Camel Corps

Vicky Bentley with camel and chaplains

The FRMA airplane lifted off for Kadugali on a special mission to help advance the Gospel. My wife, Vicky and the senior chaplains were flying in to find and purchase twenty-two new camels for the Camel Corps from the Arab traders that frequent the town. Until recently, Kadugali has been under Islamic control. The town is hot, dirty, and dusty where men still wear the Jalabiye – the traditional Islamic, long white robe. Kadugali is a place that seems to be at the end of the world and it is closed to western thought.

At the time of this trip, I was stateside, traveling and speaking on behalf of the ministry. As a husband, I am highly protective of my wide and struggle when I cannot be there to watch over her. One of my biggest fears for this trip was that the traders would try to raise the price of the camels when they discovered we would be purchasing a large number. It was not long before my fears were realized. The trip was full of difficulties from the moment the airplane touched down.

Long in advance, we had arranged for accommodation to be ready upon arrival, but the group found that the reservation had been given away to someone who offered more money. Vicky called me on the satellite phone to inform me of the situation, but said not to worry that the chaplains were checking for other accommodations. I wondered why, as her husband, I was not with her. We had prayed and felt that God had given us the “go-ahead” for this trip but I was still concerned. I told her that I wanted an update every few hours. She called soon after that to let me know that the chaplains had located two rooms. They would share one, and she would stay in the other. I was relieved, but only for a few hours. Vicky called again at about seven in the evening (Kadugali time) and told me that the chaplains were looking for another place to stay while she waited near the hotel’s entrance. As they had arrived, one of the employees began to yell and scream, “This woman cannot stay here!” Apparently it was a Muslim-run hotel where only men were allowed to stay. Vicky and the chaplains were put out on the streets and it was beginning to grow dark.

I could picture my wife standing alone in this hot and dirty place. When I had been in similar situations before, it had been okay, but I was greatly troubled that my wife was in the same situation. We prayed, and she said that she would call me back shortly. It seemed like hours before she called back, although it was really only twenty minutes. God had heard our prayer and a local commander opened his home to the team. Not only did they have a place to stay, but they would also be well protected. The Lord was definitely stretching me. Trust is easy in situations we have control over, but us much more difficult when we have to completely place ones we love in the Lord’s hands.

We had prearranged to rendezvous with a group of traders and purchase the camels. However, when the chaplains went to meet them, the traders had doubled the price. We had already invested a great deal of time and expense in getting to Kadugali. Vicky called me to ask if there was any flex in the budget. At the same time James Olal and Jaber (the senior chaplain in Kadugali) went to negotiate. After prayer, I felt that we needed to stand firm on the issue and not give in to the traders’ demands. I told them to inform the traders that, if we could not get the original price of one million dinar ($500) that we would leave. James told them, “Do not tell me about the camels for two to three million; only tell me about the camel for nine hundred thousand to one million. Do you have any of these?” The traders said that they had some available for this price. As they were talking to these men, another set of traders approached them and told them that these traders were not honest men. They said that they had camels available on the other side of the mountain, and agreed to the price that was offered. James told them to bring the twenty-two camels. The traders asked, “Are you serious?!” James told them, “Yes, we are serious.” The traders went over the mountain, brought back twenty-two camels that were better than the camels of the first trader, and sold them to us for our original price.

Vicky told me that the chaplains were as excited as little kids are when they get their first new bike. One said, “My camel is the best because he is the tallest” , and others said that theirs was the best because he was the fastest, whitest or strongest. Another told us that he rides his camel, so it is like a car; he carries supplies with his camel, so it is like a truck; and he plows his fields with his camel, so it is like a tractor. The men were greatly blessed by the generosity of the Christians in America—both adults and children—who sacrificed everything from birthday gifts, haircuts, and lattes so that others could be reached with the Good News. The future for the Camel Corps will be one carrying the Gospel through tools like the Jesus film that we equip the chaplains with. We will report on these men’s progress as they cross the mountains and deserts of Sudan to set the captives free from sin through the power of the Holy Spirit and God’s Word. I think in eternity, it will be said that these men knew the Son and, for the moment they were allotted here on earth, they followed His path.

Wes & Vicky Bentley
Camel Corps Southern Sudan