Over the course of this week I was able to do a little bit of research on what the United States is doing to aid the people in Southern Sudan. I have discovered that a lot of the news data bases are very vague about the issues and what our country is doing to aid the Sudanese.
The media seemed to be tip-toeing their way around the what exactly the United States is doing. That really got me to think about if our government really is doing anything or if it is all just talk. I decided that I needed to go straight to the source.
I did some research on the White House's website and was able to learn a lot more about what our government is trying to do to help the people in Sudan. For one thing I was able to learn a lot about the man in charge of the Special Envoy to Sudan, General Scott Gration. I also discovered that the U.S. is trying to make sure that the Sudanese government keeps their end of the peace agreement that had been signed between the north and the south.
If you are interesting in learning more about how the United States government is helping Sudan I would recommend going directly to a government website. The news doesn't give out enough information and they seem to be a little bit clueless.
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Thursday, November 19, 2009
No Where to Run
A lot of people do not understand what is truly happening over in Sudan. The truth is I don't really know as much as I would like to. Some people look at what is going on over in Sudan and say "well why don't the people just run away." The truth is that they have no where to run.
In the United States citizens have the opportunity to go to the police or the government in order to find a safe haven or to bring about justice. Over in Sudan that is not the case. If someone needs help they can not always go to their government, in fact, their government may be the very thing that is causing their hardships.
Over in Sudan that is exactly what the case is. In the book Escape From Slavery Bok tells his readers about the time that he went to the police station when he was finally able to escape. When he got to the police station he thought that they would be able to help him find a safe place to go where he could find his family. Instead of finding that Bok discovered that the police were not interested in helping him but that they wanted to keep him as a slave for themselves.
So the police were obviously of no help to Bok.
Another example of this can be seen through the president of Sudan Omar Hassan al-Bashir the leader of all of the blood shed that is occuring and that has occured. The Sudanese people can do nothing to defend themselves. Luckly, however, other countries such as the United States have noticed this and they are trying to bring about justice. President al-Bashir has been found guilty on five counts of crimes about humanity.
In the United States citizens have the opportunity to go to the police or the government in order to find a safe haven or to bring about justice. Over in Sudan that is not the case. If someone needs help they can not always go to their government, in fact, their government may be the very thing that is causing their hardships.
Over in Sudan that is exactly what the case is. In the book Escape From Slavery Bok tells his readers about the time that he went to the police station when he was finally able to escape. When he got to the police station he thought that they would be able to help him find a safe place to go where he could find his family. Instead of finding that Bok discovered that the police were not interested in helping him but that they wanted to keep him as a slave for themselves.
So the police were obviously of no help to Bok.
Another example of this can be seen through the president of Sudan Omar Hassan al-Bashir the leader of all of the blood shed that is occuring and that has occured. The Sudanese people can do nothing to defend themselves. Luckly, however, other countries such as the United States have noticed this and they are trying to bring about justice. President al-Bashir has been found guilty on five counts of crimes about humanity.
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Spiritual Warfare
It wasn’t until I was in Sudan that I truly grasped how real Satan is. In the midst of spiritual warfare God convicted me that I was not spending enough time with Him. If I want to grow as a child of God I must be dedicated to spending time in His word and lis-tening for His voice in prayer.
One morning our team held a prayer conference for Thiec Nhaialic (The Ask God Prayer Army). As Dr. Katie led the discussions and exercises on prayer, she shared three visions which God has given her for the Jieng people.
The first was of an old woman. “This old woman is one of Satan’s ser-vants,” she stated. “She is watching the Jieng people and she is reporting their activities back to Satan.”
The second vision is a vision of an army of men. Katie explained that the army is also from Satan. They have no weapons but they are on the move and they are coming quickly to attack the Jieng people. The final vision is of a huge
rock. This rock is in between the Jieng people and God. Dr. Katie further ex-plained that only the Jieng people will be able to identify and move this rock.
After explaining the visions, I was shocked by the eerie sense of complacency and disinterest which the people exhibited. My heart filled with fear for the future. Suddenly, I felt un-safe, I could sense that Satan was at work. I began praying over this fear and that God would send his Spirit to protect the Jieng people.
Transitioning to meditative prayer, Katie asked everyone to be silent and listen to God. Piercing the silence, a young woman broke out in song and the participants swiftly joined her. While the words of the song ex-pressed worship to God it distracted us all from hearing God’s voice.
While Dr. Katie re-explained the purpose of the exercise to the team and explicitly asked for complete si-lence, the American team spread out among the room praying over all of the people and the building. As everyone entered into a time of listening to God, I felt sudden sharp pains all over my body as though someone was stabbing me with needles. Concentrating on Christ and thinking about the cross I rebuked all evil and slowly the pain subsided.
Hearing the singing once again I opened my eyes and was disturbed to see a woman shaking violently in the corner. To my left a man began crying out in an angry aggressive tone and another woman behind me began con-vulsing and singing as before. All of these distractions brought great discomfort and fear into the room. As Dr. Katie said, “Satan is trying to prevent us from hearing God.”
In an effort to suppress any evil and summon God’s powerful presence, several of our team members began praying over the three previously men-tioned individuals.
Once back at the compound I asked Dr. Katie about what I had seen and felt. She confirmed that it was not of God. “God is a God of control,” she said. What I felt that day was not con-trol it was evil. In team debriefing we talked about how Satan’s presence had been in our midst and we entered a time of prayer for our own spiritual cleansing and for the cleansing of the building and the people who we would be holding the conference with the following day.
Through this experience Satan proved his power. I have never experi-enced evil in such a way, and it shocked me and opened my eyes. But through it all God showed me that He is more powerful than Satan and that He conquers all.
“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is
not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities,
against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in
the heavenly realms.” – Ephesians 6:10-12
As the community danced for us, this woman depicted the devil and the army of God danced around her dispelling her power driv-ing her away.
One morning our team held a prayer conference for Thiec Nhaialic (The Ask God Prayer Army). As Dr. Katie led the discussions and exercises on prayer, she shared three visions which God has given her for the Jieng people.
The first was of an old woman. “This old woman is one of Satan’s ser-vants,” she stated. “She is watching the Jieng people and she is reporting their activities back to Satan.”
The second vision is a vision of an army of men. Katie explained that the army is also from Satan. They have no weapons but they are on the move and they are coming quickly to attack the Jieng people. The final vision is of a huge
rock. This rock is in between the Jieng people and God. Dr. Katie further ex-plained that only the Jieng people will be able to identify and move this rock.
After explaining the visions, I was shocked by the eerie sense of complacency and disinterest which the people exhibited. My heart filled with fear for the future. Suddenly, I felt un-safe, I could sense that Satan was at work. I began praying over this fear and that God would send his Spirit to protect the Jieng people.
Transitioning to meditative prayer, Katie asked everyone to be silent and listen to God. Piercing the silence, a young woman broke out in song and the participants swiftly joined her. While the words of the song ex-pressed worship to God it distracted us all from hearing God’s voice.
While Dr. Katie re-explained the purpose of the exercise to the team and explicitly asked for complete si-lence, the American team spread out among the room praying over all of the people and the building. As everyone entered into a time of listening to God, I felt sudden sharp pains all over my body as though someone was stabbing me with needles. Concentrating on Christ and thinking about the cross I rebuked all evil and slowly the pain subsided.
Hearing the singing once again I opened my eyes and was disturbed to see a woman shaking violently in the corner. To my left a man began crying out in an angry aggressive tone and another woman behind me began con-vulsing and singing as before. All of these distractions brought great discomfort and fear into the room. As Dr. Katie said, “Satan is trying to prevent us from hearing God.”
In an effort to suppress any evil and summon God’s powerful presence, several of our team members began praying over the three previously men-tioned individuals.
Once back at the compound I asked Dr. Katie about what I had seen and felt. She confirmed that it was not of God. “God is a God of control,” she said. What I felt that day was not con-trol it was evil. In team debriefing we talked about how Satan’s presence had been in our midst and we entered a time of prayer for our own spiritual cleansing and for the cleansing of the building and the people who we would be holding the conference with the following day.
Through this experience Satan proved his power. I have never experi-enced evil in such a way, and it shocked me and opened my eyes. But through it all God showed me that He is more powerful than Satan and that He conquers all.
“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is
not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities,
against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in
the heavenly realms.” – Ephesians 6:10-12
As the community danced for us, this woman depicted the devil and the army of God danced around her dispelling her power driv-ing her away.
Monday, November 2, 2009
Round Em' Up
Today I wanted to talk about the life of a Dinka in a cattleamp. While I was in Sudan I had the pleasure of visiting a cattle camp. The cattle camp housed thousands of cows and there are always people who stay with the cows.
The cows are all special and important. As discussed earlier the Dinka people value their cows a lot. Many dinka people are named after their cows. Mabior is the name for a kind of cow.
Life in a cattle camp can be very difficult. The people have to stay with the cows at all times. While I was at the cattle camp I noticed that some of the men carry weapons. When asked why they explained that it was because they needed to protect the cows from raids. A lot of neighboring tribes will go onto the Dinka's land and steal their cattle.
The people who live at the cattle camps sleep outside on the ground. They drink a lot of cows milk (remember it is not sent through a factory to clean it or anything). They are constantly working.
While at the camp I saw a man on his hands and knees picking up cow poop. It did not look like a very fun job but someone had to do it. The cow poop is used to make fires at night and besides it is nice to have a clean place to sleep and walk.
There are many different types of cows. There are black cows, white cows, and even spotted cows. The cows that are spotted with black and white are the most valuable. They equal the equivalent of ten white cows. The cows also have horns that are cut in different directions. That however is not natural. The Dinka people cut their cows horns when they are young so that
The cows are all special and important. As discussed earlier the Dinka people value their cows a lot. Many dinka people are named after their cows. Mabior is the name for a kind of cow.
Life in a cattle camp can be very difficult. The people have to stay with the cows at all times. While I was at the cattle camp I noticed that some of the men carry weapons. When asked why they explained that it was because they needed to protect the cows from raids. A lot of neighboring tribes will go onto the Dinka's land and steal their cattle.
The people who live at the cattle camps sleep outside on the ground. They drink a lot of cows milk (remember it is not sent through a factory to clean it or anything). They are constantly working.
While at the camp I saw a man on his hands and knees picking up cow poop. It did not look like a very fun job but someone had to do it. The cow poop is used to make fires at night and besides it is nice to have a clean place to sleep and walk.
There are many different types of cows. There are black cows, white cows, and even spotted cows. The cows that are spotted with black and white are the most valuable. They equal the equivalent of ten white cows. The cows also have horns that are cut in different directions. That however is not natural. The Dinka people cut their cows horns when they are young so that
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
The power of a book
I have recently started to read the book Escape From Slavery by Francis Bok. The book is Bok's true story of his life as a modern day slave. The issue of slavery is something that God has placed on my heart, so I therefore have a tendency to read books that are of this nature. However this particular book has touched my life in an even bigger way than many of the other books that I have read.
As you have probably noticed through reading my other blogs I have a love for the people of Sudan, the Dinka tribe in particular. One of the special things about the book Escape From Slavery is that it is about that tribe. Francis Bok is from the Dinka tribe. He is not from the same location that I visited while in Sudan but he is part of the same tribe none the less.
While reading Bok's book I could imagine every thing that he was talking about. I would imagine the land and the huts. I could even see the people. Bok's book not only is a good read for anyone who wants to learn more about modern day slavery but it also helps the reader understand more about the Dinka culture.
Bok also goes into some details about his life in a refugee camp and his life in the United States. The book is very eye opening. I would highly recommend it. If you decide to read it and you find that you learned a lot. I would also recommend a few other books. If you want to learn more about the plight of the Dinka I tribe I would recommend the books Why Haven't You Left? by Marc Nikkel, and Lost Boy No More by Abraham Nhial. If you want to read more about modern day slavery I would recommend the book Slave by Mende Nazer.
All three of these books are good reads and very educational. I find that they do a good job at opening my eyes to issues that I didn't know existed in the world today. They also do a very good job at connecting the reader to issues in which they are writing about.
As you have probably noticed through reading my other blogs I have a love for the people of Sudan, the Dinka tribe in particular. One of the special things about the book Escape From Slavery is that it is about that tribe. Francis Bok is from the Dinka tribe. He is not from the same location that I visited while in Sudan but he is part of the same tribe none the less.
While reading Bok's book I could imagine every thing that he was talking about. I would imagine the land and the huts. I could even see the people. Bok's book not only is a good read for anyone who wants to learn more about modern day slavery but it also helps the reader understand more about the Dinka culture.
Bok also goes into some details about his life in a refugee camp and his life in the United States. The book is very eye opening. I would highly recommend it. If you decide to read it and you find that you learned a lot. I would also recommend a few other books. If you want to learn more about the plight of the Dinka I tribe I would recommend the books Why Haven't You Left? by Marc Nikkel, and Lost Boy No More by Abraham Nhial. If you want to read more about modern day slavery I would recommend the book Slave by Mende Nazer.
All three of these books are good reads and very educational. I find that they do a good job at opening my eyes to issues that I didn't know existed in the world today. They also do a very good job at connecting the reader to issues in which they are writing about.
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
There's a God in this City
Chris Tomlin wrote an amazing song called "God of this City." Every time I hear this song it reminds me of the Dinka people. They have gone through so much. Evey thing that they had was destroyed. People were killed or taken into slavery. Anyone who wasn't caught by the raiders had to run for their lives. While running many of the people were gunned down, eaten by wild animals, or starved to death.
Some of the Dinka people lived on the banks of the Nile river and tried to wait out the war. Others went were able to get across the Kenya/Sudanese border to find a save haven in a refugee camp. Neither the river nor the refugee camp were completely safe. In both cases the people ran a huge risk of starving to death. The Nile is also full of Crocodiles and other animals of prey. The refugee camp was packed to the brink, they shoved as many people as they could behind the barbed wire fence.
Today the Dinka people are going home to nothing. Every thing is gone, but they have persevered. They still love God with all of their hearts. Even after everything that has happened to them God is still at the center of their lives. The song by Chris Tomlin is the Dinka people. They have seen hardship and even when it looks as though all hope is lost they see God. God has used them in wonderful ways in the past and He will continue to use them for his glory.
Some of the Dinka people lived on the banks of the Nile river and tried to wait out the war. Others went were able to get across the Kenya/Sudanese border to find a save haven in a refugee camp. Neither the river nor the refugee camp were completely safe. In both cases the people ran a huge risk of starving to death. The Nile is also full of Crocodiles and other animals of prey. The refugee camp was packed to the brink, they shoved as many people as they could behind the barbed wire fence.
Today the Dinka people are going home to nothing. Every thing is gone, but they have persevered. They still love God with all of their hearts. Even after everything that has happened to them God is still at the center of their lives. The song by Chris Tomlin is the Dinka people. They have seen hardship and even when it looks as though all hope is lost they see God. God has used them in wonderful ways in the past and He will continue to use them for his glory.
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
The Harvest Moon Run
The Harvest Moon Run is an annual race that is run in Moon Township, PA. All of the race benefits go toward the people of Southern Sudan, especially the Dinka Tribe, through two organizations. The first organization is Christian Solidarity International, which helps free slaves in countries like Sudan. The second organization is Good Shepherd Leadership Training Center, which I mentioned in my last blog entry.
The race is a 5K run/wallk and a 10 mile run. Last year was the first year that the race took place and it had close to 350 people sign up to run in it. I, Bethany Storm, was the first coordinator of the Harvest Moon Run. I coordinated the race as my senior project. God had put a passion on my heart for the people of Southern Sudan and those being held captive in slavery. The race was a perfect opportunity for me to raise awareness about the plight of the Sudanese people.
This will be the second year that the Harvest Moon Run will be taking place and it is being run by another senior from Moon Area High School, Will Aldridge. The race is a perfect opportunity for people to help the people of Southern Sudan without actually getting on a plane and flying over there to see them.
If you are interested in running in the race or giving a donation you can visit the Harvest Moon Run website. Every little bit helps. Your donation may help give someone back their freedom or an education.
The race is a 5K run/wallk and a 10 mile run. Last year was the first year that the race took place and it had close to 350 people sign up to run in it. I, Bethany Storm, was the first coordinator of the Harvest Moon Run. I coordinated the race as my senior project. God had put a passion on my heart for the people of Southern Sudan and those being held captive in slavery. The race was a perfect opportunity for me to raise awareness about the plight of the Sudanese people.
This will be the second year that the Harvest Moon Run will be taking place and it is being run by another senior from Moon Area High School, Will Aldridge. The race is a perfect opportunity for people to help the people of Southern Sudan without actually getting on a plane and flying over there to see them.
If you are interested in running in the race or giving a donation you can visit the Harvest Moon Run website. Every little bit helps. Your donation may help give someone back their freedom or an education.
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Good Shepherd Leadership Training Center
Good Shepherd Leadership Trianing Center is an organization which is based in Sudan. The leader and founder of this Group is John Chol Daau and the organization is based in Southern Sudan. John is also a graduate of Daystar University which is located in Nairobi, Kenya. As of late John has been taking classes at Trinity School for Ministry, located in Ambridge, Pennsylvania.
While I was in Nairobi I had the pleasure of seeing Daystar University. Once in Sudan I along with the rest of the St. Philips team were teaching on the land which belonged to Good Shepherd Leadership Training Center. When we were there the land only had a church and a few other huts located on the land.
John Chol is one of the Lost Boys from Sudan. When many Americans think of Sudan they think of the Lost Boys. If you don't know what a lost boy is I would recommend that you read the book Lost Boy No More by Abraham Nhial, and even if you do know what I am talking about I still recommend it. It is a very good book.
I think that John Chol's video gives a small glimpse of what is happening in Sudan. The video also gives hope. John Chol's organization, Good Shepherd Leadership Training Center, brings hope to the people of Southern Sudan. John is using the few resources that he has to bring the people of his country together and to build up leaders who can guide the people in the right direction.
The YouTube video of John Chol can be viewed at the following web address: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RHNwEjXQhLQ. This is a video of John Chol talking about Daystar Universtiy and Good Shepherd Leadership Training Center and some of the things that have or are happening in Sudan today.
While I was in Nairobi I had the pleasure of seeing Daystar University. Once in Sudan I along with the rest of the St. Philips team were teaching on the land which belonged to Good Shepherd Leadership Training Center. When we were there the land only had a church and a few other huts located on the land.
John Chol is one of the Lost Boys from Sudan. When many Americans think of Sudan they think of the Lost Boys. If you don't know what a lost boy is I would recommend that you read the book Lost Boy No More by Abraham Nhial, and even if you do know what I am talking about I still recommend it. It is a very good book.
I think that John Chol's video gives a small glimpse of what is happening in Sudan. The video also gives hope. John Chol's organization, Good Shepherd Leadership Training Center, brings hope to the people of Southern Sudan. John is using the few resources that he has to bring the people of his country together and to build up leaders who can guide the people in the right direction.
The YouTube video of John Chol can be viewed at the following web address: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RHNwEjXQhLQ. This is a video of John Chol talking about Daystar Universtiy and Good Shepherd Leadership Training Center and some of the things that have or are happening in Sudan today.
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
140 Cows Going Once. Going Twice. Sold.
In my last post I mentioned how my father almost sold me for 14o cows. Today I wanted to explain the bride price. In the Jeing culture in order to marry a woman a man needs to pay for her in cows. A Jeing couple can get married in a church if they want to but they are not officially married until the bride price is settled and has been paid.
The average bride price today is around 30 cows. Before the war the price for a bride was a lot higher, but because of the war a lot of cows were either taken or killed so the people just do not have enough cows to go much higher than 30.
One thing that I learned while I was there was that different cows have different value. For instance one cow that is black and white is worth 10 normal cows. The cows in Sudan have huge horns. When the cow is still a baby and the horns are just growing in the horns are cut so that they grow in different directs. When a man is interested in a girl he will put his arms in the shape of his herds horns to show that he likes the girl.
A girl getting married brings wealth to her family by being bought for a large amount of cows. If there is more than one man looking at marrying the girl the family will see who will offer the most cows and if the offers are close they will ask the girl which man she would rather marry. It is the job of the girl's male relatives to negotiate the bride price with the man who wants to marry her.
Most of the people in the Jeing culture do not see anything wrong with bride price, and those who do are unable to change it because it is their culture. Bride price has been around forever, if they were to end it now they would lose a valuable part of their lifestyle. They would no longer be able to gain wealth in cows and the women wouldn't serve as much of a purpose to their family.
T
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
In Memory of Archdeacon Garang
I have only had the pleasure of knowing Archdeacon Joseph Mabior Garang for a little over a week. For the time that I did know him I knew that he loved Christ and his community with all of his heart.
While I was in Sudan, I had many difficult times but also many joyful times. One of the joyful, you could even call it funny, things that happened to me while I was there happened on the last day. July 13 was the last day that I spent with the people in Wangalie. It was on that day that the whole community came out for a celebration. Everyone gathered at the church to bid us farewell. There were many different dances and songs that were performed to praise God.
At the end of the celebration Archdeacon Garang stood up. He spoke to the St. Philips group. He wanted to thank us for coming to Sudan and for teaching them. He then addressed my father (Nick Storm). The Archdeacon said, "we wanted to thank you, Nick, for bringing your family to Sudan. We especially wanted to thank you for bringing your daughters. Everyone wanted to give you a gift to show you our appriciation, but we have nothing to give you. We do, however, have something to give your daughters."
Then, Archdeacon Garang got out two necklaces. They were both made out of black and white beads. My older sister (Danielle) and I both looked at each other, we almost died with laughter. We looked around and saw that many of the people from the community were also laughing. Over the course of the week Danielle and I came to understand what these beads meant and we knew what the Archdeacon was about to do. Danielle and I almost started busting out laughing as the Archdeacon called us forward. Most of the people in our group didn't understand the meaning behind the beads, so as Danielle and I stood up front as the Archdeacon explained. "These beads are very special in our culture. The beads signify that a person is available. They are not married and a man can offer a bride price for the woman's hand in marriage."
This moment was especially humorous to me. Towards the beginning of the week my father almost sold me for 140 cows. Of course my dad was just joking, but the man doing the bidding wasn't. When my dad figured out what was really going on he explained to the man that I was not for sale, but from that moment on I had a running joke. For the rest of the week I refered to the man as "My future husband."
After the Archdeacon had placed the beads around mine and Danielle's necks we took our seats. My face had turned all shades of red and I was crying with laughter. Archdeacon then began to talk to the people of the community. He was giving them words of encouragement. He was telling them to stay strong in Christ and to listen to His words.
Archdeacon Garang was a wonderful man. He had such a passion for Christ and he loved the people of his community with all of his heart, however, good things always do come to an end. On September 1 I got a call from my mom (Elaine). She called to inform me that Archdeacon Garang had been killed on Friday August 28. He had been preaching when a group of armed men came into the church where he was speaking and began shooting. Archdeacon Garang was only one of the people that died that day. He died while he was telling people about God's love. He died living what he believed and showing others how to go and do likewise.
I know that Archdeacon Joseph Mabior Garang is not physically on this earth anymore, but his memory lives on. He lived his life for Christ and he showed others how to do the same. God used him in miraculous ways. He may not be here, but the people whose lives he touched still are. Archdeacon Garang has gone home. How many more people will join him in heaven because of this love for Christ and the people who's lives he planted seeds in?
Let's celebrate the life of Archdeacon Joseph Mabior Garang!
While I was in Sudan, I had many difficult times but also many joyful times. One of the joyful, you could even call it funny, things that happened to me while I was there happened on the last day. July 13 was the last day that I spent with the people in Wangalie. It was on that day that the whole community came out for a celebration. Everyone gathered at the church to bid us farewell. There were many different dances and songs that were performed to praise God.
At the end of the celebration Archdeacon Garang stood up. He spoke to the St. Philips group. He wanted to thank us for coming to Sudan and for teaching them. He then addressed my father (Nick Storm). The Archdeacon said, "we wanted to thank you, Nick, for bringing your family to Sudan. We especially wanted to thank you for bringing your daughters. Everyone wanted to give you a gift to show you our appriciation, but we have nothing to give you. We do, however, have something to give your daughters."
Then, Archdeacon Garang got out two necklaces. They were both made out of black and white beads. My older sister (Danielle) and I both looked at each other, we almost died with laughter. We looked around and saw that many of the people from the community were also laughing. Over the course of the week Danielle and I came to understand what these beads meant and we knew what the Archdeacon was about to do. Danielle and I almost started busting out laughing as the Archdeacon called us forward. Most of the people in our group didn't understand the meaning behind the beads, so as Danielle and I stood up front as the Archdeacon explained. "These beads are very special in our culture. The beads signify that a person is available. They are not married and a man can offer a bride price for the woman's hand in marriage."
This moment was especially humorous to me. Towards the beginning of the week my father almost sold me for 140 cows. Of course my dad was just joking, but the man doing the bidding wasn't. When my dad figured out what was really going on he explained to the man that I was not for sale, but from that moment on I had a running joke. For the rest of the week I refered to the man as "My future husband."
After the Archdeacon had placed the beads around mine and Danielle's necks we took our seats. My face had turned all shades of red and I was crying with laughter. Archdeacon then began to talk to the people of the community. He was giving them words of encouragement. He was telling them to stay strong in Christ and to listen to His words.
Archdeacon Garang was a wonderful man. He had such a passion for Christ and he loved the people of his community with all of his heart, however, good things always do come to an end. On September 1 I got a call from my mom (Elaine). She called to inform me that Archdeacon Garang had been killed on Friday August 28. He had been preaching when a group of armed men came into the church where he was speaking and began shooting. Archdeacon Garang was only one of the people that died that day. He died while he was telling people about God's love. He died living what he believed and showing others how to go and do likewise.
I know that Archdeacon Joseph Mabior Garang is not physically on this earth anymore, but his memory lives on. He lived his life for Christ and he showed others how to do the same. God used him in miraculous ways. He may not be here, but the people whose lives he touched still are. Archdeacon Garang has gone home. How many more people will join him in heaven because of this love for Christ and the people who's lives he planted seeds in?
Let's celebrate the life of Archdeacon Joseph Mabior Garang!
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
Dinka Who?
This past summer I visited Southern Sudan while on a mission trip with a small group of people from my church. The village where I stayed was known as Wangelie. Wangelie happens to be home to the Jieng people. You may actually know who they are without knowing that you do. The tribe actually goes by Dinka here in the U.S. The name Dinka was forced onto the tribe by Americans and therefor that is how the Jieng people are known in the U.S. but as I said the proper and actual name for the tribe is Jieng.
While in Wangelie the team from my church and myself taught classes to the pastors who are leading the churches in Southern Sudan. Christianity is a fairly new belief among the Jieng people. In fact a little over 30 years ago only about 20% of the Jieng people were Christians, and almost all of 80% unaccounted for were Satan worshipers.
This whole revival came about while the Jieng people were going through a war. The country of Sudan has been fighting in a 30 year civil war between the North and the South. The war is mostly over religion. The Northern Government is Islamic while the Southern Government is Christian. During this time of war many of the Jieng people were forced from their homes, taken as slaves, or killed. If someone was lucky enough to escape alive without being taken as a slave they would have to run for their lives to the Nile river or Sudanese/ Kenyan border. Many people perished while trying to cross the Nile to get into Kenya. Some people chose not to leave Sudan at all and to live on the banks of the Nile.
Those who made the decision to cross the Nile into Kenya had to find a safe place to live, while they waited out the war. The UN set up a bunch of camps to house Sudanese refugees. In 2005 a peace treaty was signed between Northern Sudan and Southern Sudan. It has not been until recent years that the UN has begun to force the Jieng people to move back to their homes.
Once home they have nothing. All that they used to call home is gone. Everything was burnt to the ground during the war and all of their cattle was either taken or killed. The Jieng people make a living off of cattle. Cattle equals food and wealth. Cattle is also the way that they negotiate for wives. The Jieng people's way of live has drastically changed. The only thing that the Jieng people have left to hold onto is their faith in Jesus Christ.
While in Sudan that is exactly what I saw with my own two eyes. A people that against all odds survived a genocide and then went home after years of oppression to continue living their lives. Everyday for these people is a struggle for survival. Everyday is a leap of Faith. Welcome to Survivor Sudan.
While in Wangelie the team from my church and myself taught classes to the pastors who are leading the churches in Southern Sudan. Christianity is a fairly new belief among the Jieng people. In fact a little over 30 years ago only about 20% of the Jieng people were Christians, and almost all of 80% unaccounted for were Satan worshipers.
This whole revival came about while the Jieng people were going through a war. The country of Sudan has been fighting in a 30 year civil war between the North and the South. The war is mostly over religion. The Northern Government is Islamic while the Southern Government is Christian. During this time of war many of the Jieng people were forced from their homes, taken as slaves, or killed. If someone was lucky enough to escape alive without being taken as a slave they would have to run for their lives to the Nile river or Sudanese/ Kenyan border. Many people perished while trying to cross the Nile to get into Kenya. Some people chose not to leave Sudan at all and to live on the banks of the Nile.
Those who made the decision to cross the Nile into Kenya had to find a safe place to live, while they waited out the war. The UN set up a bunch of camps to house Sudanese refugees. In 2005 a peace treaty was signed between Northern Sudan and Southern Sudan. It has not been until recent years that the UN has begun to force the Jieng people to move back to their homes.
Once home they have nothing. All that they used to call home is gone. Everything was burnt to the ground during the war and all of their cattle was either taken or killed. The Jieng people make a living off of cattle. Cattle equals food and wealth. Cattle is also the way that they negotiate for wives. The Jieng people's way of live has drastically changed. The only thing that the Jieng people have left to hold onto is their faith in Jesus Christ.
While in Sudan that is exactly what I saw with my own two eyes. A people that against all odds survived a genocide and then went home after years of oppression to continue living their lives. Everyday for these people is a struggle for survival. Everyday is a leap of Faith. Welcome to Survivor Sudan.
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