Based at the Anglican Cathedral in Juba, we are equipping Church leaders to use the course to evangelise their communities and deepen the faith of their congregations, as we have done previously in Uganda, Kenya and Burundi. So far over 2,000 clergy and church leaders are using Christianity Explored in East Africa.
We are also working in partnership with Fields of Life, a Northern Ireland charity that has built 140 community schools in East Africa. They are exploring the possibility of building additional schools in South Sudan also where the need is great.
The challenges of organising a conference such as this in South Sudan are considerable. For a country that only became independent a year ago, after more than 50 years of bloody civil war, the scars are still visible. There is a strong UN peace keeping presence on the streets of Juba with soldiers from Japan ands other non-aligned countries visible in bright blue helmets.
The sound of automatic weapons as well as handguns being fired could be heard close to the Anglican Cathedral compound last night and periodically through this morning. Women and children scattered and people took shelter behind buildings until the sound died down. I was told it was probably the police taking on armed gangs.
The Archbishop of Juba who was due to host us was called in to mediate between two Dinka tribes locked in a dispute over cattle ownership. These tensions are exacerbated by the increased availability of weapons, a legacy of the civil war.
Independence for South Sudan, which was costly to achieve, has inspired a spirit of hope and optimism, and the Church has a strategic role to play in laying a secure foundation upon which, by God's grace, this young nation will grow and prosper. It is exciting to be here at this strategic moment in history. God willing, we will be returning to Aweil and Wau Dioceses in January 2013 to provide further training at the request of Bishop Abraham and Bishop Moses.
There is an excellent Guardian article about South Sudan here.
