Stepping out of my boat...

2012 is bringing new opportunities to strengthen and expand our work in South Sudan. It is both exciting and daunting – but first let me give a little bit of background…

I commenced in ministry at Magill Church of Christ in the eastern suburbs of Adelaide in 2003. Mid way through the following year I was asked if our church would sponsor a refugee family from Sudan. 

This was my first involvement with the Sudanese community, but within a few years I had developed a significant role amongst the Sudanese in Adelaide, including establishing the United Sudanese Fellowship, and then travelling to Sudan in 2008 to explore the possibility of commencing a mission partnership. My partner and friend throughout this work has been Rev Joseph Mawien.

Global Mission Partners was quick to approve a partnership with South Sudan and this provided access to the steadily growing support of Churches of Christ throughout Australia. And so, from a small start just a few years ago, we have been able to establish some very basic projects which are making a dramatic difference to some of the most vulnerable people in war-torn South Sudan.

Until now I have worked in a voluntary capacity as GMP’s Sudan Program Director. I have used my annual leave and long service leave to make the trips and my weekends and other spare time to coordinate the ongoing work.  In addition, I was privileged to have the opportunity to establish another mission partnership in Bangladesh. It became very evident that I couldn’t maintain this workload at the same time as having the challenging role of being Minister of a thriving church. So, a few months ago I informed the leaders of my church that I would resign and that I would be devoting my time to the missions in South Sudan and Bangladesh. Next Sunday will be my final service and farewell. There is a lot of grief in leaving, but God has opened a door of opportunity to do more in an area of great need.

While my plans aren’t concrete, I plan to leave in March and return in December, spending most of the year in South Sudan as well as some time in Bangladesh and a few short breaks in other places. The main goals will be to strengthen the work that has already been established and to explore some new proposals including two new regions – a program providing for orphans living on the streets of Nassir (Upper Nile State) and an integrated project that includes agriculture, community development and spiritual care in Lainya County (Central Equatoria). There are other projects to explore where we are already working in Northern Bahr Al Ghazal including a girl’s school in Aweil East, a clinic in Aweil North, and support for liberated slaves.

I am constantly amazed at what has grown from a simple decision to sponsor one family of refugees. Now I sense God calling me to sail out of my safe harbour to assist those whose need is greatest.

(Please send me an email if you would like to participate in this expanding mission.)

Photo: With Rev Joseph Mawien, his mother Adut and sister Achol. Aweil 2008

From little things big things grow...

Well the second anniversary celebration of the United Sudanese Fellowship was an inspirational occasion. Unfortunately Joseph wasnt well enough to share in the presentation of our trip to Sudan, but people were obviously enthusiastic about the opportunities we have to show our support to the Aweil community. Those from Aweil recognised people and places in my photos and showed a mixture of joy and sadness. But there is a confidence growing that although the need is overwhelming, there are things we can do to help. And even a small amount of assistance can go a long way amongst people who have so little. I reported that we are continuing to explore what we can do to help in a few critical areas:
- Assisting Deborah, the midwife at Aweil Hospital, with basic training and equipment
- Support for Rev Angelo and his team who are caring for Darfurian refugees
- Developing links with Church of Christ leaders, churches and the Bible College
- Supporting the vision of Church of Christ leaders to establish a church and clinic in Aweil Town
- Supporting Adub in his work with the Peace Commission
- Exploring our response to appeals for assistance in a number of other practical areas such as training, agriculture, micro-enterprise, books, wheelchairs, water, books, Bibles etc

At Magill COC, our Sunday School is making their own response. A couple of Sundays ago I showed them some video of a Sunday School in Aweil (at the church in the photo above). Now they are making a banner to send over with their hand-prints and names on it, as well as pictures of kangaroos and koalas, to remind them they have Christian friends in Australia. Our reading that Sunday said that "true worship" involves giving clothes to those in need (Isaiah 58:7), and so they have been invited to donate a t-shirt or pair of shorts to send as a gift to the Sunday School in Aweil.

It's a small start, but we hope this small package sent with love from our children, will be followed by many more expressions of our love and support.

USF Celebration...

It isnt often (in this country at least) that a church will celebrate its second anniversary and at the same time be developing an international missionary partnership. But then, the United Sudanese Fellowship isnt your typical Australian church! And you're invited! The celebration will be on Sunday 28th September, 2 PM at the Salvation Army - 277 Pirie St Adelaide (Their birthday is actually in July, but they wanted to wait until I could be there). Following the service Joseph and I will share some of our experiences and observations (along with a few photos!)from our trip to Sudan, and then present some of the areas of work we have been exploring in partnership with people in Aweil.

If you have an interest in this mission partnership (and if you are reading this I assume you do!) then please make every effort to come.

Awebyawk.

From our commissioning service...

The following quote is taken from John Gilmore, Director of Global Mission Partners, at our recent commissioning service...

There are many journeys described in the Bible. Noah, Abram, Isaac, Moses, Joseph, Ruth, Nehemiah, Jonah, Joseph of Nazareth, Phillip, Paul, and many others are God’s travellers. God’s purposes are dependant on people who trust and travel. In each some one has to leave a known, safe place where they felt secure. They head off to a new unknown place. Each of the journeys is a journey of faith.

We believe and understand that God is calling Steve and Joseph to journey to Sudan. We have confidence in God’s blessing and in your decision to travel. We think that this part of God’s purpose for you.

Luke 10:1-12 gives advice to travellers…

· You will be travelling together.
· Where you go Jesus intends to go.
· Do not take baggage that will hinder you.
· It is risky.
· Give and receive peace
· Offer and receive hospitality
· The food will be an experience
· Speak good news and heal.
· You are trusted to do this.
· We know you go with Jesus.

This journey to the Sudan is an important one – we are confident that this is a Gospel journey and we pray for you as you say farewell. We commission you to go to Sudan.

A new song...

I learned a new song in a church service a year or so ago. As you might expect it took me a while to pick it up. It had a strong rythym and the melody was quite simple, but it was the lyrics I was having most trouble with. After a while I picked it up and soon my voice was resonating with the others in the room as we expressed our faith in song. To be honest Im not quite sure what we were singing about. We were singing in Dinka at one of the early meetings of the United Sudanese Fellowship.

After the song Pamela came and sat on my knee. She spent ten minutes or so playing with my hands, intrigued by my white skin, then fell asleep.

In the Psalms we are encouraged to sing a new song to the Lord. And researchers have brought attention to the number of new movements of God's Spirit that have birthed a new wave of songs. New spiritual experiences being expressed in new music.

Lets sing a new song.

Introducing Joseph Mawien...

Many times someone from the Sudanese community has introduced me to one of their family saying "This is my brother / sister. We have different mothers but the same father." Well I want to introduce you to my brother, Rev Joseph Mawien. We have different mothers. We also have different fathers. But Joseph has become a brother, a friend and very soon my travelling companion and guide in Sudan.

This photo was taken at our commisisoning service with his wife Magdalene and children Godfrey, Pamela, John and Robert.

Joseph is an ordained Anglican Priest, is the minister of the United Sudanese Fellowship, and has lived in Australia for about 4 years now. Joseph is a humble and wise man and a dedicated leader for his community. He is highly respected across the Sudanese community, both in Australia and in South Sudan and this has been demonstrated in the support they are showing Joseph in preparation for our visit. Joseph has strong connections with both church, government and community leaders in Juba and Awiel and it is through Joseph's relationship with these people that we hope to develop a strong ministry relationship between our respective communities.

Please pray for Joseph and his family as we embark on this joint venture.

Commissioning Service...

In a couple of weeks Joseph and I will travel to Sudan to explore how we might develop a working ministry partnership with the community in Aweil. The partnership will involve the United Sudanese Fellowship and Churches of Christ. It is endorsed by COC State Board and Global Mission Partners. So on Sunday Joseph and I were commissioned in a service hosted by USF and GMP and involving both Sudanese and COC representatives. As John Gilmore (Director, GMP) led the commissioning segment we had the sense of being surrounded and supported by the various communities we would be representing on our travels. I felt overwhelmed by the way our churches have joined with the Sudanese - not just in welcoming them to Australia, but now in working together for the benefit of their friends and relatives in a region totally devastated by decades of civil war. Equally overwhelming was the singing and hospitality of the Sudanese. I am told this was a sample of the welcome we will receive in Aweil.

United Sudanese Fellowship - July 2007

From the beginning...

In mid 2004 I was approached by some of the leaders of the Sudanese Community in Adelaide asking if Magill Church of Christ would sponsor a refugee family and help them to settle in Adelaide. The church Elders and Board quickly agreed and the congregation got right behind us. In just ten weeks we raised the money, arranged air-fares, rental, schooling etc and welcomed Thiik, Amath (Suzie), Deng, Amath (Nikki) and Adhel Lual into our church family. It was a day I will never forget and marked the beginninng of our relationship with the Sudanese community. In a short time we had several Sudanese families attending as well as linking other families with supportive churches around Adelaide.

A couple of years later Rev Joseph Mawien asked if I would help them establish a Sudanese church. The Salvation Army in Pirie Street were overwhelmingly supportive and generously offered a hall for their use and we met for the first time in July 2006. The United Sudanese Fellowship is an ecumencial congregation - people come from Catholic, Anglican, Pentecostal, Seventh Day Adventist and Church of Christ backgrounds, Joseph is an ordained Anglican Priest, they meet in a Salvation Army hall, and are supported by Churches of Christ.

Before long Joseph and his Elders came to me with another request: "Will Churches of Christ help us support the development of our communities back home in Awiel?" I said yes -and then started the journey of discovering what that would mean.