The Sudan
If you close your ear to the cry of the poor, you will cry out and not be heard. Proverbs 21.13
The link
Salisbury Diocese is linked with the Episcopal Church of Sudan. You can learn more about this link on the
Diocesan website.
In Gillingham we support the Sudan through giving, prayer and collecting postcards.
Link with Lui
Following the visit of Bishop Dolli to us in July 2008 we are now looking at creating a link with his Diocese of Lui. We have made a good start - the Families' Weekend held later in July raised £218.50 while a special appeal at Harvest 2008 brought the amount to be sent up to £981.88 (before gift aid).
Show / hide thanks from Bishop Dolli and how the money was spent
"Thanks for support and assistance for the Diocese of Lui last year, special the congregation of St Mary's Gillingham.
The Revd Canon Ian Woodward - he translated the dollars to Sudanese pounds 4,000.00.
How the money used:
- Rina Hamza Tuition fees: 2,000.00
(Rina Hamza William Daystar University doing community Development course in Nairobi.) - Clergy Church dairies: 500.00
- School excise books: 500.00
- Support for four clergy returned from Khartoum to Lui: 800.00
- Support for two widows: 200.
- Total: 4,000.00
I have started confirmation itinerary in the Diocese on push bike to cover about 15,000 square kilometers. I valve your prayers very much and thanks for your prayers and support for the Diocese of Lui.
May God bless you.
More details about this link to follow.
The Diocese of Missouri is linked with the Diocese of Lui and provides information on its website.
Prayer
A Prayer for the Sudan
God our Father,
whose son Jesus Christ wept over your people who knew not the way of peace,
and were as sheep without a shepherd,
hear our prayer for the people of the Sudan.
Turn the hearts of their leaders to reconciliation and peace.
Bless their Archbishop and clergy, that they may be true shepherds of your flock.
Strengthen those who heal the wounded and feed the hungry.
Hasten the time when all nations will own your just and gentle rule and receive your gift of peace, in Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
The above prayer is used in all churches in the Diocese.
More prayers can be found on the Diocesan website - this includes a page updated each month.
Giving
This included our special giving at our Harvest Thanksgiving in 2007, when £387.83 (£475 with Gift Aid) went to Christian Aid's work aiding the relief of the people of the Darfur.
Postcards
Postcards, old and new, used and unused, may be left in the box by the south door at St. Mary's. They are sold to collectors to raise money for the Sudan Church Association. Recently about 10% of the income of the SCA has been from postcards; £52 570 was raised in the 5 years to 2008.
Sudan Study Day 2008
Last month people from all over the diocese congregated at Shaftesbury School to hear some very eminent speakers talking about their commitment to, and work in, the Sudan. The day was organised by the Sudan Committee of Salisbury Diocese.
The Revd. Don Brewin from SOMA UK (Sharing of Ministries Abroad) spoke about the effort of the church in the Sudan to make theological sense of its sufferings and find ways to respond in a Christian way to the political situation. He summed up the task of the church as trying to discern the Spirit in the midst of chaos.
Then Dr John Chesworth from the Oxford Centre for Muslim – Christian Studies spoke about theological education in East Africa and some of the practical problems of training ordinands. He highlighted the more basic difficulty of lack of knowledge about Christianity at grass roots level and therefore lack of growth in the faith.
Canon Ian Woodward told us how the Sudan Link tries to understand the needs of the Sudanese church communities and work with church leaders there. Like the other speakers, he has been to the Sudan and was about to set off on another visit to Juba.
Prof. Andrew Tomkins of the Institute of Health and Child Development, University College, London, spoke about the main types of illness found in the Sudan, the health care that is available (or not), the influence of traditional healers and the negative effects of stigma within the church. He also pointed out how high levels of child ill-health reduce school attendance and thus affect educational attainment.
The final speaker was Brigadier Vere Hayes on the topic of security sector reform in southern Sudan. He spoke about efforts to transform the SPLA into a professional army amid the problems caused by lack of infrastructure and resources and illiteracy among soldiers – and against a background of four million people uprooted by war, no effective police force and a shortage of experienced leaders.
This was not a comfortable day, as the difficulties facing the Sudan were laid bare by speaker after speaker. On the other hand, it was heartening to hear about the practical help given by individuals offering their skills and experience to support the Sudanese people.
Please sign (or view) our guestbook ...
and especially for children
