Marialbai Mission...

Early this year I walked around Marialbai with Rev Joseph Mawien and Ros Stafford-Green. The Chief and other community leaders accompanied us as we saw first hand the devastating impact of decades of civil war. We met orphans, widows and liberated slaves, spoke with families whose relatives are dead or scattered around the world, and visited the school and hospital which in their own way witness to the persecution and neglect this community has suffered.

The Chief offered a large piece of land for a Church of Christ Mission to be established and we began the process of planning how we could provide for those most in need. Pastor Paulino Malou agreed to coordinate the establishment of a ministry providing for children whose parents have died in the conflict. The Chief arranged a process of registration to ensure only those in genuine need would be admitted to the program and over two hundred children were identified who have lost both parents.  We have entered an agreement to commence a feeding program and plan to follow this with provision of accommodation, education and spiritual care.

This month I return to Marialbai to establish the beginning of this mission. We will commence a feeding program in a traditional tukul made of grass and wood, and arrangements are being made for building projects using compressed earth bricks that will be both environmentally and economically sustainable. Soon we hope we can provide a school and church.

People's generous contributions are being used to address the great need in this remote community.

Rev Joseph Mawien and Chief Riiny Riiny Lual in Marialbai. January 2010