This is a photo of Joseph with an old friend and ministry colleague, Yournew Wol. Yournew Wol was working in Khartoum in the 1980s as an electrical engineer. When there was flooding in 1988 Yournew was working at the hospital and met an American named Paul Douglas. Although raised a Catholic Yournew had a deeply personal spiritual experience which changed his life, and through the guidance and support of Paul Douglas commenced a journey which would lead to the establishment of Churches of Christ in Kenya and Sudan. Paul left in 1990, but was able to sponsor Yournew in his Bible College studies in Zimbabwe, where he studied with Wol Wek. In 1995 they both moved to Nairobi and started evangelistic work amongst Sudanese refugees. In 1999 Yournew started a new work in Kakuma refugee camp with Victor Deng (who I have mentioned earlier). Some of the members of my church at Magill, and several leaders within the Sudanese community in Adelaide were members of Churches of Christ in Nairobi or Kakuma as a result of the ministry of Yournew Wol and others. In 2001 Yournew Wol and Victor Deng returned to Sudan and commenced a ministry in Aweil East at Malual Kon (which I wrote about in the article featuring Pastor Philip Akot). The following year they began another congregation in the Awiel South county at Malek Alel, and this is where the Aweil Bible College is based.
When I met Yournew a few weeks ago he was the Commissioner of the Aweil South County. As my sister Anger put it "The people love him so much they called him to be their Commisisoner." Certainly Yournew is a highly respected leader, not only within the church community but within the government and the wider community. We had only just left Aweil when we heard the Governor had dismissed the Government, including Yournew Wol, and so I am unsure where that leaves him placed. However I know many within Churches of Christ will be hoping that Yournew will soon be free to focus more energy on church leadership once again.
Next I will tell you more about another young pastor who has taken much of the leadership while Yournew has been involved in the government.
3 comments:
Another great posting Steve. Thanks for your prompt reply to my last comments. Hope Yournew Wol's influence will not be totally lost to the wider community. Yes! maybe it is timing for his greater involvement/focus back in the church.
Graham
Hi Steve, after being under the radar for a few days to come back and read the news and see the photos gives a fresh immediacy to what you have experienced. Thanks for your sharing with us and blessings for the next stage of the journey. Bing at the place where C of C began and describing the sense of growth and tragedy in the same setting is very moving. It will be wonderful to see where this takes us now.
Blessings John G
Hi Steve, I am one of those who has read, smiled and in a small way identified with your reflections and journey. I notice that the comments drop off over time but that is ok. No one will understand what has happened to you but we will honour what has happened in you.
Go well,
Jeff May
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