Graduate Project: Ministering in a Refugee Camp

February 2020, Written by SIFAT Co-founder Sarah Corson

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. For as we share abundantly in Christ’s sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too.”          2 Cor. 1:3-5

Bullen, SIFAT’s only graduate from South Sudan, recently sent a letter to SIFAT that began with this Bible verse. He knows from the core of his being what affliction means, and just as real to him is the God of all comfort.

His people have been exploited and enslaved for centuries by the Arab Northern Sudanese fighting for ivory, slaves and later, oil, against the African Southern Sudanese. Finally, South Sudan gained its freedom and joined the United Nations as the world’s 193rd nation in 2011. But in less than a year, terrible atrocities were started again, and the population in this war-torn, impoverished nation is suffering enslavement, savage acts of torture and destruction of life and property.

Bullen, a SIFAT graduate from South Sudan, is ministering in a refugee camp in Uganda. With help from SIFAT supporters, he has built a church that has a garden around it.

View More →

Merry Christmas from SIFAT!

“For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord.” Luke 2:11

At this time of year, we want to THANK YOU for helping SIFAT share the love of Christ to so many people around the world. We sing the song “Christmas is the most wonderful time of the year”, but without people like you that have supported SIFAT in 2019 (and for the last 40 years) with your time, talents and treasures, there would be hundreds of people around the world that look at December 25 as just another day of struggling to survive.

View More →

#GivingTuesday2019 is Dec. 3!

#GivingTuesday is coming soon! Please save the date for Dec. 3 to participate in this global holiday that celebrates generosity and kindness by giving to SIFAT. Just as Black Friday and Cyber Monday kick off the holiday buying season, #GivingTuesday starts the giving season, reminding us what this time of year is truly about! Isn’t it exciting to be part of something greater than ourselves when we join together to give back!

#GivingTuesday is a wonderful time to embrace the spirit of giving! This year, our matching fund is $60,000 – double your donation! The “rules” for #GivingTuesday are the same as previous years. When you make a donation at any time on December 3, your contribution will double because of the matching fund set up by a generous group of SIFAT donors—up to the first $60,000 that we raise!

View More →

40 Years: Celebrating our 40th with New Books!

We convinced two men who had been very active in SIFAT to write their autobiographies for SIFAT to publish. On September 20, 2019,  these authors gave their testimonies, and we held a book signing as part of our 40th anniversary celebrations. The two are as different as two people can be. But, they both are a tremendous example of what God can do with anyone’s life if we give ourselves to Christ.

Two new books were published to celebrate SIFAT’s 40th anniversary!

View More →

Save the Date – 40th Anniversary Celebration

We are planning an exciting event to commemorate 40 years of Sharing God’s Love in Practical Ways and want you to be part of it!

Mark your calendars to join our staff on September 21, 2019, on the Galilee Campus of SIFAT for a meal, tours of campus, demonstrations of appropriate technology and a special program to remember 40 years of ministry, to update our current projects and program, and to hear the vision for our future. Watch your email, our social media and website for more details to come.

Dress casually and plan to spend time outside enjoying Mad Indian Creek and our grounds here at the international headquarters. The event is free, but reservations are needed by Sept. 1. Call the SIFAT office at 256.396.2015 or e-mail info@sifat.org with your name, contact number or email and the number of people attending.

Other events prior to Our 40th Fiesta:

Sept. 17, 6 p.m. at Wedowee FUMC – International Graduate Projects
Our visiting international graduates will share about their current ministries and how what they learned in SIFAT training classes has helped the communities in which they serve.

Sept. 20, 6 p.m. at Wedowee FUMC – Book Signing
SIFAT co-founder Benjo Paredes has written a memoir about moving from the high Andes mountain community where he grew up as an orphan to the unsettled jungle of Sapecho, Bolivia. SIFAT board of director member Art Stephenson had a much different experience as he grew up in the United States, worked in engineering and became director of Marshall Space Center in Huntsville, Ala. Benjo and Art are going to share about their lives and how both ended up being impacted by SIFAT’s work. After their talks, they will hold a joint book signing.