Travel Details:

We were sharing the journey details with the younger Wintermantels, and thought we would post it here as well!

Traveling into South Sudan is not as easy as flying into many places in the world.  Although South Sudan is roughly the size of Texas, there are only 60 miles of paved roads in the entire country.  Yes, this means rough roads! Poor condition of the roads mean slow travel, and due to our time constraints, we will need to fly into Torit to make our visit.  So here is our travel route:

After we arrive in Nairobi, we then will have 24 hours to recover, and we will then travel this route:

The team that is currently in Torit does drive in, but it is at least a 3 day drive from Nairobi.  So our children will have two new experiences: flying on a 747, and then working our way down to a Cessna 206. Our pilot (flying with AIM Air) will fly in and stay with us in Torit, until we journey back out to Nairobi.  Now that is service!

"I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for the harvest." Jn 4:35

In late 2000, Steve and I were talking about getting married. In January 2001, I would be leaving for a six-month mission trip to southern Sudan.  Before I left, I made one recommendation, "before we get married, you should come to Africa and see why I love being there."  In April 2001, Steve joined up with a Bible teaching team from my home church, to join me in southern Sudan for ten days. Following that time, we went to Mombasa where Steve proposed, and I readily accepted!

Now, 16 years later we are once again preparing to go to South Sudan.  This time we will be joined by our small tribe of Hazel, Abe, Josiah and Cyrus.  Our purpose is to take a survey trip for our family to explore a missions opportunity to serve in South Sudan.  Since June, 2016, we have been connecting with a missions team that is currently forming to serve in the town of Torit, South Sudan.  This team is currently comprised of two other families (one Canadian, one American) who are focused on evangelism, relational discipleship, church planting, and utilizing veterinary medicine and animal husbandry as a means to serve unreached people groups around Torit. 

Over the past nine months of talking with the other two families, we are compelled by their vision to take the gospel to people who have never heard of Jesus, and then by God’s grace, plant churches in their communities.  All of these people groups rely on their flocks and fields to provide for their family’s food supply and other needs.

 

As a veterinarian I have been involved with Christian Veterinary Mission (CVM) for over 20 years.  Through CVM I have participated on short term mission trips, served eight years on the Board of Directors, and currently serve as the Director of Affiliates Ministry.  It is through CVM that we have learned of the long-term opportunity in Torit. 

Steve has been actively engaged in discipleship, evangelism and local church ministry as both a pastor and layman since 1984.  He has served in five local churches in Kansas, Wisconsin, and now Minnesota.  Though the circumstances have changed through the years, his primary focus remains on relational discipleship:  helping people to make disciples who make disciples of Jesus Christ. 

We believe that our experience in local church ministry, and in veterinary medicine could be a good “fit” with the team in Torit.  We are looking forward to the opportunity to go to South Sudan to help discern if God is calling our family to this “next step” of ministry.  Our first request is to invite you to pray with us as we go.  Pray that God will help us to see his plan for our family as we seek to serve Him.  And if the Lord leads you to do so, we invite you to partner with us financially.  You will find a donation link in the sidebar that will lead you to our secure web page.

Thanks for walking with us in this journey.  Please take time to let us know how we can pray for you in your faith journey too, as we consider it an honor to be invited to go before the Lord with your requests!