Together in Faith for a Better Future
A Word from the Diocesan Bishop of Wau By Rt, Rev, Moses Deng. Peace Be With You
“The Lord lift up his countenance upon thee and give thee peace.” Numbers chapter6 verse26 (KJB) I think it is very true that as Christians we do many strange things. In many churches as a part of the worship when people are gathered together there is a moment of blessing where the priest says, “peace of be with you” and then the people say it to each other and greet one another as if they were long lost friends. This must seem very strange to some people but really peace is very important to us. I must tell you that since the last Renewal magazine my dear friend Mr Kenneth Hearn has died. It is true that Kenneth was quite an old man and he was also very ill with cancer. But still it makes me sad. This news is also huge sadness to us in Wau Diocese because Kenneth was a man who lived to help us. In fact before I was even a Bishop Kenneth was helping the people of Wau Diocese. Kenneth did not live here with us, although he did come to visit, he lived in the UK and became a commissary for us here to help us in all manner of ways. If you do not know about this a commissary is a bit like an official friend who represents you in other places. Kenneth was also a lay Canon of our cathedral. Sometimes his help was in guidance, sometimes connections, sometimes raising money or advocacy and sometimes just being there for us in fellowship. We owe a great debt to Mr Kenneth Hearn and I hope that you will join with me in offering a prayer for his widow called Thelma, his family and also offer thanks to God for all that he did. Kenneth very much took his inspiration from Jesus and the time that we are in now is called Advent, which is the time of waiting for Jesus to
Index A Word From The Bishop ....................................2 Mosquito Nets Distributed..................................5 Healing a Wounded Nation.................................6 Education Report...............................................9 The Women of A Step Together........................11 A Postcard of Peace from Yei............................12 Yei Reconciliation Workshop.............................13 CNHPR Closing Statement.................................15 Rose Asciendhel Peace Mobiliser......................17 Peace Mobilisers Charter...................................18 CNHPR in Warrap State.....................................19 Rev Nathaniel Preaches.....................................20 Fresh TEE Training Announced..........................21 I Know the Plans I have for You.........................22 Akon Clinic Roof Damaged................................24 A Tribute to the Late Kenneth Hearn................27 Development Project Summaries......................28 Contact Us ........................................................29 Please Pray with us ...........................................30 come. Truly this is a time of great expectation. Prophets in the Bible knew that Jesus would come and that when he did come things would
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change forever. These are the words of the prophet Isaiah from chapter 9 verses 6 :
let us celebrate every day, no one should cry any more".
“For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.”
Our church is for peace in fact all the churches in South Sudan are for peace and we know that after so much fighting it will not come easily but it must come. His Grace Archbishop Daniel Deng has enabled special training for men and women to be advocates and enablers for peace, to work in the local community at Payam level to help build peace. I attended one of these training courses in Yei with some people from my diocese. They will come back to Wau and train more people who will be peace mobilizers. This is a tough and demanding task, so let us ask what kind of person can do this.
Many people knew of his coming, the coming of the Messiah was predicted for centuries, if you know the nativity stores you will know about the Angel telling Mary and if you don’t know this story then you can read it in the Gospel of St Luke. Just start reading at chapter 1 it will not take long to reach that part, then go on and read the whole story, it is wonderful. Jesus comes to us as a wonderful councillor with good advice, as an everlasting father that cares and tends, he was the Son of God but it is the last title that is most relevant to us in South Sudan today. He came as the Prince of Peace. It is a strange word because peace is used to describe a thing that exists and also at the same time a way that you feel. So to be at peace can mean no hostility, fighting or killing and it can also mean having an inner calm that means nothing ever troubles you. It is not very often that either of these two are truly achieved. But I think here in South Sudan we must work hard for both, our future depends on it. I would like to thank the IGAD heads of State, governments and friends of South Sudan including the TROIKA for the resolution at their recent summit for pressurizing the two leaders President Kiir and the rebel leader Dr Riek to end this senseless war and reach a peace agreement in 15 days. With this pressure I pray and hope that an agreement will be reached before Christmas so that all South Sudanese can celebrate the Christmas which they missed in 2013. The South Sudanese are people of celebration, given the opportunity to do so in a peaceful environment. As one of our famous Musicians called Emanuel Kembe said in one of his songs during the signing of CPA "peace has come so
Please let me tell you, it is the kind of person that already knows peace, the other kind of peace. A person who has the inner calm that I spoke of who cannot be troubled. Jesus told us in the Gospel of John chapter 14 verse 27 as he ate with his disciples for the last time before he was crucified: “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid”. Jesus gives us peace, his life’s work brings peace, his death and resurrection brings peace and the word he left behind in the Bible brings peace. If you do not know this peace but would like to have it yourself it is easy to find. I recommend that you start by telling God that you are sorry for all that you have done wrong in life and asking for forgiveness. This is the start because it was the forgiveness of God that Jesus brought in peace. Come to church, read the Bible but start with this very simple thing. Remember Jesus is the Prince of Peace you will not be refused, instead you will be blessed with inner peace. It was inner peace that made my dear friend Kenneth work so hard for us, he was not troubled by our needs but had a faith that God would work though him. He was right and we will miss that. It is inner peace that all the peace
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mobilisers will have when they are working for peace in our nation and I hope that you will all pray for them to be sustained in the peace of God. It is inner peace that we all need in South Sudan to cool our hearts and help us see with calm minds what must be done before everything is lost in violence. We have a great country to develop and together in peace we can be a strong nation that can feed, care for and educate itself. In the book of Colossians we can read at chapter 3 verse 15: “And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.” You may have noticed that there is something odd about the Bible quotes that I am using. The fact is they are using very old language. Deliberately I have used texts from the King James version of the Bible. This is a most amazing version of the Bible and a testament of the power of God in our world. King James lived about three hundred years ago in the place we now call the United Kingdom. But this was a time before it became united. It was then two separate countries that hated each other and fought often in very violent and bloody wars. King James lived in Scotland and was King James the 6th there. Then when the king of England died he had a very strange honour because his birth rights gave him access to be king of England and he became King James the 1st of England. So at once he was king of England and Scotland. It is a truly odd thing. King James was a very strong Christian and he believed that God had given him a chance to unite the two kingdoms so that they could be mighty. At this time education was very poor and there were many different versions of the Bible, none were very good. So King James ordered all his best scholars to work on a new better version of the Bible that people could learn to read and use to become closer to God for themselves. The scholars had to work together to do this, it was a powerful act of unity. In doing this King James helped to educate people to read and he brought a lasting peace between
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two peoples that made the two peoples great together. Even now in these times, when a referendum was held recently in Scotland to decide if they wanted to remain in the United Kingdom, the people decided they would stay. Truly this shows that the unity built from the word of God still working after so many years.
You can still buy and read the King James Version of the Bible, this really shows the power of the word of God. I think there is a lesson in this for us in South Sudan. The most amazing truth is that what God has done through Jesus for others can be done for us too. For each person there can be forgiveness and a new hope of redemption. For tribes and nations there can be a real hope for a peace that ends fighting and a peace that come to us personally, entering our hearts as gently but firmly as a little baby once entered our world as the Prince of Peace in a place called Bethlehem. Advent is important because in it we remember this coming, we remember who came and why he came to us. It is a new beginning that we can all choose to share in and I hope that this year you will too. My prayer is that this year Christmas will bring a lasting peace to South Sudan that we can all be part of and celebrate, so that the process of healing our nation can begin. Please let me end with the words of Jesus from the Gospel of John chapter 16 verse 33 that he also gave at the last supper that he shared with them: “These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.” This was printed 300 years ago in the King James Bible, it was said 2000 years ago by Jesus and it is still true today. I wish you all a watchful Advent and a peaceful Christmas. Every Blessing +Moses
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Mosquito Nets Distributed in Maanangui IDP camp By Rev Peter Angui Akook The ECSSS Diocese of Wau continuously receives relief assistance from Humanitarian Aid Relief Trust (HART) a charitable Organization in the United Kingdom whose partnership in the area of relief, agriculture and education partnership with Wau diocese has been so keenly achieved and maintained to date. In mid December 2013 violence erupted in the capital Juba that forced tens of thousands to flee the area for safety and resettle in Gogrial West and Twic Counties. In early March 2014 Baroness Caroline Cox arrived in Wau with her team to visit Nyieth School and Maanangui in Gogrial West County, Turalei and Aweng IDP camps in Twic County. Upon her return to the United Kingdom the team had decided to send Wau Diocese some funds to cater for relief assistance (food) and that was done earlier before the rains affected transport. HART transferred more funds to buy mosquito nets for the three thousand (3000) IDPS living in this camp. Five hundred (500) mosquito nets were purchased and were delivered to the site on the 19th July, 2014.
Each group was given one hundred (100) mosquito nets and the group distribution was done so that the head of each household is given his or her proportion in part. Before any
distribution was done prayers and words of encouragement were said in order to hold everybody in a brotherly or sisterly manner. After everything was concluded the chairperson for this IDP camp known as Alueldit stood up and extended her strongly worded appreciation to us and HART. She said “once again I would love to convey my sincere appreciation to the ECSSS Diocese of Wau in particular; its donors, friends and partners in general for their continual support and good wishes to see that IDPS are fully supported and firmly stood up for. You are rightfully placed on the top of our list of supporters because your support is not limited to materials but also spiritual support as well.�
Our grateful thanks go to HART and Baroness Cox for enabling Wau Diocese to assist the people that have been made homeless by fighting and who came to us for shelter.
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Healing a Wounded Nation By LuAnne Cadd "Forgiveness does not rule out the need for justice. But unless we forgive, we destroy ourselves" (Letlapa Mphahlele)
Mike DuPuis heard about the committee Reverend Bernard was leading, and initiated discussion about how MAF could help.
Reverend Bernard Suwa ends every email with this quote. As a South Sudanese, the significance is poignant. There is a lot to forgive in this country, and he is committed to making whatever sacrifice is necessary toward meaningful and lasting forgiveness, reconciliation, and peace in his young nation.
Due to the lack of infrastructure in most areas of South Sudan, one major challenge the committee faces is reaching all 10 states to implement plans for training peace-workers and outreach initiatives.
Healing a Nation In April 2013, the Committee for National Healing, Peace, and Reconciliation (CNHPR) was formed by presidential decree, led by religious leaders at national and state levels. Reverend Bernard was appointed General Secretary. “The main focus,” Reverend Bernard explains, “is that the process goes to the ‘grassroots’. At the end of the day, it’s the people who are affected, who are manipulated to fight for war that they have no understanding of. In terms of reconciliation, it has to be all-inclusive. We want to create space for people to tell their stories about their losses, their pain, their grievances and what kind of country they want as they move to the future. That is what we are working on.”
“The committee has a clear vision for a peace and reconciliation process based in Biblical principles and the teaching of Jesus. The leadership is committed to these values and has the strongest desire to reach every person regardless of tribe, religious affiliation, status or location,” explains Mike. “MAF is in a position to offer significant support. Without reliable and consistent air transportation, the likelihood of the CNHPR accomplishing its objectives within a reasonable time frame is highly unlikely, as too many of the nation’s people groups would not have the opportunity to participate in the process.” “This may be the greatest opportunity that has ever existed in this part of the world,” declares Mike, “to reach every person with the message of Christ’s love and bring about a transformation within each community right up to the national level.”
First Steps Overcoming Challenges Reverend Bernard fled to Australia with his family during the second civil war. When South Sudan became a nation he returned to be part of the healing and peace process, his family remaining overseas. He began to pastor a small English-speaking church in Juba, attended by some of the Juba based MAF staff. Pilot and Operations Manager
One of the first priorities for CNHPR was to train a core group of representatives from every state, equipping them with skills to train a further 40 to 50 people in their states, thus reaching to the very heart of the country, to the farthest villages, to the grassroots. In September, participants for a month-long training conference needed to reach the town of Yei, in the south of the country. Travelling
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overland presented massive challenges: flooded roads, serious insecurity, and unbearably long travel times. Over a period of two days, using three aircraft, MAF collected and delivered 73 representatives for the conference. One month later, they returned them home.
“Then I asked them, ‘Who wants the Nuer to come and steal your cows?’ They all said no. Then I said, ‘Who wants the Nuer to come and kill your daughter, kill your children, burn your house, and take your cows?’ They all said no, no. And then I said, ‘If you don’t want it to be done to you, according to the commandment of Jesus, don’t do it to the Nuer as well.’
How to Change a Culture
“One of the chiefs asked me, ‘Is the Nuer bishop preaching the same message on the other side?’ I said yes. He said, ‘If I believe that the Nuer bishop is preaching the same, this conflict between us will not take two years before it can stop.’ And they promised they would not go. And they never went, and the Nuer never came to attack them. I went and told the Nuer bishop this. And we agreed that we would travel together, to come to the Dinka side and the Nuer side.”
One of the conference representatives was Bishop Moses Deng, the CNHPR chairperson for Warrap State and a bishop with the Episcopal Church. Tall, like most Dinka, he boarded the MAF flight for Yei at the small airstrip of Kuajok, excited about the imminent conference. Moses explained the issues in his state. “Mostly the cause of all these conflicts is either girls or cows,” he laughed. “The girls always come back to cows eventually. She is the source of income for the parents through marriage.” Cattle are the source of money, dignity, and respect. If you have many cows, you can marry the most beautiful girl. Cattle raiding for a dowry became part of the culture, but the violence and killing escalated as guns became more readily available due to the war. Changing a culture is not easy and takes time. “You change the mindset of a person by instilling new values – a respect for human life - and cut the chain of violence,” Moses believes. “If I did not believe in Christ, I would not have hope. You have a culture, and violence, and now politicians who have disagreed. What is remaining? The only hope is in God.” Moses described a recent meeting with a group of Dinkas in a village of Twik County. He talked to the people about the great commandment of Jesus to love your neighbour as yourself, and to do unto others as you would have them do to you.
Moses himself has experienced trauma and through God’s grace was able to forgive. In 2005, he was arrested when travelling to Khartoum for medical treatment. Accused of being members of the rebel army, Moses and his friends were beaten and tortured for seven days in prison. “When we were released, we were bitter,” Moses recalls. “I wanted to join the military. I told my colleagues that I’m not going to use small guns. I’m going to look for a machine gun, and they will either have to kill me or I’ll kill them all.” But returning home, Moses attended training run by Open Doors. “They taught us about forgiveness and I had to forgive them. “It was very hard. It’s easier to forgive someone when they say they are really sorry. But when someone is behaving like what they did is justified, and they are stronger than you, it becomes very difficult and it takes God. You must have somebody to take your burden away by casting all the heavy load that you are carrying, that you want to revenge, and say ‘God, for the sake of you, I will forgive this. And because I don’t have the
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power to forgive alone, please help me.’ I have tried on my own and it did not work. “Reconciliation is beyond human capacity,” Bishop Moses concludes. “True reconciliation must begin between me and God.”
Training the Trainers The first week of the conference took an indepth look at South Sudan’s history and ethnic background, understanding how experiences affect a person’s worldview. The second week looked at identity and stereotypes and how this contributes to conflict. The week ended with participants presenting cultural performances of singing and dancing from different areas of the country. By week three, teaching addressed reconciliation and forgiveness, looking at the role of religion, traditional ways of resolving conflicts, and case studies from neighbouring countries. Stanley Henkeman, a teacher from the Institute of Justice and Reconciliation in South Africa, said, “The issues of forgiveness – forgiving even without an apology - that takes a special effort. It takes a higher level of thinking.” The final week focused on practical teaching skills to facilitate effective dialogue and develop community action plans. At the end, Reverend Bernard wrote, “We can truly celebrate the unity we have found here. It has given me hope that away from our country’s political challenges, South Sudanese can find a space to live together. Every family in this country has shed tears for the loss of a loved one. All of us need to be reconciled and healed from trauma. All of us need to eliminate our own prejudices, suspicions, and mistrust for one another.” Reverend Bernard speaks from personal experience. “My own mum was killed during the previous war. We didn’t discover her until after 14 days, when the animals had eaten
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her body. Today, 30 years later, I don’t know who killed my mum. But that doesn’t mean that I cannot forgive and move on.” After the conference, he shared, “I came here loaded with anxieties and fears as to how I would keep the Dinkas and Nuers, and other tribes, together for four weeks without any problems. We came here carrying a lot of wounds, but as we began the training I saw our participants move closer to one another. I have been hugely encouraged to see how people have dissolved the tensions felt during the first week.”
We Cannot Wait Those involved in the CNHPR training and strategy for peace and reconciliation recognise the magnitude of the task before them. “Because of the depth of mistrust, because of the level of fragmentation within the country, it would be naïve to think that reconciliation is only around the corner,” Reverend Bernard says. “It is going to be a long process. It may not be in my generation, but that doesn’t mean I don’t work for it. Deep, deep wounds need to be healed. We cannot wait until all the guns die down. “The war in South Sudan has dehumanised people. There is a need for us to help each other become human again. That can only happen at the heart level, at the point of transformation of individuals. The issue of the heart is at the very heart of what we want to do.”
Beyond Human Capacity In 2015, following this initial training conference, approximately 550 ‘peace mobilisers’ will travel to payams (districts) across South Sudan to document reconciliation narratives and needs of the
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communities. Pray “that God would continue to work in the hearts of people for real change, for real transformation,” says Bernard, “That is my cry.”
http://cnhpr.tumblr.com/ - The CNHPR conference blog
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Contact Details for Rev Bernard: Rev Dr. Bernard Oliya Suwa, Ph.D Secretary General of CNHPR +211 921 037 248 +211 955 511 800 bosuwa@gmail.com
http://www.reconciliationsouthsudan.org/ The CNHPR official website
Education Report in Wau Diocese By Rev Andrea Ngong
This Diocese of Wau has three schools operating under its guidance The three schools are: 1. Sunday Basic School in the centre of the Diocese 2. Piantok Basic School in Eastern Bank 3. Nyieth Basic School in Gogrial West County These three schools have been constructed as concrete buildings.
School Achievements
There are 8 classes in each of the above mentioned schools There are also 8 latrines which the E.C.S has dug with support from other NGOS Like HART Provision of the teachers incentive is given by the Diocese
The school pupil’s enrolment keeps on increasing every year and that must followed by the employment of the teaching staff. The three schools have adapted the same policy initiated by the ministry of National Government and the ministry of Education in the states level. The School workers are planned to be 9 where by each school has 3 workers. The Diocese has employed these number of teachers; Sunday Basic
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has 15 teachers, Piantok Basic has 7 teachers; Nyieth Basic has 10 teachers which brings the total to 32 teachers. The school enrolment for these years ranges so: Sunday Basic has 439 pupils, Piantok Basic has 812 pupils, Nyieth Basic has 371 pupils and that brings a total of 1622 pupils in this academic year of 2014. Sunday Basic school specifically has the strict rule to the security guard in which the guard has responsibility to close the school gate at 8:15am and later on open at 1: 50pm. There is a teaching staff routine of which the 3 teachers entitled to run the school duties for the period of one week then pick-up by the other 3 teachers. We in the school have opened the school early this year on the date 17th /2/2014 and that is what has made us finish our syllabus before time. Pantok Basic School especially has been helped by the United Nation mission in South Sudan in construction of 3 concrete school offices plus books store and reception. Nyieth Basic School specifically has the clinic operating within the school premises where by the school pupils can also go for treatment. Pantok is the only school being helped by the World Food Program in provision of food items. ANA FI program is the government support to schools of South Sudan of which Pantok Basic and Nyieth Basic are getting help. South Sudan Radio instruction (SSRI) trained four teachers and provides four Radios to school and this is only for pantok Basic School. Sunday Basic school has a nursery school operating within it too.
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School Challenges:
Insufficient training to the teaching staff Lack of water access for the school to use Inadequate school materials Lack of enough blackboards and school hygiene facilities Inadequate teachers incentives Lack of a school fence in other schools especially Pantok and Nyieth Basic School. Lack of school computers, especially for the school examinations to be run within the school premises. Lack of enough benches and the school teaching staff chairs.
Ways Forward:
Enough training for teachers to deliver the standard objectives. A Borehole to be put in place to provide a safe water source for the schools. A School fence should be constructed in order to provide more security for the schools children. Ensuring enough school materials. More computers to be provided for the school exams. 6. Enough offices to be constructed for the teaching staff to use. 7. Qualified teachers and good salaries should be the priority to ensure a good standard of teaching.
Bishop Moses would very much like to thank everyone in Wau Diocese that contributes to the important work of education.
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The Women of “A Step Together” A Press release from CNHPR - 16 October 2014, Yei, South Sudan From the 1st to the 28th of October 2014, South Sudan’s Committee for National Healing, Peace, and Reconciliation (CNHPR) hosted a four-week training in Yei, Central Equatoria, entitled ‘A Step Together: Shared Journeys of Listening and Dialogue’. The training brought together state chairpersons and representatives from all ten states, and the Abyei Area, including 24 powerful women. “We are 60% of this nation. We must have a strong voice in our future, and mobilise the women in our communities so that we (men and women) are all working towards true reconciliation.” - Mary Nginzo, State Chairperson for Western Equatoria The training included sessions to address the core causes of the conflict by exploring issues of the past through dialogue, and creating infrastructure for an inclusive environment of gender equality. Including women substantively in national reconciliation is a core value of the CNHPR, which recognizes the pivotal role women should play in conflict management, conflict resolution and sustainable peace. “We must have as many women as possible within our process. They are in the frontline of our suffering, and therefore should be at the frontline in reconciliation,” says Rev. Dr. Bernard Suwa, Secretary General of CNHPR.
The 76 participants of this training will be equipped with the skills to train a further 50 persons in their states, so that next year, approximately 550 ‘peace mobilisers’ will travel to payams across South Sudan to document community narratives and needs, as well as local reconciliation initiatives. CNHPR was formed in April 2013, and is chaired by Archbishop Daniel Deng Bul. The independent iational committee is conducting this three-year, people-to-people process to hear from communities how they envision the development of a sustainable and effective national reconciliation plan. This will eventuate in the development of a people-driven National Reconciliation Agenda. Of the 76 participants 24 were women’s leaders from across the country and four were from Wau Diocese.
Bishop Moses is very grateful to all those that participated in such an important event.
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Postcard of Peace and Forgiveness from Yei By Rev Bernard Oliya Suwa PhD They flew in from the four corners of our vast land to the “Small London” – a humble but buzzing township in Yei River County, in South Sudan. The township sits on both sides of a dusty track road from the South Sudan capital Juba, to Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). More than half of South Sudan’s ethnic groups were represented at this mission – an audacious mission to touch and reshape an invisible phenomena, that has been summarily charged, tried, and found guilty of nourishing decades of war, hatred, and death in our motherland.
Just by looking at them, I saw distinct features that are common among people from Central Equatoria, Western Equatoria, Eastern Equatortia, Jonglei, Warrap, Lakes, Unity, Upper Nile, Northern Bahr el Ghazal, Western Bahr el Ghazal states and Abyei Area Administration – all ready to search for peace together, learn together, play together, and dine together. Perhaps most touching of all was the fact that one after the other, as brothers and sisters, they shared horrendous personal testimonies from the recent conflict together – and they sobbed and cried together.
Like any other South Sudanese, I was weighed down by deep scepticism and anxiety – afraid that it would prove to be a catastrophic mistake to gather people from different tribes who, not too long ago, had been baying for each other’s blood. I was wrong! As only He can do, God rebuked me for my lack of trust and faith in His divine ability to bring trust amongst His children whenever it’s threatened, and faith in Him whenever it is wavering.
If ever there was evidence of God’s ability to triumph over man-made evil, then this was it! Convinced by this sacred belief, quietly, I prayed to God to bring healing and reconciliation amongst us who had gathered in Yei. I prayed, too, that the spirit of sisterhood, of brotherhood, of forgiveness, and of reconciliation that was so powerfully displayed in Yei, be carried by Angels and spread across the length and breadth of our traumatized land.
From the Heavens where our Lord God, the Almighty father watches over us, the magical red rays of the great tropical African sun pieced through the clouds to my West. Its mysterious power and beauty intermittently stole my concentration as I wrote this piece. As I turned to the Eastern side, I could see a diverse group of our participants from different tribes playing volleyball in total peace and freedom – united by the promise of peace, healing, and reconciliation in our beloved motherland.
I quietly monitored the body language of our participants over the last four weeks, and it gives me tremendous joy to be able to tell every man, every woman, every girl, and every boy that in the midst of all the pain and suffering visited upon us by the recent conflict, our Lord God has mercifully preserved our capacity to forgive each other. In other words, He has preserved that which makes us human – and that is our humanity! While in Yei, we had taken a bold step towards peace together. We sat together and listened to
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each other’s painful stories. We opened dialogue with each other. And we proved to ourselves, and to all our brothers and sisters across South Sudan, and in the diaspora, that although we are from different tribes, we are in fact one nation – all children of God, made in the image of God. If God loves us all, then why should we hate each other? If God can forgive us for our gross transgressions against Him, then why can’t we forgive each other? I am convinced too, that without the poisonous ethnic chalice that we are being forced to drink every day and night, all the people of South Sudan would have been ready to listen to each other, and to dialogue with each other in order to find homegrown solutions to the fundamental issues that have brought war and destruction on our blessed land. Through this article, I present myself before you as a humble and ordinary South Sudanese. My
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voice is not any louder than yours – but I am using it to call for peace, forgiveness, and reconciliation amongst ourselves. Use your voice. Stand up in the name of God Almighty and denounce the forces that want to divide us, and set us against each other. Let peace and freedom reign supreme in our motherland – because you are worth it! Let me end by thanking PACT South Sudan, Norwegian Church Aid, Catholic Relief Service, and Mission Aviation Fellowship whose generous support has enabled us to embark on this long “journey of listening and dialogue”. END Dr. Bernard Oliya Suwa is the Secretary General of the Committee for National Healing, Peace, and Reconciliation. Email: bosuwa@gmail.com
Participants Hail Yei Reconciliation Workshop Originally an Article in the Sudan Tribune Participants taking part in a 28-day reconciliation workshop in South Sudan’s Central Equatoria state have expressed optimism that the country’s wounds can be healed. South Sudan’s Committee for National Healing, Peace and Reconciliation (CNHPR) is hosting the intensive training, which concludes on 28 October, for community leaders and faith-based practitioners in Yei. “I personally came here loaded with anxieties and fears as to how I would keep the Dinkas and Nuers, and other tribes, together for four
weeks without anything exploding,” participant Rev. Bernard Suwa said in comments extended to Sudan Tribune. “Now to me, this unity is something that we can really celebrate. It has given me hope that left alone, away from these political challenges that we are made to drink every day, South Sudanese can find a space to live together,” Suwa added. South Sudan erupted in violence in midDecember last year following a power struggle within the country’s ruling party (SPLM).
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The fighting has largely pitted members of president Salva Kiir’s Dinka tribe against rebel forces loyal to former vice-president Riek Machar, who is of Nuer ethnicity. The Yei training is part of a three-year initiative formed by Kiir in April [2013] and headed by the Archbishop of the Episcopal Church, Daniel Deng Bul, which aims to promote national healing and reconciliation. The eighty trainees in Yei were drawn from all corners of South Sudan. According to organisers, participants will be equipped with concrete skills and knowledge on facilitation, as well as on theories and approaches to reconciliation. The workshop is being facilitated by South Africa’s Institute for Justice and Reconciliation (IJR). Over the next three years, the committee aims to facilitate a nation-wide consultation process at a grassroots level. The purpose will be to document the diverse narratives from communities to ensure that South Sudan’s future reconciliation is driven and shaped by the people’s experiences, knowledge and needs. CNHPR’s planned consultation process is being held under the banner ‘A Step Together: Shared Journeys of Listening and Dialogue’. Some 550 peace mobilisers will travel to various payams (districts) across South Sudan with the view to developing a peopledriven agenda for national reconciliation. Similar attempts by church leaders to reconcile feuding communities, such as in Jonglei state, have largely failed until now. However, participants and organisers of the reconciliation workshop say the current approach being adopted is already bearing fruit.
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“One of the problems with the Jonglei process was that people wanted to be praised for the outcome; they wanted to take the credit and to make history,” said Rev. John Chol Dau, also a participant. “There is a contradiction between being a peacemaker and being someone who wants to receive the credit,” Dau noted. There was also acknowledgement of the importance of engaging with all groups within society to promote a message of peace and unity. “One of these key groups is the youth in our cattle camps, who need our support in addressing violence,” another trainee said. During the workshop participants provided testimonies and have pledged to use what they have learnt when they return to their communities. “This to me is very positive. I think we will have a lot of stories to tell when we go forward from here,” Suwa said. It has been alleged that thousands civilians of Nuer origin were killed in Juba at the onset of the conflict. Members of the Dinka tribe were also killed in Nuer areas, including one raid on a UN base in Akobo that left 30 people dead in December. In April, the UN alleged that rebel fighters killed hundreds of people sheltering in a mosque and hospital after capturing Unity state capital Bentiu from government forces. The violence has displaced more than 1.5 million people, with tens of thousands of internally displaced people seeking shelter at UN sites across the country since the violence broke out. Human rights advocacy groups said the killings on both sides of the conflict is tantamount to war crimes, and the US government says the perpetuators must be
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held to account for meaningful peace and reconciliation to be achieved.
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crimes committed by their forces, but are yet to make any arrests.
Both warring parties maintain they are committed to ensuring accountability for
Closing Statement at the CNHPR Workshop By Dr Bernard Oliya Suwa From the 1st to the 28th of October 2014, South Sudan’s Committee for National Healing, Peace, and Reconciliation (CNHPR) hosted a four-week training in Yei, Central Equatoria, entitled ‘A Step Together: Shared Journeys of Listening and Dialogue’. The training brought together 76 participants, including state chairpersons and representatives from all ten states, and the Abyei Administrative Area. The training was facilitated by the Institute for Justice and Reconciliation (IJR) from South Africa and Initiatives of Change as well as experts from South Sudan, Kenya, Zimbabwe and South Africa. On the 29th of October, from 10am – 1:30pm, a closing ceremony was held with special guest speakers: Anne Masterson, Country Director for Norwegian Church Aid; Lorraine Bramwell, Country Representative for Catholic Relief Services; Hon. Bidal Cosmas Commissioner of Yei River County; Malifida Silvano Ali Sanguson, Deputy Mayor of Yei; and Archbishop Daniel Deng Bul. Closing statement from Reverend Dr. Bernard Suwa, Secretary General of CNHPR: I strongly believe that even before December 15th, this country needed reconciliation because of what we went through for more than five decades. Ours has been the mother
of all wars and some of us were born into conflict. It’s so unfortunate that not only were we warring with the North, we were also warring amongst ourselves. We must reconcile our differences if we are going to create a great nation. We came here to Yei carrying a lot of wounds, but I have seen our diverse participants move closer to one another in the last four weeks. I have been hugely encouraged to see how people dissolved tensions felt at the beginning. We can truly celebrate the unity we have found here; it has given me hope that South Sudanese can find a space to live together. What we have been doing here in Yei must be seen from this bigger perspective - that we are helping to heal the nation; we are helping people to find a common identity and a common vision for building our future together. Ours is one BIG story to be told, to be heard and to be emulated, by other South Sudanese, both locally and in the diaspora! We commend our participants because we have demonstrated that, given the opportunity, we can co-exist, in spite of our diversity – and not only co-exist, but create new, more meaningful ways to move forward. At the end of the day, whether we are perpetrators or victims, we have all paid a
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price in this war. Because of revenge, one who is a victim today may tomorrow become a perpetrator, so there is this exchange of roles within our communities. There is no family in this country that has not cried or mourned for the loss of their loved ones. The war has been far-reaching, the effects have been indiscriminate, and we empathise with our brothers and sisters from Unity, Upper Nile and Jonglei states, and in Juba. The reason we are conducting this peace training at a national level is because everyone every family in this country - at one point or another has shed tears for the loss of their loved ones. All of us need to eliminate our own prejudices, suspicions and mistrust for one another, because this is not the way to build a nation. Therefore, if we are approaching this issue of reconciliation, it has to be holistic. All of us, whether we are victims or perpetrators (or both), need to be made human again. We need to be able to see and embrace each other’s cultures, and build bridges across tribal or ethnic divides. The way to build a nation is to trust one another and find a common identity, beyond ethnicity. Not until our nationality where we are first and foremost South Sudanese citizens, will we be able to reconcile.
As the Committee looks beyond this training, we plan to move to the various states and with the support of these men and women here, we will train a further 50 peace mobilisers in every state. The trained peace mobilisers will then engage with the grassroots communities at the payam levels, to continue the “shared journeys of listening and dialogue” and document their voices and needs. But that’s not the end! After consultations across the country, we will scale up the process to both County and State levels, where the various voices from the grassroots will be heard at County and State Conferences. From this we plan to develop a National Reconciliation Agenda, based on the voices of the people of South Sudan to be presented at a national level. Reconciliation can happen, but it will take time. If we see reconciliation as a single goal, we will be in trouble. Reconciliation is a future we must see, a journey we must be willing to take, and a lifestyle we must be willing to live. Reconciliation is a lifetime commitment to which we ALL must commit ourselves. Reconciliation calls for all of us to be BOLD, COURAGEOUS and SELFLESS in order to change from a culture of violence to a culture of peace.
FOR MORE INFORMATION, PHOTOS, AND INTERVIEW ENQUIRIES PLEASE CONTACT: CNHPR Secretary General Rev. Bernard Suwa +211 921 037 248 bosuwa@gmail.com Media Outreach: Anne McMurrey +211 954 842 557 anneallonby@gmail.com Institute for Justice and Reconciliation: Friederike Bubenber (South Sudan) +211 914 492 602 fbubenzer@ijr.org.za Zyaan Davids (South Africa) +27 21 202 4071 zdavids@ijr.org.za www.ReconciliationSouthSudan.org www.twitter.com/cnhpr
www.facebook.com/CNHPR
Special thanks to our partners: IJR, PACT, DANIDA, SIDA, Norwegian Government, Catholic Relief Services, Norwegian Church Aid, and Mission Aviation Fellowship
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Mrs Rose Aciendhel – Peace Mobiliser in Warrap By Rev Samuel Mabith Rose Aciendhel kacthiek was born in Mabior yar, village in Tonj South County, Warrap State. She is 28 years old, married with three children. She started her Schooling at Mabior Yar Primary School, completing her primary and secondary education at Kakuma Refugee camp in Kenya. With financial support from the LI TIM OI Foundation and a friend from Germany Rose completed a certificate in project management at Unity College, a certificate in computer training at the First Computer Training Centre with a diploma in public relations and Human Resource Management at the Cross World Institute for professional studies in Nairobi Kenya. She came back to South Sudan after the signing of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) and started working as a CTO in the office of the National Electoral Commission in 2010. Rose was appointed in the same year in the Ministry of Local Government of Warrap State as a Gender Focal Point person. In 2013 Rose was elected as chairperson of the Women’s Association in Warrap State. Madam Rose is now a member the National Committee for Healing, Peace and Reconciliation in Warrap State. She recently attended a one month Training of Trainers (TOT) event for Peace Mobilisers in Yei South Sudan. The training was organized by the
Rose can be contacted by telephone or e-mail: Telephone: 0914191558 E-mail: roseaciendel@yahoo.com
National Committee on Healing Peace and Reconciliation and facilitated by the South African based Institute for Justice and Reconciliation (IJR). Her vision is to advocate for girls education and creating awareness on women rights.Rose is now supporting her community, her family and her dream is to go for further studies if there is an opportunity. The ECSSS Diocese of Wau, her family and the women of Warrap State are very thankful to the LI TIM OI Foundation for training Rose.
Please pray for Rose and the work that she will do to promote peace and reconciliation in all of Warrap State.
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The Peace Mobilisers Charter We the CNHPR Peace Mobilisers, Envision for South Sudan: Good governance and respect for human rights
A sustainable peace in a multicultural society
Peaceful communities with common markets, free movements with properties protected
Gender sensitive communities with respect for women’s rights
Improvement of basic services and infrastructure
A peaceful society with quality education for all Harmonious and diverse communities
Memorial historic sites
We commit to the following values and ideals in the pursuit of reconciliation Conducting ourselves in an ethical manner with humility, integrity, honesty and neutrality. Ensuring our dialogues are inclusive; all who respect the principles of dialogue will be welcome to participate. Being peacemakers who do not take any side and see all as equal in the face of God. All information shared with us will be treated confidentially. Restoring confidence in our communities, to build trust and mutual understanding between divided communities, families and individuals. Listening patiently and carefully to what people have to say. Being sensitive to and respectful to South Sudan’s diverse cultural beliefs. Being polite to everyone we encounter. Being tolerant of each individuals point of view. Being approachable and available to everyone who wants to share their stories or seek our counsel .Striving to build unity between our communities. Striving to encourage peace and reconciliation in our communities. Challenging the use of harmful stereotypes Being humble, and honouring everybody’s spiritual and religious ideas. Striving to enhance our knowledge of our communities by analysing the root causes of conflict, thereby understanding its impact on who we are today. Striving to bring love and respect to all the people of South Sudan. Agreed in Yei, South Sudan, October 2014
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CNHPR in Warrap State (one of two states in Wau Diocese) Warrap واراب
By Rev Peter Akook CNHPR has been launched since July 2013, headed by Bishop Moses Deng Bol, in Warrap State and a team of Peace Mobilisers has just concluded one month of training in Yei, South Sudan. The chairman, in the person of Bishop Moses went with five others to Yeai to receive training. Warrap is a state that has been recently divided into two new Area Dioceses called Greater Gogrial and Greater Tonj. This was administered by Wau diocese the mother diocese that also created Aweil diocese.
Government
Here are some facts and figures about the area and people that CNHPR is trying to work with
The current state constitution was adopted in 2008. Nyandeng Malek Deliech is the Governor of the Warrap state. Madot Dut Deng is the Speaker of the State Assembly.
Info About Warrap State
Religion
Warrap, sometimes spelled Warab, is one of the 10 states of South Sudan.
The main religions in Warrap State are Christianity, (Catholicism, Protestantism and other forms of Christianity). A sizable proportion of the population practices African traditional religions.
The state is located in the Bahr el Ghazal region. It is bordered by the disputed region of Abyei to the north, by Unity State in Greater Upper Nile Region to the east, by Lakes State to the south, and by Western Equatoria State in Equatoria Region to the south west. The states of Western Bahr el Ghazal and Northern Bahr el Ghazal lie to the west Warrap State has an area of 31,027 km². Kuajok is the capital of Warrap state, replacing Warrap. All states in Southern Sudan are divided in counties, each headed by a County Commissioner appointed by the President of the Government of Southern Sudan. People The state is home to the Luanyjang, Twic, JurMan Anger, Bongo and Rek subtribes of Nilotic ethnicity. The Twic and Rek are Dinka tribes. The main cities in the state are Gogrial, Kuajok, Tonj, Romich, Thiet, Turalei, Akon, and Panliet.
Population by County County Gogrial East Gogrial West Tonj South Tonj North Tonj East Twic
Area (km2)
Population County (2008) Commissioner
3,890.55
103,283
Akot Lual Akot
4,754.37
243,921
7,449.73
86,592
11,012.05
165,222
Marco Awuac
3,990.61
116,122
Madhal Chol
3,922.65
204,905
Malek Ring Makuei
Makuc Aru Luach Monydhiat Goor
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Rev Nathaniel Preaches Theme: God uses those who serve him faithfully - Text: Daniel 6:1-27
Introduction I was so impressed with the story of Daniel, Daniel standing up for God brings opposition, in Daniel’s case from jealous bureaucrats (6:4-9). When we face similar attacks in the workplace, they often have spiritual opposition behind them. Daniel seems to understand this since his first reaction was to pray (6:10). Daniel was willing to sacrifice his entire career because he trusted God no matter what (6:23). Let’s look how the story of Daniel goes. Under the new rule of King Darius, Daniel excelled in his duties as one of the administrators to such a degree that King Darius was considering making him head over all the kingdom. This angered the other administrators so much that they looked for a way to bring Daniel down. They encouraged Darius to issue a decree forbidding his subjects from praying to any of their gods for the next thirty days. The punishment for disobeying was to be thrown into a den of lions. Daniel, however, moved out to is house and continued to pray so openly to God that he could be seen at his bedroom window doing so, the bible says Daniel opened the window facing Jerusalem. With much regret the king gave the order for Daniel to be thrown into the lions’ den, but not without a prayer that Daniel’s God would rescue him (Daniel 6:16). The next day when Daniel was found alive and well, he told the king that God had sent an angel to shut the lions’ mouths and so he remained unharmed. This resulted in King Darius sending out two decrees: 1- First decree, the people who accused Daniel will be thrown with their wives and children to a den of lions. 2- Second decree, Darius issued a decree that in my kingdom all people were subject to worship the God of Daniel.
And the Bible said, Daniel continued to prosper throughout King Darius’ reign. What should we learn from Daniel’s live story as South Sudanese? The lesson from the life of Daniel is that he exercised great integrity and, in doing so, received the respect and affection of the powerful rulers he served. Let us look at Daniel’s attitudes: • Daniel’s honesty and loyalty to his masters never led him to compromise his faith in the one true God. • Daniel was not a corrupted man in his leadership, he was not a murder, he was not an adulterer, he was a holy man and they found nothing bad in his leadership. • Daniel’s continual devotion to God brought him the admiration of the unbelievers in his circle. When delivering his interpretations, he was quick to give God the credit for his ability to do so Daniel 2: 28. • Daniel was a man of integrity, as a man of God it gained him favour with the secular world, yet he refused to compromise his faith in God. Even under the intimidation of kings and rulers, Daniel remained steadfast in his commitment to God. • Daniel also teaches us that, no matter who we are dealing with, no matter what their status is, we are to treat them with compassion.
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However, as we see from Daniel’s example, obeying God’s law must always take precedence over obeying men. As a result of his devotion, Daniel not only found favor with those around him, but above all he found favor with God and was held in high esteem by Him, please read Daniel 9: 20-23. This shows us how ready the Lord is to hear the prayers of His people. Daniel’s strength lay in his devotion to prayer and is a lesson for us all. It is not just in the bad times but on a daily basis that we must come to God in prayer. Conclusion In conclusion brothers and sisters at Wau Cathedral I want to assure you, we can be agents of peace, love, unity and prosperity in this nation of South Sudan. Therefore we need to adopt Daniel’s attitudes which I have mentioned above. And to do that please go and read the following verses with these summary: 1. Full time commitment a. Daniel served God full time in a secular position (6:1-3)
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2. Full time faithfulness a. Daniel was faithful during opposition (6:4-9, 10, and 23) b. Be a full time Christian when opposition hits (Ephesians 6:10; Acts 18:1-9) 3. Full time impact a. Daniel’s faithfulness had an impact for God (6:25-27) b. Your faithfulness will, too Let us pray and be with me in this prayer: Lord we thank you for the message you have delivered to us today through your Holy Spirit, we ask you to make our faith a full time commitment like Daniel, make us full time in faithfulness like your servant Daniel and make us a full time impact so that your name will be known in South Sudan like in Daniel’s time. Be merciful to us and forgive us in Jesus name! AMEN, AMEN!!!! Rev Nathaniel is the Diocesan Secretary for Wau Diocese.
Fresh TEE Training in Wau Diocese By Rev Peter Angui Akook The ECSS Diocese of Wau would like to announce that there will be three months TEE training starting from January to March 2015 in Akon. The ECSS Diocese of Wau TEE department received a donation from Jump Start South Sudan who willingly donated $3500 to help us pay TEE staff for three months. The staff involved are a Coordinator, Principal and two other teachers. Where as the local churches agreed to make a contribution towards transport, food and accommodation as part of the cost sharing policy. There are four different denominations in the area. These include Episcopal Church of South
Sudan and Sudan, Roman Catholic,, Pentecostal and the newly founded Anglican Church, the breakaway one from ECS. Any number that each one of these various congregations would like to send us for training will be welcomed as long as they manage their financial support since transport, food and accommodation belongs to the local Church.
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With God's amazing grace these three months TEE training will take place as planned. May God uplift JSSS to continue its activities of assistance in the area. May God richly bless the JSSS leadership and its board members
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abundantly for He Himself said I will never forget those who love me nor forsake them. Bishop Moses is very grateful to JSSS and all who work with Wau Docese to train priests and pastors.
I Know the Plans I Have for You The Speech of Bishop Moses at the 3rd Wau Diocese Standing Committee 3rd-7th Nov 2014
Brothers and Sisters we are meeting today when our Country is back at civil war. As a Church we must continue to pray and advocate for peace among our communities as this is what God has called us to do. As you know I have just returned from Yei where I have been attending a one Month Training of Trainers for Peace Mobilisers alongside six other Participants from Warrap State. The training was organised by the National Committee on healing Peace and Reconciliation in order to equip five or six trainers in each of the 10 States and Abyei with skills and knowledge in order to enable them to train further 50-60 peace mobilisers in each of the 10 States and Abyei. I am appealing to all the Churches in Warrap State and the whole of South Sudan to take the campaign for peace seriously so that we can unite our people as we did during the war when the Church facilitated many peace processes including the famous Wunlit Peace Conference between the Dinka and Nuer Communities. As I said to the youth during my pastoral visit to Gogrial East, Tonj North and Twich Counties in February this year I urge all of you to appeal to our youth not to raid other community’s cattle as this is against the GREAT COMMANDMENT OF LOVING YOUR NEIGBOUR AS YOURSELF but to defend themselves and their cattle when they are being raided by other communities.
This is the 3rd Standing Committee meeting in the history of the Diocese of Wau. The previous meetings took place in 2010 and 2012. In the very first meeting in Wau in 2010 I shared with you the Vision of ECSS Diocese of Wau as a united and vibrant Church in Wau South Sudan, Sudan and beyond. I also shared with you a 10 a year strategic plan also known as Vision 2020 in which I outlined what we hope to achieve in the 10 year period from 2011-2020. This plan covers many activities ranging from Prayer Ministry, Mission and Evangelism, Training and capacity building, development, peace building, advocacy and communication activities. With the help of the Lord we have been able to achieve most of these activities in the last four years, sometimes beyond what we planned which we sincerely Thank God for. For example in less than four years the Diocese of Wau has already been rated as the best in communication in the whole ECSS. Our website, the newsletter and the lent course are doing very well as you will hear the details of what has been taking place from the communication department. We have also produced a Diocesan Calendar with Christian and National Holidays this year. Our Diocesan Relief and Development Wing ECSS-CARD is doing very well in Relief and Development activities. For example it is currently implementing food security and diary projects in Western Bhar El Ghazal State and
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has been implementing water and sanitation and emergency relief projects in Warrap State.
The mothers’ Union department has been implementing literacy and micro-finance activities in the two States and the Health department constructed one Health Unit and income generating projects in Warrap State. Our General Education department is doing very well. Currently our two Schools in Western Bahr El Ghazal State Sunday and Piantok Primary Schools are among the best in the State and the same applies to Lina Primary School in Warrap State. In terms of training and capacity building the Diocese has been able to send a number of people for training in various fields within South Sudan and in the neighbouring Countries particularly Kenya, Uganda and Sudan. St John’s College continues to receive a good number of students yearly. This year we received about 15 new students and so we currently have about 30 students in the College with the first group since the starting of the College expected to graduate in 2015. Our Mission and Evangelism department is doing very well with many new believers being baptised and confirmed and new Churches being planted in the two States. In the last Financial Year I was able to confirm about 4000 people and I was not able to reach many Parishes due to lack of time. With the
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establishment of the Gogrial and Tonj Area Administrations Rev Paul Lueth Kat will remain as the Mission and Evangelism Coordinator in Gogrial Area Diocese and I have appointed Rev Joseph Uyu Uguak as the Mission and Evangelism Coordinator in Wau Diocese/ Western Bhar El Ghazal State As you know the Provincial Standing Committee meeting in Bor in November 2013 approved our request for Tonj and Gogrial to be upgraded to full Dioceses but with a condition that we meet the requirements before the Bishops can be appointed. We are currently working on the requirements which we hope we will be able to meet in the near future after which we will invite His Grace the Archbishop to come and inaugurate the new Dioceses. My suggestion in this regard is to change the way we have been doing our fund raising in the Archdeaconries/Counties and try new ways. For example we could ask each County to be paying a Monthly contribution of 500 SSP as this can enable the two Areas to be getting a Monthly income of 1500 each. I have also decided to appoint two Administrators who will be based in Tonj and Kaujok in order to run the Administrations of the two Areas. The two Administrators will be responsible for the day today management of the Areas and will work hard to raise funds internally and externally by writing project proposals for the development of their respective Areas. Rev Peter Angui Akook is the Administrator/Bishop’s Commissary for Gogrial Area Diocese and Rev Santino Manut Achuil is the Administrator for Tonj Area Diocese. I have also appointed Rev Abraham Ayom Aru as the Dean of St Mary Cathedral in Kuajok and Rev Meshach Magak Ruai as the Dean of St Peter Cathedral in Tonj.
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Advent Meditations from Rev John Bol Angui Seasonal articles to focus your thoughts in Advent.
Advent is the liturgical season that precedes and prepares for Christmas. It is a season of hope and of longing, of joyful expectation and of peaceful preparation. Many symbols and traditions are associated with Advent, especially the Advent Wreath with its four coloured candles (three purple and one pink), but also Advent calendars, special Advent music, food, processions, and other traditions that may vary from one culture or region to the next. This Advent in preparation for celebrating Christmas Rev John Bol, a Wau Diocese Pastor studying at Bishop Gwynne College, Juba has written four meditations on the seasonal Bible readings of Advent. He has also prepared a meditation for Christmas day.
The meditations are designed to make you think about and reconsider what you know in a new light. They are written particularly from A South Sudanese point of view. All of Rev Jon’s meditations will be available each week from the Wau Diocese website (www.wau.anglican.org) and will stay available until January 1st 2015. Bishop Moses urges you to make use of these meditations to focus on the coming of Jesus at Christmas and what it really means for each of us. The first meditation will be available from November 30th.
Akon Brown Back Clinic Roof Damaged By Rev John Bol Angui In the year 2000 the organization Jump-start South Sudan (JSSS) had potential plans of clinic building in Akon for the community through a partnership with ECS Diocese of Wau. We have below a short reflection about what JSSS has done and how it had gone with the situation to the extent it had become a famous organization within and around the areas which surround Akon. It supported the people in all those areas of South Sudan around Warrap especially Akon where they had been targeted for humanitarian support.
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But after some years they eventually noticed that there is also a great need of medical treatments through their annual visiting assessments to the areas and have
experience of the common sicknesses such as malaria, typhoid and other kinds of sicknesses which affect the lives of the community. So JSSS built Akon Brown Back clinic to help all the people in the area especially children and the women. Jumpstart South Sudan has supported education with stationery and school uniforms which has motivated most of the children around Akon to continue with their studies and also encouraged the community to allow their children to attend school, especially girl pupils because they have seen Debra Ross as an educated female and that she has become JSSS’s president among the men and successfully headed it. Because of this example the community has been convinced and allow their daughters to follow their
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studies because JSSS motivated the community with school uniforms and other children important support. Also convinced and encouraged is Achol Chyer Rhyan the first woman to hold the post of Gogrial West County Commissioner in Warrap state. JSSS have been instrumental in supporting the community with different items such as blankets mosquito nets, clothes and others as well as they could afford to do. It was a very good way to approach the community with the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, when the community noticed that it was kind and of Christian’s behavior to help others as they have done it to them. Their support has contributed to a rapid spreading of the Gospel within and around the Akon area. Through the love and kindness which they shared the community understood the Christians’ lifestyles and attitudes toward the people
whom God created all over the world as brothers and sisters in Christ. JSSS also initiated the Bible school training in Akon Payam of Gogrial West County in Warrap State which equipped the Christian leaders to spread the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ to one another within a community as commended by our lord. This support enabled church growing in the community, when the church leaders have been trained for the ministry so that they have more experience and knowledge of the Gospel of the Lord to spread the words of salvation to the people. The Christian schools are the best
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for the church leaders to be trained in and return for their ministries. This training prepared the students to succeed in some advanced Christians schools especially St John’s Theological
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Special Entrance Examination (SEE) to prepare them for the success of the next examination which was done and in doing so established the school. JSSS has also offered some scholarships as to send some of the pastors to further studies so that they will be more equipped for their ministry. The current challenges in Akon Brown Back Clinic
college in the Diocese of Wau which has been initiated by the Rt Rev Bishop Moses Deng Bol Akoon in the year of 2010 to succeed in his vision of church leaders training in his Diocese and neighbouring Dioceses as well. It was one of his first visionary things to prioritize as he is the first Bishop in the Wau diocese to initiate a Christian school for the leaders of his diocese and others as well. In fact the RT Rev Bishop Moses Deng Bol Akoon first initiated this Christian school for the intention of only equipping three of his students who had failed the St Paul’s University Limuru Kenya’s
The clinic building has a problem with the ceiling in that there are the big cracks on the ceiling which show that it is almost ready to collapse. We have been talking with a contractor who has some experience of the character of the concrete ceiling in the clinic and talked possibly removing it and using another alternative for it, because the ceiling is now supported by three local wooden pillars which were used by clinic staff to hold up the ceiling for a time before getting a solution. The contractor measured the distance between the floor and the ceiling, along the wall across from where the big crack is. He also measured the distance between the floor and the ceiling in the middle of the room or where the crack has made the ceiling lower. We have observed, when we have climbed up to see what caused the crack in the empty space above the ceiling until we reached the wooden rafters and metal sheeting for the roof. We have got a lot of causes and we have taken some photos of it. There is a great need for support to rebuild the ceiling in this very important building.
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Remembering the Ministry of Kenneth Hearn By Bishop Moses Deng Bol It was in 2000 when I first met Kenneth when he and his long term Kenyan friend Joseph Musembi attended our first Diocesan Synod at Lietnhom, Gogrial East County Warrap State, South Sudan. The then Bishop of Wau Diocese Henry Chuir Riak introduced Kenneth as a friend of Wau Diocese whom he had appointed to represent the Diocese as Bishop’s Commissary in the UK. In addition to his appointment as Commissary Bishop Henry also appointed Kenneth as Lay Canon of Wau Cathedral. Kenneth held these two positions until his death on--- October 2014. As Official representative of Wau Diocese in
the UK, Kenneth served the Diocese with dedication and total commitment. His sacrificial service to Wau originated from his love for Christ and the people of Wau whom he has interacted with on different occasions including the Lietnhom Synod and his visits to Wau Cathedral in Wau town. While Commissary for Wau Diocese Kenneth worked hard to link Wau with friends in the UK. Some of Kenneth’s achievements includes the follow up of the Deanery link between Poole Deanery in Salisbury Diocese and Wau Diocese, the ladies education supported by the Chapman Trust Fund, the purchase of the Gospel of Mark in the Dinka Rek dialect supported by the Every Home Crusade, the Purchase of 500 Theological Books from the USA supported by Mile and Cooridor Parishes in Northern Ireland and the link between St John’s and Unionist College in Northern Ireland. Kenneth will be remembered by the people of Wau Diocese as someone who loved them whole heartedly and who committed himself to supporting them in whatever way possible. May His soul eternal peace
rest
Every blessing +Moses
in
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Community Conflict Prevention As a country emerging from prolonged civil war, Twic and Mayom Counties are facing a lot of challenges as far as issues of peaceful coexistence are concerned. One of the challenges that have potential to slow down the gains so far achieved is tribal violence. Although all South Sudan became independent on the 9th of July 2011, the issue of tribal violence has not been addressed well, especially between neighbouring communities; there is therefore need for an increased effort to reverse this practice. Goal: to create youth safe environments in Twic (Dinka) and Mayom (Nuer) Counties. Objectives: 1. To hold a five (5) day workshop in Ajak kuac Payam at the border of Warrap andUnity States to build the capacity of youth leaders, senior ministry officials, community leaders, traditional courts representatives, chiefs and law enforcement personnel on community conflict prevention and responses. 2. To increase community awareness on community conflict prevention and responses, with a holistic perspective that includes reconciliation, mediation, negotiation and peace building, by forming a multi-sector advocacy network at the two counties level.
Community Peace Mobilisers Leaders Project This project will target six counties of Warrap State which are bordering Lakes and Unity State, these three states are more prone to tribal conflict in South Sudan. Nowhere has the need for peace building been more pressing than in these six counties of Warrap State, where conflicts within neighbours like Unity and Lake State have been particularly devastating and major concern. Goal: To strengthen community leader’s capacity in peace building and conflict negotiation skills, healing and reconciliation and to instil a spirit of community ownership rather than depending on outsiders Objectives:
Equip leaders with relevant skills in conflict negation management Training of Community Peace Mobilisers to advocate for a culture of dialogue as an avenue for healing forgiveness and reconciliation. Setting up a Local Inter-Community peace committees in 42 payams Sign community peace agreements as a crucial element of strategies to restore security, justice and community dialogue. Encourage accountability within communities to take up their responsibilities in peace building and conflict mitigation. Work closely with government, CNHPR and other development actors within the context of the Warrap Strategic Plan. More details of these projects are on the Wau Diocese website project page: http://www.wau.anglican.org/index.php?PageID=propsals
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Contacting Us:
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By E-mail Diocesan Bishop Rt Rev Moses Deng Bol : bishop@wau.anglican.org Diocesan Secretary Rev Nathaniel Maral : dio.secretary@wau.anglican.org General Enquiries Rev Samuel Madut : communications@wau.anglican.org Mother’s Union Mrs Mary John Garang : mucoordinator@wau.anglican.org A full list of diocesan staff with contacts can be viewed on our website. By Post: Hai Mozephin, Opposite Wau Teaching Hospital, C/o ECS Provincial Office, P O BOX 110, Juba, South Sudan
Warrap State Peace Mobiliser
By Telephone:
+211 914191558
Tel +211 926954187 or +211 955602769 +254 716641233
roseaciendel@yahoo.com
Mrs Rose Aciendhel Kacthiek
“Father God please help us to seek out Jesus in our lives. Help us to see his light in the darkness of our lives and learn to grow in that light to be better people living in peace. Amen”.
www.wau.anglican.org
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Please Pray With Us Pray for the hardworking clergy and volunteers of Wau Diocese who work without pay in difficult conditions.
Pray for the Archbishop of the ECSSS and current situation in South Sudan so that all violence may be stopped and peace initiatives followed with vigour. Pray for lasting peace in the border lands between Sudan and South Sudan, in Abyei, Blue Nile and the Nuba Mountains. Pray for the success of the IGAD talks to bring a peaceful settlement to South Sudan.. Pray for peace and forgiveness between all South Sudanese tribal cultures. Give thanks to God for the work of CNHPR bringing healing and reconciliation to the people of South Sudan. Pray for those providing assistance to internally displaced people and the people relying on the aid. Particularly pray for children and mothers. Pray for all people in our community in need of education particularly girls and young women. Give Thanks for all those who have given their time to become peace mobilisers for South Sudan. Pray for Alueldit the chairperson of the internally displaced people in our Diocese. Pray for the many South Sudanese people living in other parts of the world.
Church prayers needs Pray for our Bishop the Rt. Rev Moses Deng Bol, who works so hard for the Diocese, pray that God will help him to do what needs to be done. Give Thanks for the Wau Diocese pastors living away and studying. Pray for them to succeed in their efforts and enrich the life of our diocese. Give Thanks for the Wau Diocese standing committee meeting and all those who attended. Pray for all pastors, priests, deacons and for all the new people who will be taking advantage of the new TEE training. Give thanks also for Jump Start South Sudan. Pray for Rev Nathaniel Maral as he begins his mission work as Diocesan Secretary. Pray for Rev John Bol and all theological students working hard to better themselves. Pray for the newly created administrators for the area dioceses of Gogrial and Tonj. Pray the work of the Education department in Wau Diocese, especially with projects supporting literacy and girls education. Give thanks to God for the valuable work of CARD in our community and the development it brings to make life better for the future.