and gracious God this email gets you are well. I am also doing well though pressed from right, left, front and behind, I am strong in the Lord and his grace is sustaining me and being refreshed new every day with his love. My father is still in great pain but what is very important is, he has received Jesus Christ as Lord and personal Saviour. My children led him to Christ and prayed for him. His eternal home with Jesus Christ is assured. That is my joy. Thank you all for praying for my father.
Thank you so much for the support for the work of God, particularly the transport cost to and from for the consecration. You are a BIG support to the work of God in the diocese of Kajo Keji and South Sudan. Your and your people’s unique love and generosity, it is something that can not be taken lightly. It is deeply printed into the souls of the people of South Sudan and in particular for people of Liwolo(Clinic) and Kajokeji. We can not thank you enough!! but be assured that you are in our hearts for ever until Jesus comes and we see him with our eyes, even so we will indeed testify before him of how much you have love us and help us in our time of great suffering and pain on His behalf. We love you all.
CRESS indeed is very unique organization in comparison with others. It is founded in the basis of deep love for each other. This love compels CRESS to provide services that can relieve poverty, diseases, and suffering. This is the true soul of the organization. A lot of huge sacrifices (though can not be compared with that of our Lord Jesus Christ for us all ) from UK for the sake of love have been made. For this reason we cannot take the issue of CRESS so lightly. We have witnessed lives being transformed and continuing to be transformed through our educational sponsorship programme, lives being saved and household poverty and hunger was challenged. I will be careful in my two roles as head of CRESS in South Sudan as Bishop to be of Liwolo.
Fred Taban and I with the help of Bishop Emmanuel will define CRESS role with refugees/IDPS and we will make that concrete when Andrew and Adrian are here with us after consultation with yourself. In the meanwhile pray that God lead us in those deliberations so that His and only His will be done.
Once again thank you so much for reminding me of that very unique relationship and key goals of CRESS. I will be committed to that cost. Thank you for the $ 900 for transport. Surely I would love to have travelled on land other than a flight when my people are suffering and starving in refugees camps and in IDPS in Liwolo, health services, shelters and education for their children. Why am I special? If my people are perishing on the roads daily. I think I am part and partial of the cost of the suffering of my people and I have to drink in the same cup. God have mercy on us !!
Pray for the process and the consecration on 21st May. It is my hope and prayer that it should not be the usual functions and consecrations but truly God takes precedent and His will be done. Pray that my heart will be broken and God will show to me His true vision for the church now and gives me the grace to diligently follow it.
I love you so much and I can not forget that first prayer group that midwifed the birth CRESS that also I believe is the reason why I have risen up to be consecrated as the first Bishop of Liwolo. In others words: this is their day. It is a result of their prayers and materials and financial support. Special regard to sponsors of CRESS children in south Sudan and in very special way those that support my children of which I would have not reach this day. This consecration is the PRIDE and HAPPINESS of CRESS. You made me shine and people see value in me. I hope you will not abandon me at this stage but instead to continue to lift up my hands as I faithfully and diligently work to do the will of God and serve these precious people God entrusted to my care. I wish CRESS was here and my beloved friends who earnestly pray for me.
With love. Joseph Aba Duduka
