Much of the work of the Mathetes Trust happens in Africa through our Rooted in Jesus ministry, which is headed up by Alison. We are working in many places; one of them is the Diocese of Kajo-Keji in South Sudan, where we sent a team last October led by Mike Cotterell, oneof our trustees. But since we were there the political and humanitarian crisis has deepened, and almost everyone in Kajo-Keji has fled to Uganda, where they are living in refugee camps.

Bishop Emmanuel and his clergy colleagues have set up an office in Mojo, Uganda, so that they can continue to care for their people; from this base they are travelling between the refugee camps. So the church is now mostly in exile, as the people of Israel once were. They have some upsetting stories to tell, but an ambitious vision to share as well – and they still need Rooted in Jesus. Bishop Emmanuel writes: “The believers need Rooted in Jesus at this time of distress and spiritual need. Rooted in Jesus is the only tool and way forward to nourish the Christians and make the newly born Christians grow.”

They ask for our prayers, and also for financial support to enable all this travelling. To find out more, look at our blog https://rootedinjesus.wordpress.com/, where you will also find information about how you can help us to support them. At some stage we will want to send out another team, but they are not ready for this yet.

Psalm 139 is helpful. It’s a prayer of anguish, and yet it’s a prayer of trust too – trust in God who knows us and is always with us. It seems a good prayer to pray for the people of South  Sudan at the moment:

If I say, “Surely the darkness shall cover me,
and the light around me become night,”
even the darkness is not dark to you;
the night is as bright as the day,
for darkness is as light to you.”

With best wishes in Christ Jesus

Roger Morgan
Director, The Mathetes Trust
To find out more about Rooted in Jesus visit www.rootedinjesus.net