Update on South Sudan

The Situation
It has been just over six months since fighting broke out in South Sudan.  The numbers are scary.  While we can only estimate right now, it appears over 15,000 people have lost their lives while close to 1 million people have fled the fighting to return to their homelands or taken refuge within the UN camps around the country.  Often people have fled with only what they can carry so imagine the lost businesses and personal possessions.  Schools in the areas of conflict have suspended, travel is dangerous, and food is scarce.  Those who have fled have made grass shelters to give them shade but the rains come this month so many organizations anticipate a sharp increase in disease.

President Salva Kiir and former Vice President Riek Machar
Leaders of opposing sides of the conflict

The Good News
In early May a peace agreement was signed between the two opposing leaders of the conflict and again on June 10th, they re-affirmed their commitment to peace and gave themselves 60 days to form a transitional government to move the country forward.  Here is the article: Sudan Tribune.
Fighting on the ground has continued but at a much slower pace and intensity.  Hopefully, the main fighting has stopped and the country can move forward in earnest to establish peace.

Gideon Theological College
The school remains closed at this time.  The principal, Kur Deng, has remained at the college but is taking this time to continue his studies doing long distance learning.  Steve and Judi Cochran have continued to live and work on the campus.  Steve is preparing the housing and buildings for when the school opens up again.  The school will most likely remain closed for the rest of the year but we are hopeful to open up again in early 2015.

What Can you do?
Pray that God will give great wisdom to the leaders of South Sudan and those who counsel them as they figure out the next steps.  For you Americans, think of it as 1776 and a new nation is defining who they are and what they want to become.  It is a key time.

Give to Grain for Pain.  This is an organization led by a Christian Southern Sudanese woman that we know from Melut who is helping to meet the needs of those who have fled from the conflict and now are starving from the lack of food.

-Eli

Trip to Melut

Over the past week I (Eli) have been in Melut, South Sudan to investigate a possible ministry location for our family after language study.  Gideon Theological College was started here by the Sudan Interior Church and the Sudan Church of Christ over 30 years ago.  The war caused it to shift locations but now it is back in Melut and it has a wide and deep needs.  Here are a few pictures:

Chris Crowder, director of SIM Sudan in the library.  3 full shelves of English volumes and 1 shelf of Arabic.  There are many books waiting to be shelved too.

The Tukul (hut) where we stayed for the week.  It was very windy and freezing cold in the morning but warmed up in the afternoon.  The water was wonderful for swimming although I did keep close to the shore.  The beauty of the sunsets was astonishing.

There is only one classroom right now.  GTC has 18 students.  They are all in their 3rd year of pursuing their Bachelor of Arts, a four year program.

The sunrise on the morning we left.  You can see a fisherman already out in his wooden canoe.

Chris Crowder, Hellene Samia (head teacher of our SIC Secondary School), Hiakie Hegui (SIC Secondary School), and Dr. Donker (present Academic Dean of GTC) at the entrance to the college.

Any verse come to mind when you see a weapon turned into a tool?  There is a vise welded to the top of this exploded bomb.  Check out Isaiah 2:4.  This is our prayer for this place.

The needs of GTC are immense.  There is great need to build more teacher housing, student housing and classrooms.  There is great need for teachers.  There is great need for partners to give scholarships and financially back the school.  Do you see a way for you to meet any of these needs?