Well, this update marks the halfway point in a couple of respects. First, it has been about two-and-one-half months since Pound For Pound started. That is very nearly halfway. Secondly, and most important to me, I have officially lost a total of 25 pounds since Pound For Pound started. With a goal of 50 pounds in six months, that puts me halfway to the finish line.

So last week I recovered nicely from the Thanksgiving fiasco by getting down to 224.2.  This week I am proud to say that I got down to 221.2. That is another three (3) pounds gone, gone, gone. I’m getting to the point where my pants fall off of me unless I really cinch down that belt. But hey, isn’t that a brilliant problem to have? I think so.

I am happy to report that Global Response Network’s Tom Zurowski has made it home safely. Still, we need to continue to pray so that this matter is finally and properly resolved. Global Response Network’s Sudan Field Coordinator is still there and is at the fore of having to deal with the issue.

If you are reading this and trying to figure out what is Pound for Pound, please click on the Pound For Pound slide on GRN’s “Home Page” and that will explain it all. Once you do, you'll want to contribute to this great cause. To those already supporting Pound For Pound, thank you for your support and God bless you.

Doing my best to make a difference for the kids,

A.C. Donahue

Let me begin by simply saying, "Thank you!" for all the prayers and support that our team in Sudan and my family received over the last two weeks. My family and I have heard from so many of you, and it has reminded us how much we are loved and cared about.

This last trip to Sudan was certainly unique and filled with many challenges and blessings. As many of you have already read, our field coordinator, Dickson Mutiso and I, were in a life threatening situation. This wasn't make believe or drama, it was the real thing. It brought both of us to tears and had us wondering if we would ever see our families and friends again. Although this is to be expected in a place like Sudan, it took us by surprise and we are grateful for God's mercy (Please refer to the last few blog posts for more details).

Please pray for the people of Limbe (The community that threatened our lives). We are preparing to have a small crusade there later this year and to show the Jesus film. We are also planning on doing a blanket distribution in that town as well. We believe the Holy Spirit is leading us this way.

Though the challenges were great, they did not outweigh the blessings we were privileged to partake in. First, we had a very fruitful meeting with the Secretary General of Central Equatorial State in Juba (capital of Southern Sudan). The secretary is the second highest ranking person in the state and is a solid born again Christian. We feel sure that this will lead to stronger relations between GRN and the Government of Southern Sudan (GOSS).

Second, we had the joy of doing a "walk through" of the Internally Displaced People's (IDP's) camp in Loka. As many of you already know, GRN and its partners had the privilege of serving 460 suffering families. During our walk through, we were pleasantly surprised at how quickly the camp had become a thriving village. People are no longer living under tarps and makeshift structures, instead, they are living in tukuls (Normal Sudanese mud houses). The children look healthy and the spirit of the community is very positive and hopeful. One of the most exciting things we did was view over fifteen acres of thriving crops that we were able to provide during this last rainy season. While on our walk, a camp representative looked at me and said, "What you were able to do to help us has saved lives." I wish all of you could have heard this for yourselves.

Third, we met with Grace, the girl we interviewed on the last trip who had been abducted by the LRA when she was 13 and was raped every day for one full year before she escaped. The trauma she experienced has left Grace emotionally scared and fearful. She was so happy to hear that GRN and it's partners are going to send her to a christian school, where she can "start over" and receive the support she desperately needs. We shared Christ's love with her and told her that God was going to do great things in her life, despite the pain she had suffered. With a smile on her face, she declared (through a translator), "Please tell Tom that I love him and every word he is saying!" She said it to me, but I knew I was only representing all the people who have been praying for and giving to her needs. I fought back tears the whole time we were together. Her brother said, "It is not you who has done this, but it is God who is using you to show my sister how much He loves her." No words could have been more true!

Forth, we had a great meeting with the newly elected Board of Governors (BOG) for the Nugent School (The school project GRN has been working on since 2002). Their ideas were great. They are all graduates of the Nugent School and are looking forward to their children graduating from the school as well. They have a firm grasp of the need for the school to be self-supporting and self-governing. If things progress the way we believe they will, we feel confident that we will be able to fully hand the school over to the community by no later than January 2012. This is a huge development and an encouragement to all of us.

So, as you can see, the trip had many more blessings than it had challenges. I am preparing to return to Sudan in the middle of next month, so please keep all of us in your prayers as we finalize our plans for this upcoming trip.

There are s many more things I could write, but jet lag is getting the best of me. Again, thank you so much for your prayerful and financial support for GRN, our team in Sudan, and the Zurowski family. May God richly bless you!

Dear Friends,

I spoke with Tom today on the telephone. He and our field coordinator ( for security purposes I will refer to him as him "D") had a very full day!  He shared with me that they, accompanied by a representative from SSRRC (South Sudan Relief and Rehabilitation Commission) named George, were able to visit the IDP camp that GRN has been bringing aid to for quite some time. What a different sight Tom found this time! Their tukels (mud huts) were finished, children were laughing and skipping, and the people were happy to see Tom and "D". Tom was very pleased that the people had been able to plant 15-20 acres of food for their village!

Tom and "D" also were able to have an extended visit with Grace, a girl, who you may remember, had escaped from being kidnapped by the "Lord's Resistance Army" (LRA). She is currently living with her Uncle (who is like a father to her), mother, and brother. Tom relayed that their time with her was precious. He called it almost sacred. She shared with them that where she is currently going to school that the other kids make fun of her because of all she has been through with her experience with the LRA. Tom's heart was nearly broken when he heard this. We have been raising money to be able to send her to a private Christian school in Yei. Tom asked her if she would like to go to a new school where no one knows her past so that she could have a fresh start. Grace bowed her head, looked at the interpreter, and said, "Yes."  Her brother looked at Tom and said, "You did not do this. God has brought you here to help my sister." Grace's Uncle and mother told Tom that they trust him and whatever decisions he makes on Grace's behalf. What an honor and a privilege it is for us to be able to serve this young lady.  She seems to be doing her best to serve  Jesus and to live for Him. Please continue to keep Grace in your prayers. She is still frightened of many things. She is afraid that the LRA will come back to kidnap her again. Tom shared with me that he would be willing to go through everything he has ever gone through in Southern Sudan to have moments like the ones he had with Grace. It makes it all worth it! If any of you desire to help financially toward Grace's education, please let us know. As of right now, we only have a few that are contributing toward this expense.

Tom and "D" were also informed by George (from SSRRC) that anothervolatile incident occurred in the village of Limbe (where Tom and "D" were wrongfully accused, attacked, and taken into custody). An organization called "ZOA" that works near this village wanted to hire four workers from the village. The villagers apparently misunderstood, and thought they wanted to hire ALL of the people in the village. When they were informed it was only four people, the villagers proceeded to go to ZOA's front gate and threaten them that unless they hired EVERYONE that they would come in and beat everyone and burn everything within their compound!  The commissioner was called and thankfully arrived with a security detail in time to save ZOA's organization from being attacked.

The commissioner has since found out that Arabs from the northern part of Sudan have been paying people to create disturbances in the county because of future elections that are taking place this year. They don't know if this village has received any of this money, but they suspect that they have. Please continue to pray for Tom and "D" as they need to travel through this village every time they need supplies from Yei and each time Tom goes/comes from the air strip.

Tom shared with me that he looks forward to going back to Limbe with "D" sometime in the future to show the "Jesus film" and to preach the Gospel to the village. Wouldn't it be awesome, if because of all that the enemy has tried to do through the people of this corrupt village, resulted in them coming to know our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!

We appreciate each one of you that have been praying for Tom and "D" and for us as a family. Please don't stop. Your prayers are making a difference!

God bless you,

Elli Zurowski

Tom and our field coordinator are safe. Thank you so much for your prayers, they are working! Here is an update on their situation:

Tom and our field coordinator gave their statements on the “accident” yesterday (again, a woman is making up the story that she was hit by GRN’s truck – totally lying). Praise God, no mob formed against them yesterday when they went back to the village.
The Police chief of the county is leaning toward believing that they are guilty of hitting the woman. The woman is still holding to her story that she was hit by our truck. She is still in the clinic and is claiming to be "hurt". Tom is free to leave the country  later this week on schedule, but our field coordinator will have to go to court which could possibly take up to a month. Originally, they had told Tom he would have to stay in the country until the court date, but they have allowed our friend Lawrence (Exec. Director of Southern Sudan Relief and Rehibilitation Commission -SSRRC) to stand in his place.