AFRECS: American Friends of the Episcopal Church of Sudan

 

THE EPISCOPAL CHURCH OF THE SUDAN

 PROPOSED POST WAR PROGRAM

Introduction  On 09/01/05 the peace Agreement was signed between the Sudan Peoples' Liberation Army/Movement and the Government of Khartoum. The time has come for Sudan to unite and move forward, and it is the right time for the Episcopal Church of Sudan (ECS) to address the urgent needs of the people to help them to do this. On 09/02/05 the Archbishop of the ECS met in Kampala with the Dean of the Province and the Bishops of Wau, Yambio, Ezo, Torit, Lainya, Rumbek, and assistant Bishop of Rumbek, together with Kampala Office Manager Helen Wavis, and observer Rev Pauline Walker of the Church Mission Society (CMS), to discuss the way forward for the Province, in a meeting facilitated by Canon John Kanykiwa Canon John presented a working paper. 

The following is a summary of the paper and the resulting discussions.

 THE BACKGROUND TO THE SITUATION

The North/South Sudan conflict is the longest racial, religious, political, and economic war ever fought in the Continent of Africa. Since the forced independence of 1956 that has resulted in the loss of over two million of the Southern population! This war has two phases:

·          The ANYANYA war that lasted 16 years 1956-1972

·          The SPLA war that has gone on for a period of 21 years 1983-2004

A large part of the population of Southern Sudan has been born into the war and grown in the war, with no experience of peace or independence, justice and human dignity. This war has left virtually nothing in terms of development. This is the challenge that facing the Church of God including the Episcopal Church of Sudan that has never been crushed, but instead by God’s grace it grew - "the blood of Christian martyrdom and oppression is the seed of the Church". About 2.5 million have died in the war and 4 million have been displaced. Many widows and orphans are left, and they are running to the Church for help. The wealth of the Church in the Sudan is never to be measured by world economic growth and development, not even numbers; but rather the fact that it survived and strived throughout the deadly wars - II Cor.4: 7-10. This measure of survival has been possible due to a large extent the support and prayers of external partners from outside Africa that stood with the Episcopal Church of the Sudan during that time of need - Mat: 25:31-46. 

With the peace at the corner, the Christian Church as well as the Episcopal Church of the Sudan, the second largest Christian Church to the Roman Catholic Church in that Nation is called to play a key role in responding to the human needs this time, as it did side by side with the Episcopal Church USA in assisting Ugandan refugees to the Southern Sudan in the 1980's. A real success story of two Provinces responding the human need - “partnership in practical way and services”.

With no economic might, but the will, the Episcopal Church of the Sudan calls on her partners in need to join her in responding with her to this great human need in Southern Sudan, the Nuba Mountains and Blue Nile area in restoring life and hope to the oppressed people over the years. Ps. l 18:25 

Already the Dioceses of the Episcopal Church of the Sudan in the South are grouped into 7 areas plus the Diocese of Kaduguli in the Nuba Mountains making a total of 8 clusters. The target areas of attention are as follows. 

THE PRIORITIES OF NEED FOR THE WAY FORWARD: 

While it is recognized that the Church cannot and should not be the only organization implementing these basic requirements for sustaining human life, the church is the one organization that has stayed in a close contact with the grassroots levels throughout this war. Its leadership is therefore a key in the communities in which it is well established, and is looked to to take a lead in the development of the nation, motivating the communities to work for themselves and their future. The greatest areas of need are as follows:

1. Education:

 a. For children: The UN has declared that southern Sudan is the worst place in the world for primary education. Those children who are lucky enough to receive any education are mostly receiving it from volunteer teachers who have very little education themselves, gathering the children in makeshift shelters under trees.

1. Primary education (Prov. 22:6)

2. Post primary education technical/vocational education that is geared towards preparation  of persons for life and self-sustainability.

3. Teacher training.

b. For adults: Adult Education that aims at community development with emphasis on the following:

·      Gender education in a male dominated Southern Sudan

·      Adult and Civic education in a 90% illiterate Southern Sudan (All Bishops should     have a copy of "The Six Protocols" so that they can interpret them to the priests, and take them on confirmation tours to educate the people). The gospel for southern Sudan is “we are born again - here in southern Sudan!” This is a rebirth of Sudan.

·      It is the responsibility of the Church to bring unity and purpose of action, both in the church and among the many small groups of people throughout Sudan.

·      Health education, mostly in the area of preventive medicine, to reduce expenses on curative medicine.

·      Awareness on HIV/AIDS, Malaria, TB, Waterborne diseases and trauma that are very prevalent in rural Southern Sudan.

·      Agriculture that aims at diversifying crop production using improved traditional methods, storage that will result in food security/clean water.

·      Improved traditional animal/chicken keeping with the provision of vaccines for healthy animals and birds.

·      Improved local traditional construction of houses that can equally be applied in building public places such as schools and churches - i.e. now using brick walls and roofs that are less open to fire risk; permanent buildings to replace those that are easily lost when the rains come.

2. Health: 

a. Clean drinking water and sanitation. This means extensive borehole drilling and well-digging, together with community education on how to care for and maintain good water sources.

b. Clinics in selected strategic areas with the aim of providing antenatal services to mothers as well as primary health care services and health emergency treatment. As well as the direct effects of the war many people have died from what should be easily preventable diseases, but there are no medical facilities to supply even basic medicines and treatment.

c. Treatment and counseling centers for HIV/AIDS patients. At present the infection is mostly near to the border towns, but as peace comes and people move, the HIV/AIDS virus is a disaster waiting to take hold in the parts of Sudan that have so far been protected because of being isolated in the war.

3. Peace Building and Reconciliation: 

a. Many thousands of people are traumatized by this war. There is much work of healing, forgiveness and reconciliation that needs to be done. Also trauma counseling is needed to help the people to move on from the traumatic circumstances they have been in for many years. Already workshops have started in some areas, and people have begun to experience deep healing and find themselves set free to live life as human beings in the fullness of life. More workshops are needed on this. The whole community needs education on how to move from a culture of war to a culture of peace - and everyone under the age of 21 years needs to be taught what a culture of peace means! We need programs to teach particularly our youth how to live by peaceful means, instead of relying on or being the constant victims of guns, raping and looting. The child soldiers need to be integrated into normal society and taught how to live a normal life. 

b. As people come back from "outside" there will be much peace-building work to be done to break down suspicions and barriers on all sides that have grown up in their long absence. 

4. Communication: 

A few people in Sudan have never seen electricity or a phone, let alone a computer. Now we must start by building up our resources. Without communication development cannot even start. Basic IT training centers are needed in strategic centers, with appropriate teaching being introduced into schools and places of further education. Communication centers to train the pastors in computer use are needed, as well as a supply of computers that can be used by them. 

Meanwhile the ECS has the challenge of building on its communication within Sudan and with the outside world. It will be some time before all the Dioceses of Sudan can be connected to each other, let alone to the outside world. It is impossible for the Provincial Office to communicate directly with all the dioceses over the vast area of Sudan, so meanwhile the ECS Kampala office is absolutely crucial for maintaining communication with the Dioceses in the SPLA-held areas, and between those dioceses, the Provincial office and the Dioceses on the former northern government-held areas. This office consists of a small and hard-working staff and needs funds to handle the administration, coordination and logistics for the Dioceses accessed through northern Uganda.  

5. Transport: 

Sudan covers more than a million square miles, and the Dioceses are vast. The Bishops and training institutions need transport to facilitate their otherwise impossible work. A very few bishops and no theological institutions have vehicles at the present time.

6. Capacity Building and leadership Empowerment: 

During the war years people have been cut off and it has been extremely difficult for the leaders to get the training and experience they need. Training is an urgent need throughout the Church for holistic integrated mission. This means theological, general leadership, and administration training. 

a. Theological Education: A strategic review of theological education is currently being undertaken, and the plan is moving towards providing basic training at the cluster level, developing key Provincial Institutes, while selecting key people for further training outside Sudan. 

b. General Capacity Building of the leaders: Training has started in workshops for Bishops with their diocesan staff, as the first step in building up the Dioceses to operate for peace and in peace as it comes to Sudan. These workshops need to be continued. 

c. Development Officers should be trained for every Diocese, to help the Dioceses develop generally and also to develop income-generating projects that can help the Dioceses towards more sustainability and self-reliance. It was emphasized that the Church should look for professionalism at every level, and particularly in running any of these projects - that people should be appointed according to their qualifications and experiences.  

7. Relief and Rehabilitation:  

As people return from outside the Church will need to be involved in the community welcoming them back and providing basic subsistence until returning people become established in their areas. Cooperatives (e.g. Church farms) are to be formed to help the people to rehabilitate. 

8. Reconstruction:  

Church Structures: Many Dioceses need basic buildings. The former buildings are in ruins all over the south. We need to identify partners who can help with this - and it was noted that if the people themselves provide part of what is needed - e.g. bricks, timbers, labor, and then the partners are asked to contribute what cannot be provided inside Sudan.