...freedom...

Arrested without cause?

Family and home ransacked and mistreated with no permission or warrant?

Tortured?

Charged by the Government with whatever they want to discredit?

Judges bribed and threatened?

Gaining freedom only to be recaptured 1 hour later, again by the Government?

Whisked away where no one knows where you are?

This only happens in the movies... right?

This must be an action film, with some famous dude starring, right?

No, this is happening to my friend Rudwan.

He is in Sudan.

His wife is one of my best friends.

She is pregnant with their first child.

He is living this.

She is living this.

This is real.

Thank God for America.

And thank God for people who care.

My friend Nancy worked with me in our Middle School  Youth Group.

When I first met her, I loved her.

But she was such a priss!!

Make up perfect, hair perfect - mandatory!

Over the 10 years I knew her God totally changed her heart.

She went on a missions trip with us to Mexico...

Camping, dirty, outside showers.

She began to love missions.

She began to love Africa.

She finally made a trip to Africa with Sudan Sunrise.

They are a reconciliation firm, who are supporting peace and reconciliation to the nations there.

They are also rebuilding many school destroyed by the wars.

They worked closely with Minute Bol

in his village.

There Nancy met Rudwan!

Her second trip back, they were engaged!

And their love story continues.

He lives here, and is going to school.

She is pregnant with their first baby, a little girl named Sudan.

We know him, we love him.

He loves us.

He went to Sudan to work with a group that peaceably protests

for rights, for democracy, for freedom, for women.

You can read his story here.

Or do a google search and you will find many stories and articles.

FOR ME

this has changed me.

It has changed the way I think of so much.

Of Christians.

Of Muslims.

Of America versus Africa.

Of what is happening "over there."

Of how things big things impact individual people.

It has grown my love for people.

Just because they are people.

It has grown my capacity for compassion.

My understanding of what is going on behind the scenes of news stories.

Yes, my love for people.

For each person.

I think this is getting me closer to loving how God loves.

And I like it.

Please keep Rudwan and Nancy, and their baby girl Sudan, in your prayers.

And pray Rudwan gets home for her birth next month!