Needs of Sudan

Sudan has had civil war thirty-eight of the fifty-three years since independence. The last war ended between Muslim north Sudan and Christian and animist south Sudan with peace accords signed in January 2005. A few infrastructure projects got underway in parts of south Sudan, and two million refugees in surrounding countries returned to their villages to begin planting crops and raising livestock.

A vast country of far-flung villages, south Sudan continues to face monumental problems-lack of health care, lack of education, lack of utilities and infrastructure, internal strife among leaders, and violent tribal conflicts. If that is not enough, famine is imminent due to recent drought. Malnourishment is already a problem for most.

The South Sudan vice-president, Dr. Riak Machar, a confessing evangelical Christian, made a plea for 40 million US dollars to keep people from starvation over the next three months. Donors have been reluctant to channel funds through government authorities due to evidences of corruption and misuse of funds. Much of the government's share of oil revenues are not accounted for.

With guns in the hands of many returning refugees, tribal conflicts are deadly. In the eastern half of south Sudan alone, more than 4,000 lives have been lost to tribal warfare since the first of the year. Churches in Sudan have begun to be salt and light. They are openly acknowledged by political leaders and others as a significant influence for peace and conflict resolution in a very fragmented and volatile country.

Diaconal Aid

The Presbyterian Church of Sudan (PCOS) has a membership of over two million. In cooperation with the PCOS, MERF is providing diaconal aid to the neediest families in nine different regions of south Sudan, including both the eastern and western upper Nile. This includes the provision of seed for returning refugee families to begin planting crops. Plans are underway for animal husbandry micro-projects which would allow needy families to care for animals in return for some of the milk and offspring.

Meeting Spiritual Needs

Sufferings during the civil war opened many hearts to Christ. Whole communities of animist tribes came to faith, but few have had opportunity to receive much teaching from the Bible. Physical needs are great in south Sudan, but the most serious threat is a lack of spiritual leaders trained in the Scriptures. Without active teaching in God's Word, south Sudan remains largely untouched by the deep peace, security, industry, love, and joy of a biblical worldview.

MERF seeks to bring solid Bible teaching to the south Sudanese by three ministries-daily gospel radio broadcasts in the two main tribal languages, an intensive five-month biblical training program for church leaders, and support of pastors and evangelists through their churches. Pray for the Lord's continued blessing on these ministries. Praise God that in many villages, people gather every day around those with operational radios to hear Bible teaching in a familiar tongue.

Lokichoggio Center

Since opening in November 2003, MERF's "Loki" Center in northern Kenya on the borders of South Sudan has trained 140 pastors, 210 evangelists, and many elders and lay leaders from various tribes. Brought by charter plane from remote areas of South Sudan, they receive five months of basic biblical and theological teaching. All return home equipped to share God's Word with their communities. Guest instructors are experienced pastors, elders, and Bible teachers who sacrificially serve these groups of about forty students.

The Sudan is the largest country in Africa, bordering nine other nations. The term "Sudan" comes from Arabic and means "the place of black people". Ancient Egyptians called the Sudan "Cush." The Romans called it "Nubia." Sudan, located immediately up the Nile from Egypt, enjoys a very rich diversity of terrain, climate and ethnic composition and is endowed with many natural resources. Many consider it the African country with the greatest potential after South Africa. Yet, wrought by continual war and upheaval, Sudan has become one of the poorest countries on earth.

Population

There are two kinds of people in the Sudan. The northerners are Arabic-speaking and largely Sunni Muslims. They tend to be relatively light-skinned, coming from Arab or Egyptian stock. Northern Sudanese Muslims constitute the majority of the population and have ruled the country for the past 45 years.

The southern Sudanese are black African people belonging to many tribes. More than 200 languages and dialects are spoken in the south of Sudan. The largest four are the Dinka, Nuer, Nuba and Shilluk. The enmity between these African tribes and the colonizing Arabic-speaking Muslims of the north insulated them against the islamization that occurred in the centre and west of Africa. The Nubian tribe established a nominal, ritualistic Christian kingdom for more than seven centuries that later embraced Islam. All other southern Sudanese people practised various forms of animism until this century.

Colonial History

During the colonial era, the Sudan came under British control. While the British did not advocate the spread of Christianity, their presence provided unified authority and stability as well as a degree of freedom. This atmosphere was helpful for Gospel outreach first in northern Sudan and later in the rest of the country.

Christian Ministries

At the end of the 19^th century Reformed missions in Egypt were very successful. The translation and publication of the Arabic Bible brought about an immense spiritual revival among the large Coptic "Christian" minority in Egypt. Many Presbyterian congregations were organized throughout the country. Many Egyptian Presbyterians took jobs in the Sudan as part of the British civil service. So, Arabic congregations were established in Khartoum and other northern Sudanese towns.

In the meantime, American Presbyterians and British Anglicans began to establish mission stations throughout southern Sudan. At that time most of the Presbyterians and Anglicans were Evangelical and Reformed. Anglicans worked for the most part among the Dinka tribe, the Presbyterians worked largely among the Nuer and Shilluk people. Their work was richly blessed by the Lord. Many southern Sudanese were converted and churches were organized throughout the southern third of the Sudan. Their work involved not only verbal Gospel proclamation but also deeds of mercy such as medical work, literacy classes and the establishing of schools and clinics. Other parachurch and independent western mission agencies also became active among southern Sudanese people.

One major factor contributed to the lasting success of evangelical Reformed witness in the Sudan -- the missionaries were eager to quickly provide basic training for qualified converts to take over the spiritual leadership of their own people. This freed them to keep moving on to other towns and villages with the Gospel message.

Muslim Government Opposition

In 1964 the northern Muslim-dominated government gained independence from British rule. It clamped down upon Christian missions. This led to the "sudanization" of church work in the country.

Also, tensions between the southern African Sudanese and the Arab northerners increased. Black African Sudanese felt underrepresented and deprived of privileges. So began a long civil war seeking to gain liberation. In the last ten years, a military take-over and introduction of an Islamic Constitution heightened the tension and armed conflict.

The Islamic government resorted to the use of economic, educational, military and other tactics to seek to Islamize southerners who have become more and more attracted to Christianity. By God's grace, the church in the Sudan has not only survived but also continues to grow. Unofficial reports indicate the number of those associated with Presbyterian churches of Sudan is estimated to be 1.8 million. Through the conversion of the Nuer people of south Sudan, the door also opened wide in the last years for the conversion of hundreds of thousands of Nuer people in southwestern Ethiopia.

Sudanese Christians Today

African Sudanese Christians are among the poorest people in the world. Yet they are persistent and steadfast believers who know what it is to remain loyal to Christ under very harsh conditions of life. They tend to be very zealous for the conversion of the rest of their animist tribesmen. The believing communities in the Sudan are among the largest and fastest growing in all of Africa.

Several significant problems face the Reformed communities in the Sudan. The most serious is the lack of trained evangelists, pastors, elders and deacons. The majority of church officers and other active workers lacks the most elementary biblical training needed for discipling and building up their own people. Those engaged in the training of elders and lay evangelists are under no illusion as to the immensity of the biblical task which they must face. It will take serious and active efforts of biblical and theological education over the next 30 years or more to catch up with the needs of the Sudanese churches for trained workers.

Lack of food and medical care in south Sudan has given rise to one of the highest mortality rates in the world. The desperate economic situation has created a class of professional clergymen knowledgeable in fund-raising, who live comfortably away from their own people in surrounding countries. There has also been a wave of immigration of educated Sudanese believers to prosperous and stable countries like the USA, Canada, Australia and other countries in Europe. These include theologically trained young men. Thus, the Sudanese church is deprived of precious potential leadership.

Prayer Support

Another matter for fervent prayer is the racial divide among Sudanese Reformed people. Tribal tensions and conflicts have spilled over into the church. Tensions over the distribution of relief materials among factions within the same tribes remind us of similar tensions in the early church as recorded in Acts 6.

Still there is much cause for joy. Arab and African Sudanese believers have learned to care for and fellowship with one another in the Reformed churches in northern Sudan. The average Sudanese believer is very teachable and receptive to instruction from God's word. The Gospel has also had an encouraging impact among the Nubian Muslims. Even among Muslim northerners, there are indications of growing interest in studying the Arabic Bible. There are confirmed reports of conversions among Sudanese army personnel and other northern Muslims.

The Future

As we contemplate the affairs of our Sudanese brethren, let us remember that the spiritual battle for the hearts and minds of the vast majority of the Sudanese people is far from over. Our concern and prayer support for them ought not to be governed by a sentimental or "this-world" agenda of the media. Let us also guard against viewing the battle as political or military, or becoming overly burdened with stories of sufferings and persecution. Let us remember that the Almighty Lord, in his infinite wisdom allows the church a measure of suffering for her own good and His own glory. Let us pray for the conversion of many more northern Sudanese Muslims through the enduring faith of the suffering Sudanese church. It is a privilege to be part of bringing the gospel to Sudan and building up God's people there through the ministries of the Middle East Reformed Fellowship: broadcasting in the gospel in Arabic over the radio, providing for the training and support of Sudanese pastors and evangelists through their churches and diaconal aid to help alleviate the great physical needs as part of the overall church witness.

Sudan Facts

Sudan (officially the Republic of the Sudan) is a country in northeastern Africa. It is the largest country in Africa and in the Arab World, and tenth largest in the world by area. It is bordered by Egypt to the north, the Red Sea to the northeast, Eritrea and Ethiopia to the east, Kenya and Uganda to the southeast, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Central African Republic to the southwest, Chad to the west and Libya to the northwest. The world's longest river, the Nile, bisects the country from south to north.

Sudan is home to one of the world's oldest continuous major civilizations, with historical and urban settlements dating back to 3000 BC. The people of Sudan have a long history extending from antiquity, which is intertwined with the history of Egypt, with which it was united politically over several periods. After gaining independence from the United Kingdom in 1956, Sudan suffered a civil war, lasting 17 years, subsequently followed by ethnic, religious, and economic conflict between the Northern Sudanese (with Arab and Nubian roots), and the Christian and animist Nilotes of Southern Sudan. Thus this led to a second civil war in 1983, and due to continuing political and military struggles, Sudan was seized in a bloodless coup d'état by colonel Omar al-Bashir in 1989, who thereafter proclaimed himself President of Sudan, achieved great economic growth by implementing macroeconomic reforms and finally ended the civil war in 2005 by adopting a new constitution with rebel groups in the south. Rich of natural resources such as petroleum and crude oil, Sudan's economy is amongst the fastest growing in the world.

However, after introducing an Islamic legal code on the national level, establishing the ruling National Congress Party (NCP) as the only political party and supporting the usage of recruited Arab militias in guerrilla warfare, such as in the ongoing Darfur conflict, al-Bashir's presidency has been marked by thousands of people being displaced and killed, in what has been described as a genocide. Though officially a presidential representative democratic republic, Sudan is widely considered to be controlled by an authoritarian regime, which has led to armed conflict with Chad, obstructed humanitarian assistance to the civilian population and has even led to war crimes charges being issued against members of the government. This has been followed by severe economic sanctions being put on the country, especially by the United States.

A member of the United Nations, Sudan also maintains membership with the AU, LAS, OIC and NAM, as well as serving as an observer in WTO. Its capital is Khartoum, which serves as the political, cultural and commercial center of the nation, while Omdurman remains the largest city. Among Sudan's population of 42 million people, Sunni Islam is the official and largest religion, while Arabic and English are the official languages.