A Strong Sense of Place

Enoka Dumo (50) was born to Sudanese parents in the Adjumani refugee camp in northern Uganda during the war. When Enoka's children grew up, they applied for refugee status in Australia and escaped the camp. Enoka, however, turned down the offer. He believes he is called to lead his people.

Enoka is the national leader of Impact Southern Sudan and the Director of SERM, an International Teams partner organization that equips and trains pastors. International Teams provided SERM with bicycles that they use to deliver the gospel to neighbouring villages and tribes. In addition, with the help of International Teams, Enoka is building schools for his people in Kajo Keji, Southern Sudan.

In thousands of villages across Africa, children fortunate enough to afford uniforms attend mud-walled schools with straw roofs. Every year during the rainy season the entire structure is weakened or often washed away and must be rebuilt.

With the help of International Teams, Enoka is rebuilding schools out of solid brick with galvanized steel roofs.

The government and local leaders have even started to take notice. Nevertheless, in spite of being a respected elder in his community, every weekend Enoka crosses the border back into Uganda to his home in the Adjumani refugee camp. Enoka's strong sense of place and commitment to his people keeps him in Kajo Keji and Adjumani building schools, preaching the gospel and leading his people.

You can help Enoka build schools in Southern Sudan. To donate to this great program, go to https://secure.e2rm.com/registrant/donate.aspx?EventID=26061&LangPref=en-CA.

International Teams Intern: 'It's a Great Life'

"Being an intern with International Teams has changed me in a million ways," said Intern, Julia Clark. "I'm more thankful for the great way that I was raised. I see things that I took for granted. I have more of a desire to get involved with God's kingdom work globally."

Julia has worked with refugees in Kenya since 2006 as part of a multi-national team composed of Canadian, Kenyan, Filipina, Nigerian, and American workers.

Julia's team conducts literacy, ESL, Bible studies and sewing classes. They offer counseling, organize community development projects and advocate on behalf of refugees, primarily women and children. They raise money for student scholarships, uniforms, books and lunches. The team serves refugees from Ethiopia, Sudan, Eritrea, Congo and the Great Lakes region of eastern Africa.

"I feel very blessed to be able to work as an intern in Kenya. To go where God leads is the beginning of a great adventure and the best place you could be in. I'm a relational person so working in Kenya and meeting people--it's a great life."

Transformation Story: Ecuador

God is doing exciting things around the world.  Things that I get to be a part of behind the scenes.  Things that you are a part of through your gifts, prayer, and partnership in my ministry.

I’d like to start sharing some of those stories so you can join in the excitement, and be in prayer not only for what I do, but for all those I serve.



One of our many church partners, Carmen Bajo Church, Ecuador, feeds 150 children with a budget that only covers 115. In this community, so severely limited by extreme poverty, the church offers marriage counseling, addiction support, prison visits and youth outreach programs. Jorge and Maria* are an example of lives being transformed by this program.

Jorge lived for music, alcohol and his friends and would regularly beat Maria. Then Maria began attending church. Noticing a change in Maria, Jorge went to church too where he learned that God has a far greater plan for his life. Jorge entered counseling. Today Jorge and Maria are leaders in the church’s couples counseling program.

*names changed
photo credit: Stephan Alexander

Transformation Story: Rwanda

Our Rwandan partner, the Vivante Church, organizes a feeding programs for street children; basic math, reading and life skills training; micro-enterprise and business management training for widows; medical care for orphans and HIV/AIDS patients; and pastoral support in the Kiziba Refugee Camp, and more. This front-line ministry provides is making an impact in the lives of the desperately poor.

Daniel, for example, was an orphaned genocide survivor. He slept on the street, scrounged for food and suffered from an abscessed tooth so badly infected that it was slowly poisoning him. He showed up at Vivante Church, joined the International Teams feeding program and received medical care. Today he is supporting himself as a Commissioner (Real Estate Agent).

photo credit: Gary Sharpe