Connect Africa Opens Atiak CARC (Connect Africa Resource Center)

Last week Connect Africa hosted the grand opening of the Atiak Connect Africa Resource Center (CARC) on the Sudan Border. The grand opening included a meal, which was attended by local pastors, tribal-leaders, politicians and police. This was an excellent moment in bringing together community leaders who rarely, if ever, communicate with each other.

Five weeks had passed without rains until the crusade began with two nights of downpour. This is becoming a norm with our crusades! Joining us on this event was a team from Samaritan’s Purse, UK, as well as our partners from Wine to Water, a North Carolina based group, led by Doc Hendley.

With so many varied accents floating around, our interpreters experienced the challenge of tuning their ears to a Liverpool accent and Southern drawl to interpret into Acholi. This turned into good laughs during the talks. Significant response to the Gospel followed the talks; forty adults responded the last night, along with hundreds of children coming forward.

As we stood at the memorial stone of one of the worst massacres of the whole LRA war, the significance of the CARC center was really brought home on the third day. One of the massacre stories shared told of over three hundred high school students who were taken out of class and slaughtered in the valley. The rebels had threatened the community with death if the bodies were recovered. For over a year, the valley became the place of dry bones, until the parents could no longer bear it and gathered them together. My heart was pierced as one local gentleman thanked us for bringing new life and clean water.

Afterwards, we went to the local pastor’s church facility that was destroyed by the same storm that destroyed the CARC center roof three months ago. Gathered around the rubble, we talked about the common hardships and that we’re facing them together!

On a development note, the Bio Sand Filters started being produced in Atiak. As well, the ISSB bricks are being produced to make four 15 K liter water tanks.

Thank you to all of our friends and partners that stood with us in this venture. Though there have been many valleys, storms and troubles, we faced them together. A renewed sense of hope and clean water are flowing.

Trev