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South Eastern Colorado |
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Ark Valley Homeschooler’s Web |
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The Perryclan to Sudan
The Perryclan (clockwise from left): Eva, Alex, Sophia, Lillie, Logan, Given, Winnie, Hazel, & Olivia; Elizabeth & Dr. Jeff (center) Sending Church:
Sending Agency:
Ministry in Southern Sudan:
Family Mission Statement To heal and preach the gospel of Jesus Christ through medical care, loving orphans and widows, discipling Sudanese individuals, training Sudanese church leaders, and assisting with church planting. Spiritual Testimony and Calling to Ministry Jeff and Elizabeth both grew up in the church, but did not fully submit to the Lordship of Jesus Christ until early in our separate college experiences. Through studying God’s Word, living in community with other believers, and realizing the reality of Jesus, we both came to hunger for more of Him and sought to apply the truths we were learning in His Word. We met working alongside one another in an inner city missionary internship in Hollywood, California immediately following college. Several years later, we joined our lives in marriage and mission. We have always had a heart for orphans, with our first two children and one later joining our family through adoption. God called us to consider going to Sudan in the fall of 2006. Jeff had completed four years with Valley-Wide Health Systems and hired 4 new doctors to fully staff the clinic system for the first time in many years. We began asking the Lord if our long-term ministry would be in southern Colorado. Our friend called and asked us to consider joining a health advisory board with Harvesters. He felt we had experience which would be valuable to the ministry as it added medical care to its mission. After months of prayer, we sensed God’s leading to move forward and join this ministry as a family. In June 2007, we had our first planning session and met one of the founders, “Mama” Lilly Klepp. By lunch time of that first day, we were planning an exploratory trip to Sudan for November 2007. During that trip, we continued to hear from God through His Word that we were to return long-term. Our children loved their time there, and we began to see the reasons God would call us there as a family—to be an example of a family under Christ such as the orphans had never seen. Our children drew other children and were able to minister in ways that we as adults could not. Ministry Experience, Education, and Training Jeff: · InterVarsity Christian Fellowship Small Group leader (inductive Bible studies) and Executive Committee member, Pacific Lutheran University, 1990-1993 · West Side Church (Richland, WA) “Summer Trainee” program 6/1990-8/1990; worked with children’s ministry, trained and discipled by older members and leaders in the church · Short-term mission to Yucatan, Mexico, with IVCF, 6/92-8/92; lived in rural Mexican villages and taught Vacation Bible Schools in Spanish · Tacoma Urban Project, Student leader, 6/93-8/93; inner city ministry immersion program · Hollywood Urban Project, “City Dweller” intern, 10/93-7/94; worked with children and youth while living in an inner city neighborhood · Christian Medical Dental Association, student leader, Tulane Medical School, 1994-1996 · Irish Channel Christian Fellowship, New Orleans, LA, Sunday school teacher, secretary, mens’ group leader, 1994-1999 · In His IMAGE Family Practice Residency, Tulsa, OK, Domestic Missions Coordinator, 2000-2002 · Medical Doctorate, Tulane Medical School, 1999 · Master of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, Tulane School of Public Health, 1999 · Medical Director of Valley-Wide Health Systems, Inc., Arkansas Valley Region, 2002-2009; did full-spectrum Family Medicine with operative obstetrics; restarted obstetrical practice in a community health center · Chair of Departments of Family Practice and OB/Perinatal, Arkansas Valley Regional Medical Center, intermittently 2003-2008 · Senior Clinical Instructor, University of Colorado Health Sciences Center; served as a rural preceptor for 3rd year medical students and family medicine resident physicians · Emergency Room physician, Schumacher Group/Arkansas Valley Regional Medical Center, 2003-present; full-time since 11/2009 Elizabeth: · InterVarsity Christian Fellowship Small Group leader (inductive Bible studies) and Executive Committee member, Occidental College, 1990-1993 · Summer mission with Bayshore Christian Ministries, East Palo Alto, CA, 1991; working with children and youth while living in an inner city neighborhood south of San Francisco · Hollywood Urban Project, “City Dweller” intern, 10/93-7/94; worked with children and lived in an inner city neighborhood · Irish Channel Christian Fellowship, New Orleans, LA, Sunday school teacher, VBS coordinator for 100 inner city children for 2 years, 1996-1999 · Family medical mission trip (with Jeff and 4 children) to Nuevo Laredo, Mexico; June 2004, In His IMAGE physician group · BA in Political Science, Occidental College, 1993 · Emergency Medical Technician (EMT); worked in urgent care/workman’s comp clinic and emergency room at Loma Linda University Medical Center, 1994-1996 · Master in Health Education, Southeastern Louisiana University, 1999 · Trained Lactation Educator · Experience as a public and private middle school Health/Science teacher in New Orleans, LA, 1997-1999 · Homeschooling mother of nine children, 1999-present Ministry Opportunities in Southern Sudan The health situation in Sudan is dismal—only Afghanistan rivals its health statistics as the worst in the world. One in five babies die by age 1, one in four die by age 5, and one in seven women die in or around the time of childbirth. Average life expectancy is around 41 years. Harvesters Reaching the Nations operates an orphanage with 150 children, a Christian school with 450 children, and a church with multiple small groups in the surrounding area. The ministry of Harvesters witnesses the shocking health statistics up close—babies are frequently brought to them after the mother dies, and the babies struggle to survive themselves. Harvesters was compelled to be the hands and feet of Jesus in that community and begin to provide effective medical care to women and children. The Christian church in Sudan is growing, but has experienced much persecution from Northern Sudan which is predominately Muslim. There are few active, reproducing church bodies with trained leadership. Many church attendees blend their tribal, animistic beliefs and lifestyles with the Christian truths they are learning. There is a great need for discipleship and training of indigenous church leaders to move the process of church planting to completion. Years of civil war have left many orphans in Southern Sudan. At Harvesters, many of these orphans are receiving love, training in God’s Word, and high quality education. However, most have never seen an intact, Christ-centered family—an integral part of rebuilding a stable society. Ministry Strategy & Outcomes “Juwa al Emin” (His House of Hope) will be a Christ-centered hospital, clinic, and health education center located at Harvesters compound in Yei, Southern Sudan. Its mission is “to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ through a ministry of health care to women and children of Southern Sudan.” Our hope is that as the people of Sudan seek medical care, they will also encounter the truth and hope found only in Jesus. Medically, we hope to decrease child and maternal mortality by increasing the number of attended births (either in the field or in the hospital), providing operative deliveries (C-sections, forceps), providing prenatal care, training local health providers, providing pediatric care, and doing health education at the center and in the community. Jeff will serve as the medical director and actively provide medical care in this setting. Through our daily work and lives, we will disciple certain orphans, hospital staff, people in the church, and others from the community as God leads us in relationship. We will continue our discipleship of our own precious children as well! The church will be strengthened as individuals are sharpened. We will walk out our call to be a family committed to Christ and struggling with daily issues of life amongst those in Yei, Southern Sudan. Elizabeth will continue nurturing and homeschooling our 8 youngest children (Alex will be in the US for college). This will give others a picture of an intact Christian family. Partnership in Prayer and Finances Our mission sending agency, Pioneers, has asked that we have at least 100 regular prayer partners. We believe that nothing worthwhile will happen unless undergirded by prayer. We believe that only by the power of the Holy Spirit will anything of lasting value be accomplished. God desires worshippers from every tribe and people, and only He can draw them. Please consider joining our team and praying to that end. Pioneers has also set forth a budget for us. In order to enable our family to live and minister in Yei, Southern Sudan, we must have $7,000 pledged per month. This is the approximate cost of 1-2 births in a US hospital. We expect to eventually deliver 50-100+ babies per month at Juwa al Emin (in addition to providing other services). If you feel God would have you join in this ministry and facilitate the Perryclan going to Sudan, please return a response card to Pioneers, and they will ensure the funds are allocated to our account. We ask that you would pray and consider joining with us in one or both of these ways in order to advance the kingdom of God in Southern Sudan.
Contact us: Email: jperryclan@gmail.com Mail: Jeff and Elizabeth Perry, PO Box 186, Rocky Ford, CO 81067 Phone: 719-469-1673
Learn more about: The Perry family: www.perryclan.org West Side Bible Church: www.wsbible.org Pioneers: www.pioneers.org · To give online, use our donor number: 112074 Harvesters: www.hrtn.org
Dear fellow worker in the Gospel of Christ,
It has been my privilege to watch the Lord work in Jeff and Elizabeth's lives. At first, I will admit that it seemed hard to believe that a doctor would be willing to leave a thriving practice and move his family to Sudan. That was before sitting down with Jeff over breakfast and hearing the passion God has given him. The more I heard him talk about Harvesters Ministries, the orphanage, and the Sudanese Church they work with; the more I came to realize that this is truly something special that God is doing.
I have already led our church to support the Perrys with a plan to incrementally increase our support each year. I have done this because I believe that God has uniquely equipped them to minister in this volatile and strategic area. Consider how religious groups hostile to Christ will hear the gospel as Dr. Perry treats their family; or how the many orphans in Sudan will hear the gospel from interaction with Jeff, Elizabeth and the children! Some years ago, God led missionaries to start churches in Sudan. Now some exist, but cannot yet reproduce effectively. I am praying that through their ministry, the Perrys will be able to complete the church planting process and see a great working of God in people's lives.
If you have any questions about the Perrys, or us as their home, sending church please call me at (719) 469-6485.
Keeping the Faith in Rocky Ford, Colorado
Glenn Rumrill (Pastor of West Side Bible Church) |
