Troubling trends in South Sudan, yet God’s plans stand firm

(Image courtesy of Streams of Living Water)

South Sudan (MNN) — Troubling trends emerge in South Sudan. A new report^[1] from CARE International says it’s one of the world’s deadliest places to be an aid worker. Religious workers aren’t safe either; two Catholic nuns were shot and killed this week^[2] near Juba when gunmen attacked their bus.

A believer we’ll call Wol describes a third concerning development: “Islam is now invading South Sudan. They’re saying South Sudan is a strategic place and that [it] will be the gate to Africa [so that] Islam can go to all of Africa.”

Islamic leaders “are mobilizing money from different Islamic countries and they’re sending them to South Sudan,” Wol says. When South Sudan became a nation ten years ago, many believers fled persecution in Majority-Muslim Sudan to find safety in the south. More about that here.^[3]

Wol serves with MNN’s sister ministry, Streams of Living Water^[4], in South Sudan. Streams of Living Water recruits, trains, and sends believers from the Middle East/North Africa region to reach the Arab world for Christ.

“Pray for us, that the Lord may raise believers in South Sudan to come and do the work of the Lord,” Wol requests.

“The harvest is plenty here in South Sudan.”

New plans are underway to adapt Streams’ training program for women leaders. “The women have a calling of God for their ministry, and without being trained they cannot do that calling,” Wol explains.

Streams of Living Water recruits, trains, and sends believers from the Middle East/North Africa region to reach the Arab world for Christ.(Photo courtesy of Streams of Living Water)

“[This] is an opportunity to bring women to the kingdom of God through the ministry of women.”

Believers typically use two methods for evangelism in South Sudan, Wol says. “There is mass evangelism or one-to-one evangelism. This style (one-on-one) will not work with a different sex; you know, man-to-woman or woman-to-man,” he explains.

However, the one-on-one approach works well for women’s ministry. “There are some things that the women cannot tell the men. But when they are women alone, they can tell why they are hindered. Women that are well-trained and well-equipped with the Word of God can give answers to the women; they can convince them to repent and come back to the Lord,” Wol says.

“God wants all people to be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth. ‘All people’ should include the women.”

Pray for discernment for Wol and other leaders as they develop plans for the new women’s ministry. Learn more about Streams of Living Water here.^[5]

References

1. ^{^} new report (reliefweb.int)
2. ^{^} this week (www.catholicherald.com)
3. ^{^} More about that here. (prayercast.com)
4. ^{^} Streams of Living Water (www.owm.org)
5. ^{^} Learn more about Streams of Living Water here. (www.owm.org)