Dear Fellowship,
I write to express my gratitude for our 20 years of partnership in my native community of Lietnhom. I am so grateful for the opportunity to share my story once again at Fellowship Bible Church in both the Brentwood and Franklin campuses. God is using our global partnership not only to transform me and my community but also the members of Fellowship community, giving us a foretaste of the coming Kingdom of Christ! God has blessed my decision to go back home 25 years ago to bring the gospel and education to my people. And now God is using a small orphan boy named Angelo, who dreamed of becoming a doctor to bring healthcare to our community. The story of God’s transformation in all South Sudan is unfolding, and I am thankful to all the members of Fellowship as you are a part of this amazing story of God. Thank you for your continued partnership in the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Gratefully,
James Baak
An additional note from Mike Vogt
Thank you, Fellowship, for your love and support of James Baak and his incredible ministry – Solidarity Ministries Africa for Reconciliation and Development (SMARD). Most of you will never travel to his country to see the incredible work he does, but his commitment to the gospel and education is truly transforming the youngest country on earth.
I ask that you pray for James. Pray that the Lord will uphold him and strengthen him; that he would be a model of Christ to his people and that he would continue in strength the work that God has called him to do. Please also pray for the clinic that our young doctor Angelo and his team will be using to meet the medical needs of his community. James and the people of Lietnhom are very excited that they finally have the first ever medical care in a region that has literally never had it before. Since a new operation like this has many challenges, please join them in praying that generous hearts will provide the right resources and expertise so that many lives will be saved, and good health will be preserved.
Thank you for allowing James to share his story of how generosity is changing South Sudan.
In Christ,
Mike V
A Few Facts About Health Care in South Sudan
South Sudan has the Highest Rate of Maternal Mortality in the World
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), over 1,223 women in South Sudan died in childbirth per 100,000 live births in 2020, the highest in the world. UNICEF believes that most maternal deaths could be prevented if births were attended by skilled health personnel who can provide life-saving drugs such as antibiotics, blood transfusions, caesarean sections, and other surgical interventions.
Only ONE Doctor within 100 miles
In South Sudan there is just one physician per 65,574 individuals and one midwife per 39,088 women. In rural areas such as Lietnhom, there is only one physician within 100 miles. This lack of medical personnel also contributes to South Sudan having one of thehighest rates of infant mortality at 63.34 deaths per 1,000 live births. Nearly 75% of infant and child deaths in South Sudan are due to preventable conditions such as diarrhea, malaria, and pneumonia.
