During this time when we are reminded true peace is found in the gift and person of Christ we are reminded to pray to the author of peace.
An update on our team’s course of action at this time can be found below. Our family is currently in Kenya helping as best we can prepare place for our teammates to temporarily relocate to. Please pray with us!
1) Please pray for those that know God and are seeking God in South Sudan that as they are faced with a difficult crisis of who they will pledge their allegiance to, family, tribe, politically and personally that their obedience to God will first and foremost guide both their actions and allegiances.
2) Please pray for the Sudanese church and leaders, especially this Sunday these leaders have the ability to really set the tone for the church’s response in conflict. Pray they will take this responsibility seriously and use the authority God has given them to lead the church in a way that honors Christ.
3) We love this African Proverb; Wood already touched by fire is not hard to set alight. Please pray that Satan will not use the history of South Sudan to hurt the people and the church and to blind judgement or suspend morals. Pray that the past sins and hurts will not be used to stir up conflict among people.
4) Finally pray for the Southern Sudanese, as they deal with grief, fear, and for many needing to flee or seek refuge yet again from violence. As is often the case the action of a few affects the response and lives of the many.
We are happy to chat via email about our personal response to the conflict but our flawed views and limited opinions and information have done little more then to find ourselves on our knees praying for this nation we love so dearly and are privileged to call “home”. Thank you for standing with us in prayer.
J– and Abuk
Update on our team’s course of action:
It is with heavy hearts that we share this news.
Fighting in South Sudan has intensified overnight, spreading from Jonglei to Unity State (specifically Bentiu).
Our Crisis Management Team met with morning with Samaritan’s Purse and the UN, who both advised to begin removing our personnel from the field.
The possibility of Upper Nile State getting involved in this current conflict has increased. This is our window of opportunity to extract our team in an organized way.
SIM has activated the Crisis Management Team both locally in Doro, as well as in Nairobi. Efforts are being made to organize a flight as soon as possible. Our team will be relocated to Nairobi, until the situation improves.
As of now there is no direct danger to our people on the ground, however tensions have increased both locally and nationally, and one cannot predict when conflict in our area might break out.
Obviously, medical, education and water services are still very much needed in the area, and we hope to return as soon as possible, remaining committed to carrying out our mission here in South Sudan.
Pray that peace will reign in our hearts and in this land.