Robert Bett, a Kenyan missionary with African Inland Church, reflects on ten years working with Lopit villages – and the enabling support of MAF.
“I used to tell everyone: we wouldn’t be there without MAF,” said Robert Bett, a missionary who has spent the last decade living alongside the Lopit communities of Eastern Equatoria.
“Everything we’ve done in Lopit, MAF has really played a big role in getting us there. We didn’t have a car, we didn’t have a bicycle, we didn’t have a motorbike – we used MAF!”
Robert has discipled men and shared techniques for better farming while his wife Carol, a teacher, has taught local kids to read and write in their mother tongue.
Robert reflected on the times they depended on MAF.
“We operated in times of insecurity without worrying about what would happen,” he said. “We were assured that ‘MAF will pick us up’. We became a family of MAF.
“I remember when we didn’t have money for flights – and MAF gave us a subsidy.
“One time when my wife was not well, MAF came to take her out. She was too weak to go by car or bike. I can’t imagine what we would have done without MAF,” he said.
Robert speaks the Lopit language fluently and moved around the area’s villages on foot to show that Christians aren’t wealthy outsiders.
“I went on so many walks, over the mountains, in all the villages – nearly everyone knows me,” he said.
Robert would set off at 5 am, while it was still dark, to reach mountain villages for a 7 am Bible study and prayer.
Everywhere he went, people would ask him, “Why is your church not giving you even a bicycle or a motorbike?”
“I told them, ‘I don’t have money!’ I wanted to encourage them to see that it’s not about having a car or motorbike,” he said. “We can still keep serving the Lord when we walk with our legs!”
The problems between villages were quite challenging. At times, things got ugly.
Sometimes people were killed on the road. When that happened, I changed my route. God always kept me safe as I was moving around.”
“When I left, they asked me, ‘Who is going to come in your place?’ I asked them, ‘Why?’ They answered, ‘I don’t think there is any person who will walk like you!’” he laughed.
Robert flew out of Ohilang in June to take up a new role with the African Missionary Family, raising funds for African missionaries within Africa.
“We have so many South Sudanese in the refugee camps who are being discipled and need to go and reach the unreached people in their villages,” Robert explained.
“My dream is to have many African missionaries come to South Sudan. My other dream is to see that the African church will support the African missionaries.”
Robert sees MAF as part of the future for mission in South Sudan.
We need more collaboration together with MAF, because for the next five or ten years no one will ‘laugh’ on those roads,” he said, referring to the roads of Eastern Equatoria which become muddy wallows during wet season.
“We need some airstrips in areas that people cannot reach – to get the missionaries in and evacuate them to a hospital in an emergency,” he added.
“MAF can also partner with us to bring in short-term teams. It helps to mobilise churches if they can see what is happening on the ground. There is a lot to be done!
“We enjoy your service. I really thank God for MAF!”
STORY / JENNY DAVIES PHOTOS / ROBERT BETT