School of Sustainable Development

In 2011, after many years of civil war and unrest, the country was divided into North and South Sudan. Ten years ago, a team of YWAMers came to our base to attend the School of Sustainable Development (SSD). Their goal was to bring relief and development to South Sudan, which was trying to recover from the devastation left behind by the conflict.

Unfortunately, in 2021, war broke out again following a coup, which has divided South Sudan until the present, with no peace in sight. The YWAM team eventually had to leave the country because of the violence and unrest. Millions of Sudanese from the Darfur region have been displaced, with over 3 million fleeing into neighboring countries. One of those countries is Uganda, which lies directly south of Sudan.

Our January School of Sustainable Development felt God was leading them to travel to this region to help these refugees, who are trying to scratch out a living there. In April, after four days of travel, they arrived at their destination in Kitgum, Uganda. Here are some photos of the work they did in four communities.

In 2025, South Sudan was listed as the poorest country in the world, with a GDP per capita of $251. Please pray for the people of South Sudan. We plan to continue sending teams there as long as they need us. Our next SSD will be in January 2026. If you would like to be part of this work, please contact us.

Short term team

In May, we were blessed to have two short-term teams come down to join us. During their time here, they worked with two children’s ministries and with young mothers. They were also able to repair a house owned by a single mother with three children. In addition to this, they worked with some local churches and helped with Bible distribution.

We have many opportunities for service if you would like to be a part of what the Lord is doing in Costa Rica. Please check out our website if you would like to apply. We welcome singles, couples, families with children, and church teams. Here are some photos of their activities.

Visit to Peru

As most of you know, I grew up in the Peruvian Amazon, where my parents served as missionaries for 30 years. In May, we were invited to the wedding of my best friend’s granddaughter. Donna had never been to Peru, so we thought this would be a great opportunity to show her where I grew up and introduce her to the people I grew up with.

After the wedding, we flew over the Andes Mountains to the Amazon basin of Peru, where I spent my childhood. We started in Pucallpa, which is 94 km (about 50 miles) from the town of Tournavista, where we lived. It was the rainy season, so it was a muddy three-hour drive to get there. Once there, we were invited to stay in the house that used to be our family home. It was built in 1955 out of mahogany, and it is still standing.

Another treat was getting to preach at the church my parents helped plant in the 1950s. At that time, it was the first evangelical church in the area.

Radio station

A highlight of the trip was visiting the radio station my dad began in the 1970s. It was the first Christian FM radio station in the Peruvian Amazon and is still providing 24/7 Christian programming. Part of his vision was to share the gospel orally through the airwaves. Most of the tribes were illiterate, and the Bible was still being translated into their languages. His idea was to bring indigenous pastors to the radio station to share the gospel in their tribal languages—much like we are doing today with Oral Mother Tongue (OMT).

We have adopted an unreached people group in the upper Amazon of Peru called the Nanti. According to the Joshua Project, they are unreached and have no Christian witness, Scripture, or place of fellowship. During our trip to Peru, we met with a man from a neighboring tribe who is helping us translate the book of Luke into the Nanti language.

Our goal is to take a team up the river to visit this tribe later this year. Our plan is to use sustainable development to gain access to the tribe, since they are very wary of outsiders—who too often come to exploit them. Please be praying that God would give us favor with the tribal leaders.

Upcoming

In August, we will be running a Homesteading Seminar for all those who want to learn how to live off the land. Below you will find a link with the information you need to sign up. It includes dates, costs, location, and topics. We would love to have you join us. We can also include a free day at one of the local attractions if you’d like.

Our next DTS will be starting on September 15th. Our last DTS went to Peru for their outreach. We would love to have you join us for this life-changing experience. One of the students from our last school is currently serving in Malawi, Africa.

We appreciate your prayers and your support.

Yours in Christ,
Terry & Donna Keith

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