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South Sudan cries for help
By Andrew Symes
http://anglicanmainstream.org/south-sudan-cries-for-help/
Aug 20, 2014
A conference in London brought together senior church leaders from 5 major denominations in South Sudan, together with leaders from UK mission organizations and NGO's to explain the seriousness of the crisis in South Sudan and to appeal for help. This comes just after a visit by Rowan Williams with Christian Aid to the new country, and is happening at the same time as another attempt at peace talks between Government and rebel factions in Addis Ababa facilitated by church leaders.
Barnabas Fund provided the organization of the London conference, together with Oxford Centre for Religion in Public Life. I attended an open meeting featuring a presentation by Bishops with Martin Mogga from the African Inland Church as the chief spokesman. We heard of the appalling results of the explosion of civil war which followed independence and the creation of a new country in 2011 -- in many parts of the country there is an almost complete breakdown of health and education services. A tenth of the population are refugees, mostly internally displaced within the country although many thousands have fled to neighbouring lands. As crops have not been planted because of violence in some areas and drought is affecting others, lack of food and clean water is rapidly becoming a serious threat, with an estimated 50,000 children facing imminent starvation. Militias and other armed gangs roam the country, often taking food aid; no-one is sure who is funding the fighting.
As is often the case in Africa, the church is often the only functioning organization in the absence of proper governance or public services in much of the country. Remarkable stories are emerging of the sacrifice and spiritual strength of Christians of different denominations. Women in particular are at the heart of subsistence agriculture, small enterprise and local reconciliation initiatives. Most amazing is the faith shown by many individual Christians and churches across the country in the face of disaster. Anglican Bishop David Akau said that the first need is prayer, and then of course financial help from brothers and sisters across the world.
There is a danger of "compassion fatigue", with the attention of the world's media focused on the middle East, and also West Africa with its Ebola outbreak. Some have dismissed South Sudan as a problem created by its own people and that we have no responsibility to help. But failure to act will result in suffering and death for many; it will also create huge instability in a region already at risk from radical Islamic forces. Great work by NGO's is already going on, but more is needed.
At a Press Conference today, a new appeal was launched to the Christian community in the UK and beyond, to assist with relief, reconciliation and reconstruction in South Sudan. Please read carefully, pray and contact the relevant people if you feel moved to give.
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Cry from South Sudan: how you can help.
An appeal from Senior South Sudan Christian Leaders to the Global Community:
Dear Friends,
As a group of senior leaders representing our churches in South Sudan ( the Africa Inland Church, the Episcopal Church of South Sudan, the Sudan Pentecostal Church and the Presbyterian Church of South Sudan) we met over two days with senior leaders in the United Kingdom under the aegis of Barnabas Fund to determine how to respond to the challenges we face.
We lead Christian communities in the world's newest nation where a significant majority of our people are Christian. Yet we suffer from many enemies -- hunger, poverty, violence and even genocide. We are deeply saddened and grieved by the egregious human rights abuses on all sides. Even pastors have been killed and churches burnt.
Our country has undergone a long and destructive civil war which broke out again in December 2013. Most of our national income comes from the North East of the country where there is heavy fighting over our oil fields. Tribalism has reasserted itself and those who fought together shoulder to shoulder for our independence have now turned on each other. Since then hundreds of thousands of people have been displaced; there are already signs of famine which promises to become worse and we face the possible breakdown of the whole country.
Our future is being undermined as our children are being devastated. Over seven per cent die at birth. Few attend school. Those schools that do function have to meet under trees. Those that do get educated have no jobs. This is a time bomb for vulnerability to radicalization by extremist groups.
God calls the church to bring peace and stability to South Sudan. However we acknowledge that we have not always been faithful to this calling. We as church leaders now want to respond unitedly. We are committed to act together as one body and have established the United Christian Emergency Committee for South Sudan. We will be acting trans- denominationally.
We ask you to support us in the following areas.
* To help us build a strong and healthy nation for the future.
* To support our hands in prayer for God's deliverance
* To continue your interest and concern for the long term. Millions have died in conflict in our nation and millions have been displaced. We are committed to ensuring a long lasting peace.
* To keep our nation and its hopes and needs before your Governments and other institutions to bring their pressure to bear
* To assist us as you can in the following strategic projects:
1. Human Rights
2. Education
3. Relationship with cultures
4. Health
5. Relief
6. Discipleship/Theological Training
7. Political/Peacemaking
8. Leadership/Ethics
9. Publishing
10. Economic Development
11. Legal Systems
12. Prayer Committee/Intercession
In our emergency situation we will begin with the following:
1. To provide food, medical relief and shelter. As crops have failed, we are now experiencing a famine which could become unmanageable.
2. A process of political reconciliation with specialist advisers. Without peace there can be no stable future for our country
3. Establish teachers' training programmes ensuring a supply of teachers to encourage the government to build many schools. Education of the young is key to the future of South Sudan.
4. Establish a leaders 'staff college' with courses for politicians, bishops and senior clergy, businessmen, people in the military and law enforcement and other leaders in civil society. We will provide responsible leaders for the nation.
A website and twitterfeed will soon be launched.
Please contact us for now through Rev John Brand, Friends of Sudan john@thebrands.org.uk
Dr Roderick Westrop Barnabas Fund Roderick.Westrop@barnabasfund.org
We will do our part in being good shepherds to our people. But we cannot do this alone. We need your help.
United Christian Emergency Committee for South Sudan
Chairman: Bishop John Kongi (Africa Inland Church)
Bishop Martin Mogga Ifoga (Africa Inland Church)
Bishop David Akau (Episcopal Church of South Sudan)
Mr. Francis Yugusuk Augustino (Presbyterian Church)
Bishop Frazer Yugu (Episcopal Church of South Sudan)
Bishop Raphael Kenyi (Pentecostal Church)
Rev. Sebit Ali Along Ako (Pentecostal Church)
Rev.Alex Gabriel Lado (Presbyterian Church)
Supported by the UK Partnership Committee
Chairman Dr Patrick Sookhdeo Barnabas Fund
Rev John Brand Friends of Sudan
Mr Simon Ashmore Barnabas Fund
Dr Martin Davie Oxford Centre for Religion and Public Life
Dr Margaret Griffin Salisbury Support Group
Sir Charles Hoare Bt. Anglican International Development
Canon Dr Vinay Samuel Oxford Centre for Religion and Public Life
Canon Dr Chris Sugden Anglican Mainstream
Dr Roderick Westrop Barnabas Fund
Mr Matthew Winbow Barnabas Fund
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