News from the Sudan – Damazin State

Damazin State is in the eastern part of the Sudan. Historically, this town was known "Funji Dingdom”. It was a Christian Kingdom as from 250-600 AD. When the Arabs invaded Sudan in 700 AD, they gradually began to establish Islamic ideology, culture and Arabic language. Most people in the towns become Muslims and culturally Arab oriented. But the people in the rural areas remained African and maintained their local languages, African Tradition Religion and mostly illiterate. The area is virtually un- developed even electricity is only in small part of the town. This is the town where the hydroelectric power is installed which provides power to all Northern Eastern and Western part of the Sudan.

There is no electricity in southern Sudan, except a generator has been used for the towns only. Beginning from 1900 AD, the Christian community in Damazin began to be build up again. Leaders from the local communities were trained for the ministry in the various Christian Churches. Sunday services are done under the trees as there was no building and no permission from the government to do so. The life of the community was formed into partisan groups - Islam, Christianity, and African Tradition Religion

The CCN at All Saints Cathedral thought of organizing a trip to Damazin, sponsored by discipleship Group, under All Saints Cathedral. The training workshop which ended with a public rally in a special Muslim square known as “ Midan El Mouleed” Which means (Mohamed’s Birthday square). It was in this place Canon Sylvester Thomas Kambaya, delivered the message of “Reconciliation and Forgiveness” Followed is full text of the message.

Message to the People of Damazin – Sudan.

The message: Text Isaiah 11: 1-9

“One day of Forgiveness and Reconciliation makes difference of the days of hatred”.

My dear fellow citizen of our beloved country Sudan, Salam (Saloom) Peace be with you all.

I take this opportunity to congratulate the State Government of Damazin, the Religious leaders and all the public for the warm welcomed we received and for the wise decision you have taken to allow me to deliver the message of Reconciliation and Forgiveness. This day in Damazin it is my prayer that, this one-day in Damzzin will make difference in our lives as communities leaders and as citizens of the country. Changing our minds lives attitudes and wrong concepts from enenity to friendship from individualism to communality from hatred to loving from hostility to peacefulness and from separation to unity.

Reading the Text of Isaiah 11: 1-9 this spirit of living together has already started. It is our Day in Damazin.

1. Today in Damazin as you have seen the SPLM/A Leadership and the Government Leadership are sitting together side by side, with their flags flying over them. Is this not a day of change?

2. Today in “Midani El Mouleed” which is set a side only for Muslelims stands today both Christians and Muselims together side by, side and using electricity directly from the Mosque. Is this not a day of change?

We can be tempted to say that, the message of Isaiah 11: 1-9 has been fulfilled in our hearing today? But God wants us to do more than these. God wants us to submit ourselves, utterly to him. So that our innerselves and minds are vested with new divine spirit and wisdom of understanding, of counseling, of justice, truth and honesty. According to prophet Isaiah 11: 1-9 the Spirit of Honesty, truth and Justice will be experienced some time and some where in the animal kingdom.

· The wolves will share one bed with the goats

· The cows will share the same pasture with Bears

· The Lions and the Oxen will share the some food.

· The children will play together with the poisonous snakes, and they will not be hurt by either one.

These are the lives of the people, whose land and mind are filled, with the knowledge of God. The people who knows God (V9)

Today in Damzazin, God is calling each one of us to make a change in our daily lives, political system and our attitude towards each other and outside world. If this happens, then

· Sudan will no longer be called the land of Arabs, but the land of Multi-tribal, cultural and multi-Lingual country.

· Sudan will no longer be called the land of Islam, but the land of Religious Communities.

· SPLM/A will no longer be called rebels, but partners in nation- building

· The government of the Sudan will no longer be called the terrorist government, but Government of National – unity.

This type of National unity and community communality can be seen and found in an African Ants-hill where you find termites (black) ants (white and brown) The queen mother (white) and the king (husband (black) (all are living together based on the policy of community communality, where justice truth, honesty, equality and for sure Reconciliation and Forgiveness is being experience amongst them. Building their lives on better future and forgetting the past. Archbishop Desmon Tutu said in his book “ There is no future without forgiveness and Reconciliation”

For us to have a better future in the Sudan, we shall forgive and reconcile to each other. The story of Joseph and his brothers in Genesis is an example for us.

Joseph who was badly hurt by his own brothers was the first to open his hands to receive and forgive his own brothers who mistreated him so badly.

As we know from the story, God blessed their families, their land and their future with and in everything they are lacking and are in need.

God will also bless our land, our families and our future with and in every thing we lack and are in need, should we forgive and reconcile with our brothers and sister a cross the Sudan. God bless you Amen.