I would like to introduce the SOUTHERN SUDAN MISSION. The mission began in 2008 when Tyrone Mynhier, of Conroe, Texas, was asked to teach South Sudanese Refugees in the Ethiopian/Sunset International Bible Institute Extension School in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Tyrone is an alumnus of Sunset International Bible Institute. He and his wife, Alma, have worked in the vineyard of the Lord over forty-five years. Tyrone has worked as a pulpit minister, Director and/or Instructor in several Schools of Preaching and is presently the Director of the Southern Sudan Mission and President of the Gambella Sudanese School of Biblical Studies Sunset International Bible Institute Extension School. Tyrone and Alma have done mission work in Ghana, Africa, Brazil, Ethiopia, the Philippines, and South Sudan. After teaching three years in the Ethiopian-Sunset International Bible Institute Extension School in Addis Ababa, Tyrone requested the school be relocated in the Gambella Region of Ethiopia. The officials approved and agreed Tyrone would be the President of the school.

Gambella is the largest Ethiopian City between Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (the capital) and the South Sudan border. The populous is half Ethiopian and half South Sudanese. Six South Sudanese Refugee Camps are located in the Gambella Region a few miles from the city of Gambella. The refugees have access to the South Sudan Border providing trained Sudanese Preachers the opportunity to travel in and out of South Sudan to teach and preach.

By the Lord providence, in the late nineties the Ethiopian Government gave the church land in Gambella for a compound. Upon receiving the land, with the support of American Brethren, a church building was erected to seat approximately 60 people. Whenever, the decision was made to relocate the School to Gambella, it was agreed the building would also be used to house the school. On January 2, 2012, Tyrone relocated the school and renamed it Gambella Sudanese School of Biblical Studies/Sunset International Bible Institute Extension School. The school had a humble beginning. There were 23 students and two Instructors (Tyrone Mynhier and Ken Wilkey). The students slept in the church building on 4-inch foam mats which were rolled up and stored in the back of the building on Sunday morning, permitting the brethren to assemble in the building.

The classes met under the trees as the temperature was one hundred ten degrees and limited electricity and no fans. The students proved their desire to learn about the Lord and everyone endured and completed the first semester. The Lord has blessed the school abundantly. Below is a picture of the school campus with a dorm for twenty students. Three hundred plus students have graduated from the school. (Many are preaching full time in Ethiopian Refugee Camps and in villages in the Gambella Region of Ethiopia and in South Sudan). Fifty-one congregations have been established and thirty-five hundred plus individuals have obeyed the gospel.

There are six refugee camps in the Gambella Region with a total of eighteen divisions. Fourteen of the divisions have a congregation of the Lord’s People, (a worship facility and one or more preachers). There are also numerous villages in the region and on both sides of the Sudan border. Thirty-seven of the villages have congregations of the Lord’s People (a facility and one or more preachers). Additionally, there are numerous congregations in the bush in South Sudan. These congregations move frequently hiding from the rebels. Due to limited or no communications we only learn of them when one of their members sneak to a border congregation with information and/or request. During the genesis of the school, the students were asked to study the Bible with their parents, relatives, and friends regarding the Lord's Church. Most parents were angry with their sons for leaving the families’ religion. They resented their sons becoming Christians and particularly studying to become a preacher. Some parents accused their son of becoming a member of a cult or a young man’s church. Others said the things they were being taught were contrary to their family’s belief. Still others asked, “If the church of Christ is the true church why have we not heard of it before?” (I reminded them of the Ethiopian Eunuch, Acts 8:26-40). Some parents were so angry that they encouraged their preacher to get involved in their fight against the School and the biblical teaching. Several denominational preachers approached us asking that we stop teaching the Bible because it was causing family strife.

Additionally, many of their members were questioning them about the new teaching and some were leaving their congregation. The preachers began making false accusations and threats against the church, the instructors and myself. Striving to determine how to gain some degree of approval among the people, we decided to have a Vacation Bible School for the refugee children. Upon returning to the states, I approached Joanie Roberts, a retired schoolteacher, about helping with the VBS. She was agreeable and in 2012, a decision was made to have a VBS in 2013. Alma Mynhier, Rusty Holland, and Karisa Holland, traveled to Gambella to teach the first Vacation Bible School in the Gambella Region of Ethiopia. The teachers prepared materials for 100 children and much to everyone’s expectations over 300 children showed up the first day. Due to classroom limitations and the teachers having prepared materials for only 100 children, many were turned away. That did not stop the children as approximately 200 children stood outside the classrooms listening to the lessons and learning the songs. In 2014, 200 students were taught; in 2015, 500 students were taught; in 2016, 500 students were taught; in 2017, 1,000 students were taught and in 2018, 1,800 students were taught. Pictured below are the 2019 teachers that taught 4,000 children and one of the celebrations. The Mission VBS Team had a goal of teaching 8,000 children in 2020. The teachers prepared lessons and materials but “COVID-19” appeared and the teachers could not go. Fortunately, the American teachers had trained several natives and when the materials were sent to them, they taught 8,100 children. 2021 none were taught and 2022, 7,000 students were taught. To date 23,000 plus children have been taught.

In 2020 the Board of Directors determined there was a need for an additional congregation in the city of Gambella. The Lord blessed the mission to locate a tract of land that borders a South Sudanese Orphanage that houses six hundred children twelve years old and younger. The Lord also blessed the mission with funds to purchase the land. The director of the orphanage is very excited and promises to work with the mission providing the mission teachers the opportunity to teach Bible to the children. The mission has constructed a church building to accommodate three hundred and two preacher’s houses.

There are plans to build an office, six classrooms, a guest house (to accommodate 14 people), dorm to accommodate students for a School of Biblical Studies (20), cook shed, showers, dry toilets, water-well, water storage tank, play-ground facilities and a baptistry. An American and a Native Evangelist and their family will live on the compound and work full time with the orphans. The mission has agreed to have a World Bible School Distribution Center at the Newland compound. The coordinated effort will result in distributing World Bible School Lessons in the Gambella Region of Ethiopia, South Sudan, and neighboring countries. Rejoice! The Lord has gone before our South Sudanese Brethren who have worked diligently to obtain a license for the mission to be recognized as a legal religion in South Sudan. This is the first step toward the mission reaching out and teaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ in Juba, the capital of South Sudan.

A Christmas wish of a 5-year-old girl, Lainey Lee fulfilled; a water-well was drilled at the Newland, Gambella Compound. The pure water is shared with hundreds of our friends near the compound. Another well was drilled at the Lare compound which will supply water for the brethren and friends in that area. Thousands of South Sudanese Brethren have been unable to leave South Sudan during the tribal war and have been hidden in the bush (forest) many years. Their survival is exceedingly difficult. If they grow crops and the rebels find them, they destroy them. Then they search for the people seeking to enslave and/or kill them. Thanks to the support of many, the Mission has been sending food to the brethren and others as funds permit. Pictured is food that was successfully taken by a donkey and trailer to many brethren hidden in the bush. We have been blessed to start new congregations in several villages. We ask the new Christians to ask the government officials for land to build a compound and church building. Most officials have granted the request with the stipulation, construction of a church building must begin within a six-month period. Officials from two different areas also granted 25 acres of agriculture land. (It is important to note, we DO NOT spend any money on the land until we have a legal deed to the property from the Government). In 2019, thanks to the gifts of a foundation and several individuals, a water-well was drilled in Lare, Ethiopia, mentioned earlier. Some of the water will be used for irrigation of a 25-acre agriculture site. In 2019 the land had an abundant corn crop producing 100 plus bushels of corn per acre. Corn was also planted at four compounds. When the corn was harvested, shucked, and dried some was given to the harvesters and the rest was sent to South Sudan to feed the brethren in the bush. As simple as this sounds, it is exceedingly difficult and timely as all the work must be done by hand and the transportation is by a donkey and wagon. Please continue to pray for the brethren as many are starving.

To schedule a meeting or provide an opportunity for Tyrone Mynhier to visit with your mission committee, elders or speak to your congregation please contact Tyrone at 281 389 7780 or southernsudanmission@gmail.com. For further information view: southernsudanmissions.com

Tyrone Mynhier, Chancellor (Missionary)

281-389-7780

Colin Chandler, President (Elder Third & Kilgore Church of Christ, Portales, NM.)

575-760-2129

Nathan Ingram, Board Member, Elder, Woodland Oaks Church of Christ

281-914-1012

Note: Southern Sudan Mission, Inc is a 501(3)C Corporation EIN 81-1577318