Heartbroken: How you can pray for our country, South Sudan

Ethnic Groups of the Sudans (Courtesy: BBC News)
Ethnic Groups of the Sudans (Courtesy: BBC News)

       In the coming days, we’ll be updating this Prayer Post for South Sudan. This will allow you to be praying for peace and stability.  

 

Heartbroken 

HeartbrokenDefined

Thursday, Dec. 26

Read a simple but accurate report on the South Sudan Crisis.

Christmas Day  25 December 2013

Today’s verse to pray over South Sudan (SS):   Psalm 46 Entire Chapter

God is our refuge and strength,
 an ever-present help in trouble. (46:1)

How you can pray today:

1.  Pray that Jesus-followers in SS will find their comfort in the God’s strength.  That they (in spite of personal danger) will stand up for the helpless from other tribes.

2. That God will use Church Leaders (Anglicans/Catholics/Protestants) as peacemakers between the warring factions.

3. That God will break the hearts of Salva Kiir (President) and Riek Machar (former V.P.) over the killing and chaos and bring them together for the good of South Sudan.

 

the Peace of Jesus is the only way South Sudan will find real peace.  Pray for churches like Jombu Baptist Church as they take a stand for justice, peace, and forgiveness.
the Peace of Jesus is the only way South Sudan will find real peace. Pray for churches like Jombu Baptist Church as they take a stand for justice, peace, and forgiveness.

 

24 Dec 2013 

How you can pray today:

1. That the two leaders, President Salva Kiir and former V.P. Riek Machar will step up and take courageous action to stop the mass killing.

2. That South Sudanese Christians will stand strong in their faith, reach out across ethnic lines, and be peacemakers.  A note: this will cost them. In fact, some will die for their strong stand.

3. Pray for the Army chaplains who are embedded in unit on both sides of the fighting.

 

Christmas Eve

Tuesday, 24 December, 2013

DeDe and I are heartbroken over the unfolding situation in South Sudan.  As you may be aware, South Sudan is our main focus in reaching the unreached. 

Although we currently live in Entebbe, Uganda (where the International Airport is) most of our work involved traveling in and out of South Sudan.  Additionally, many of our key tribes overlaps national borders.  For instance the Kaw People live in three adjoining countries (SS, Uganda and DRC-Congo).

It’s difficult to explain what’s happening in South Sudan (SS) in two paragraphs but here goes:

The world’s newest country has a long history of conflict and unrest.  Most of the fighting has been with its northern Islamic neighbour, The Sudan.  However, deep tribal hostility has existed for decades between the two major SS tribes: the Dinka and Nuer.  The current president, Salva Kiir, is Dinka.  His former V.P. Riek Machar is Nuer.  Last Summer, President Kiir removed his entire cabinet including V.P. Machar.

Last week the simmering feud erupted into flames in Juba, the capital city.  It is still unclear what started it (attempted coup/accident) but it quickly developed into defections within the SPLA (SS’s Army) mainly along Dinka/Nuer ethnic lines.  This has spread to other areas of the country, including SS’s oil rich states in the northern part of the country.  The term genocide (as in Rwanda) is a strong word but observers both in and out of the country are cautiously using this word.

Pray that the Prince of Peace, Jesus, will bring about peace and forgiveness.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Shares