Re-imagining Sudan

Andy Freeman, July 5th, 2011

Praying for peace as a country is born.

Imagine a country divided north from south.  A country which has a southern oil rich area, but a northern area focused on political power.  Imagine a nation whose leader is wanted by the International Criminal Court.  A nation which has within its border’s one of the world’s most infamous conflict areas in its north.  A nation split by different religions.  A nation which plays host to many different militias each intent on using violence to gain their aims.  If you can imagine all that, you’re probably imagining the nation of Sudan.

On Saturday 9th July, Sudan, Africa’s largest country, will become two.  In January 2011, after 7 days of voting, the people of the predominantly Christian, South Sudan overwhelmingly voted in favour of splitting from the North of the country and forming their own nation. In 24 days time this hope and new future will be realised.  However bound with the hope of creation are many tough realities, the new Republic of South Sudan will become one of the world’s poorest countries and face many trials.  The BBC have reported that dozen’s of rebel militias are preparing to fight for control of this new nation. Many have relocated to the south in hope of a new start, yet find themselves in appalling conditions in transit camps, and facing an uncertain future.  Many children are at risk in this volatile situation.  Living out in the open.  No schools.  Often with food in short supply. 

Added to this is the ongoing tension in the region of Darfur, where terrible atrocities have taken place and many people have died.

We want to ask you to stand with Sudan and be their friend at a time of need. 

We also want to ask you to pray.  Would you set aside the 9th July as a day of prayer for Sudan and for the effects of the split between North and South.

• To pray for a peaceful transition and an end to violence.
• For a solution to the problems in Darfur.
• For the children of South Sudan, and for families living in Transit camps.
• For international leaders, that they will stand with the people of Sudan at this difficult time.

On the 9th July, as you wake up, I’d like to ask you to get a marker pen or biro and write a word on your hand ‘Sudan’.   Let God do the rest and be willing to respond to his prompting to pray.

Please feel free to post your prayers for Sudan in the comments section below and use our facebook wall to send us the photos of 'Sudan' written on your hand.

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• Jordi
  10th Jul

  

  For the ones who want to knoe a bit more of what does it mean to live in Darfur.

  http://www.amazon.com/Translator-Tribesmans-Memoir-Darfur/dp/1400067448

• tim f
  9th Jul

  

  Our first prayer at a prayer meeting in Portsmouth this morning (responses in brackets):

  South Sudan Oyee! (Oyee!)
  Freedom Oyee! (Oyee!)
  Separation Oyee! (Oyee!)
  Father Oyee! (Oyee!)
  Son Oyee! (Oyee!)
  Spirit Oyee! (Oyee!)

  A call from the Nuba for specific prayers for the Nuba today: http://www.theird.org/prayingfornuba

• james sharp
  9th Jul

  

  The church in South Sudan see this as a day of celebration and answered prayer too. So our prayers of concern are mingled with dancing and gladness as we stand with our friends in South Sudan.

• Claire
  9th Jul

  

  Hand is written on and prayer is being lifted… May hope be a powerful force in what happens from here on.

• Bonita
  9th Jul

  

  For the people of Northern Sudan, that there hearts would be open wide, and they would have the courage to criticize their own government and that their faith might be shaken.

  And for the people in the government of the North that are perpetrating these crimes, that you would soften their hearts and show them the error of their ways.

• Carla Harding
  6th Jul

  

  I’m praying!

• tim f
  6th Jul

  

  For speedy withdrawal of Northern troops from Abyei, that the 150,000 displaced would be able to return to their homeland asap, that God would protect them from armed attacks, rain & hunger in the meantime, that ruins would be rebuilt an the land yield crops when they return, that Ethiopian peacekeepers would be motivated and capable to prevent further militia incursions into the area and that God would hear the cry of the Dinka Ngok & deliver them into freedom as he has done the South, guaranteeing their right of self-determination promised under so many agreements

  For the targets of genocide in the Nuba Mountains, that God would soften the hearts of Northern leaders to earnestly seek peaceful solutions, remove all barriers to implementation of the agreements they’ve already signed, stop the bombing & God would give rebels the strength to maintain safe havens that civilians can flee to in the meantime

  For the South, that the many traumas of war would be healed, the country would be united, ordinary people may enjoy the benefits of peace & development and leaders will be humble and willing to give away power, that ethnicity will not be the main cleavage in politics & those at a county & payom level will learn that differences of opinion are not a physical threat and should be celebrated

  For those the Northern government seeks to use to divide and weaken opposition in both North and South, that they would refuse to be used by that government and turn to God instead, that God would reveal Himself to them and that the witness of their enemies would cause them to investigate who their God is

  For the Church, that the remarkable church unity in Sudan would continue, for an end to syncretism, that a new openness in the South would result in lots of training for untrained church leaders, for a concerted focus on discipleship of existing Christians and mission to unreached peoples who were once their enemies

  And for us, that we will keep praying for this new nation full of hope after the 9th

• Mimosa
  5th Jul

  

  I’m joining!