Between Cross and Crescent in Sudan

Volume 3 1995

A Frontline Mission team recently returned from an eventful 5 month mission trip to war-torn Sudan. In two occasions they had to be evacuated due to military offensives and once they were evacuated by an emergency medical aircraft after George had a reoccurrence of malaria and Maretha came down with acute pneumonia and dehydration. After recovering they returned to minister in Sudan.

As we walked for hour after hour across the harsh and barren plains and severe heat of the Nile Sudd in Southern Sudan, the Cross of Jesus was to be seen on the ooftops of all the Christian homes, as we passed through the Nuer villages.

Wherever we stopped, we were welcomed by youth choirs marching toward us with tall, thin wooden crosses before them. The more time we spent with these tall, thin people, the more we were reminded of these words of our Lord Jesus Christ: “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.” Luke 9:23

Northern Sudan is predominantly Muslim, while in the South Christianity and traditional African beliefs are in the majority. In the North, Christians face severe repression under the present government policy of Islamic 'Sharia' law. While the cross of Jesus is seen as a curse by their Muslim oppressors, it is a symbol of hope and salvation to the Christians of South Sudan and they cling to it wholeheartedly. Although it may mean repression and persecution to them if the Muslims take over control of their village, they are literally taking up their cross and following Jesus for the world to see. As a pastor said: “Although we are persecuted, we shall carry our cross to show the world that we are Christians."

“Take up your Cross...”

To be a Christian in Sudan often means that you lose your status as a citizen, your job, your opportunities to be educated, or even your life. It often means that if you are dying of hunger or disease, you can only receive aid if you deny your Faith and profess that “Allah is the only, true God and Mohammed is his prophet”.

If you are in a rebel-controlled area, where you are free to worship, being a Christian means that you must choose to no longer take your child to the traditional healers or witchdoctors, although there are almost no medical facilities. Being a Christian means that although you and your family are struggling to survive, you will also share what you have with those who have less. If you are an evangelist or pastor, it means travelling for days on foot, through harsh plains and marshes and across mountains to visit and encourage the believers. It requires something extra, something more, to be a Christian in Sudan. It requires you to take up your cross, deny yourself...

Although Sudan is officially Muslim, the Christian Church in Southern Sudan is strong, although Animism is still widely practised. Despite the difficult circumstances and the war, the Church in Sudan has grown tremendously in the past 20 years: from 5% to 20% of the population.

In Southern Sudan there are 6 main denominations, each operating in different reas: The Presbyterian Church of Sudan (PC0S) in the Upper Nile amongst the Nuer people, the Episcopal Church (ESC) in western Equatoria among the Dinka people, the African Inland Church (AIC) in Eastern Equatoria, the Roman Catholics in Bahr-el-Gazahl, the Sudan Pentecostal Church (SPC) and the Sudan Interior Church SIC). Basically the Catholics and Anglicans (Episcopal) are West of the Nile and the Protestants East of the Nile. The biggest growth has been experienced within the Presbyterian and Episcopal churches, where congregations have mushroomed and multiplied so quickly that the training of leaders could not possibly keep up the pace.

Southern Sudan is mostly controlled by rebel forces and the Church is allowed to operate freely in those areas. However, the Christians in those towns and villages invaded and occupied by the Muslim forces are subjected to the same vicious oppression as in the North. For many years the South has been restricted and closed. In areas like the Upper Nile it was impossible for anyone to reach or enter, but nevertheless the Church grew tremendously. As fighting broke out in different towns, people fled to the rural areas. Wherever Christians fled they targeted worship services and the congregations mushroomed. In some areas whole Nuer and Dinka villages forsook their traditional beliefs and turned to the Lord. Even without Bibles and leaders the Spirit of God has taught His people in Sudan, and we were amazed at the depth of understanding and insight of basic truths of the Gospel. Christians testified of a steadfast trust in the providence of God. According to them, God used the war to spread His Word, and whether they suffer, live or die, they are in the hands of the Sovereign God who is in control of the universe.

Along with this rapid church growth however, the Church has had to deal with tremendous problems and challenges. There are no training facilities for church leaders in the South, due to the unstable war situation. Most congregations are without trained pastors and are being led by evangelists who often struggle to read and write. Huge numbers of people are turning to the Lord, but they are not being discipled. In some congregations nominalism could become a problem. Many of them are pleading for training and teaching. At one training seminar for church leaders where we taught, two men walked for ten days to attend this 2-week seminar. It took them 4 days just to cross the Nile and surrounding swamps on a dug-out canoe! Their desire to know more and be taught in the Scriptures was overwhelming.

Some pastors have been sent out to neighbouring countries to receive training, but most of them have either never returned, or they live in Kenya and just visit their people on occasion. A trained pastor who returns often will have the responsibility of about 80 or more congregations to care for. One pastor was assigned to an area where there had been no ordained pastor for over 11 years. He disappeared for 14 months, travelling on foot through marshes and rivers, often without food, to visit all the new congregations and baptise believers. He reported to have baptised more than 9 000 believers!

“Teach Us To Read”

Another problem is illiteracy. In the war-torn South little education has been available for many years. Christians cry out for literacy training to enable them to read their Bibles. One woman who learnt to read testified: “Now I have found Jesus in the Bible!” Another exclaimed: “Now that the Gospel has reached us, how can we teach our children if we cannot read the Bible?" translation of the Bible into most Sudanese languages needs urgent attention. Although the New Testament has been translated in a number of Sudanese languages, there is not yet a complete Bible in most of these languages. Old Testament translations into Nuer and Dinka are in the process of being translated and we were privileged to witness the first Nuer copies of Genesis and Exodus to be handed out to pastors and evangelists! The Christians celebrated with indescribable joy to be able to read from Genesis in their own language for the first time!

“I Was Hungry...”

Of course the desperate physical plight of the people was a constant reality. As we travelled through different areas we saw even worse poverty and misery than what we had seen in Mozambique and Angola. Most of the children were naked and even many adults too.

Hunger is prevalent in most areas, their whole life is a constant struggle for survival. In the far South most people have moved into the mountain slopes in order to escape the burning down of their villages by either government forces or rebel faction fighting. As a result the women often have to walk up to 4 hours just to collect water from the nearest stream to carry back to their hut.

“Choose You This Day...”

In 1964 the Muslim government in Khartoum expelled missionaries from the South. A few managed to remain as relief, development, educational or medical workers, but since the war broke out again with renewed intensification in 1983 most of them withdrew as the rebels took over control of the South. However, a few organisations have returned through Kenya without the consent of the Khartoum government, but with the permission of the rebel authorities.

“No Bibles Allowed”

For the last few years the United Nations have been conducting a major relief programme within South Sudan, although it has been restricted to only those towns permitted aid by the Khartoum government. The United Nations formed “Operation feline Sudan” as an umbrella under which relief and humanitarian groups can be co-ordinated. OLS has provided relief and humanitarian aid, training programmes with regards to education, health, agriculture, as well as basic medical facilities and other development programmes to the Southerners.

H owever few of these are Christian-orientated or work alongside the Church. In addition the UN strictly forbids the transportation of any Bibles, hymn books or any Christian literature at all. The UN have cancelled flights on which was found Bibles and other Christian literature. [For these reasons our mission and a Norwegian relief agency have chosen not to work under the UN. Rather than fly into wherever the UN allows - without Bibles, we prefer to drive or walk into wherever the Lord leads - with Bibles. - Editor]

Different missionary groups are working under the New Sudan Council of Churches (NSCC) in close co-operation with local churches of South Sudan. The NSCC broke away from the Sudan Council of Churches in Khartoum (and the WCC) as they felt that the interests of the churches in the South were completely neglected. The NSCC is mainly assisting the local churches with relief aid and development programmes, but also co-ordinates missionary efforts, which mainly consist of leadership and theological training. The latter, however, appears to be sadly neglected and inadequate to meet the needs of the churches. We aim to assist these local churches with discipleship and leadership training and with literacy work.

Sudan is a country torn apart by war and it has suffered harsh repression for many years. Yet, little is being done to heed the plight of the Sudanese. Little pressure has been brought to bear on the government of Sudan to change its destructive policies. Peace treaties have been routinely broken as soon as they are signed and yet the world community has remained silent.

A Call to Prayer & Action

Pray for Sudan, make their needs known and work together for the freedom of the Sudanese Christians. Pray for an end to the devastating war and for the breakdown of the spiritual bondage of Islam. Pray that those who are spiritually blinded, will come to salvation. Pray for the Church: for an ongoing revival and growth, accompanied by the discipleship of believers and training of church leaders. Pray for our Christian brothers and sisters to remain steadfast under pressure and repression. Pray for the church leaders: that they will grow and mature in the Lord, that they will be dedicated shepherds of their flocks despite the difficult circumstances. Pray for the workers in the field as the fields are white and ready for harvest. You can be involved through your prayers, through your contributions towards the work and through making the situation known.

Maretha Bezuidenhout

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