By November 2024, EFM had made a commitment to launch seven of the nine fields that were under exploration. Those seven fields are now moving on to the prayer and pre-launch planning phases. Meanwhile, we are currently still sending Luke 10 Exploration Teams to consider other potential fields, one of them being unreached people groups in Southeast Asia. You can learn more here.

A 10:2 Prayer Trip is an annual trip to the mission fields where EFM has committed to sending missionaries. Teams are asked to pray for the soil (Matthew 13:1-23) and pray for the workers (Luke 10:2). Teams are sent or guided by sponsoring regions/yearly meetings of the new EFM fields that have been leading exploration. 10:2 Prayer Trips will target appropriate communities for prayer walking and interceding that “the Kingdom come, and God’s will be done on earth as it is in heaven” in those places.

In November 2024, a 10:2 Prayer Trip took place in South Sudan. The following is a report written by team member Kevin Hoppock.

Who Was on this Trip & Where Did We Travel?

The team members who participated on this trip were, from EFC- Rwanda, Jean Paul Nsekanabo (Missions Team Chair), Nicodeme and Annonciatha Basebya with daughter Joy (approved missionary candidates) and Brad Carpenter (EFM Missionary); and from Mexico Yearly Meeting North, Samuel Vasquez (Pastor); and from the U.S., Kevin and Melissa Hoppock (EFM board member), Tony and Stacey Wheeler (EFM board member), and Matt Macy (EFM staff).

We travelled to the country of South Sudan, not to be confused with the neighboring country of Sudan, is the newest country in the U.N. We traveled to Juba, the capital of South Sudan. From there, we made a couple of trips to a nearby new suburb, Juba Two, which is where we sense that the mission may first get established. We also made a day trip by flight to Kapoeta, which is in the Eastern Equatoria part of the country where the unreached Toposa People continue to practice animistic religions.

A Few Trip Highlights

In Kapoeta, Annonciata made a divine connection with a key Rwandan shop owner who is deeply connected to the Rwandans who enter the country. She was able to pray over him and exchange numbers. She also was led to the outskirts of Kapoeta where we found a large gathering of women. Communication was difficult, but we were able to visibly extend love and joy. Annonciata has a beautiful and skillful way of engaging women even despite language barriers.

One morning, we all went to the top of our seven-floor hotel, where we had a view of the city of Juba. We then spent a powerful time together in prayer over the city.

Our corporate times of prayer were sweet; however, for those of us who are not African, to be present in the neighborhoods where the mission may soon start was limited due to the concern that the presence of foreigners might create misunderstood expectations. Even with that limitation, the Rwandans on the team were able to walk, pray, and make connections in Juba Two, and the rest of us were able to engage and pray with a few families in Juba Two and with a few business owners in Kapoeta.

What did We Pray for?  How Can You Continue Praying?

We invite you to join us in prayer…

• For more workers from EFM in the U.S. and from the Friends Church of Rwanda.  South Sudan is ripe for the harvest!
• For EFC-Rwanda as they challenge themselves to send well.  They plan to send their first missionary family, Nicodeme, Annonciata, and Joy Basebya, in the summer/fall of 2025.
• That the EFC-Rwanda missions-sending framework be strong in prayer, care, finances, and strategy, as well as for discernment in training and coaching.
  For this missionary family’s logistics, such as housing in Juba Two, adequate support systems for the family in transition, and appropriate school choices for Joy, who is due to begin “secondary school” in fall 2025 (grades 7-12 in traditional boarding school).
• For EFM’s partnership with EFC-Rwanda in starting this new mission field. May the Lord Jesus get the glory, the nations get the gospel, and the church get the good life!

Are you Feeling Called to Join EFM? Are you interested in exploring missionary service? Do you know of anyone of any age who might be interested in exploring the idea of serving as a missionary overseas for two or more years? EFM is currently looking to contact and connect with people about opportunities to explore serving as missionaries with the Friends Church! To learn more, visit here or fill out this interest form!

We look forward to sharing more news as it becomes available about what we are finding and discerning in EFM’s Luke 10 Initiative.