SPECIAL REPORT from SUDAN

Belivers Request

Christians in Sudan have asked us for prayer. Both north and south Sudan are preparing for war. The situation is complex, the problems many. Please ask prayer networks you know to be involved in prayer for Sudan.

Background:

• South Sudan is to vote on whether it will choose independence or be part of a united Sudan on January 9th, 2011.
• South Sudan has much oil, but it is exported from North Sudan’s ports. North Sudan is Islam/Sharia law, South Sudan is “Christian” and animist.
• There is little unity in Sudan. But the real eye-opener is to read the forums where open hatred is spewed between North and South Sudanese. (see below examples).

Prayer Starters Specific to War in Sudan:

• Pray that the Christian leaders of South Sudan can hear clearly the Lord’s will regarding Sudan’s future.
• Pray that grass-roots reconciliation can become widespread — between the tribes of Sudan and the many hurting people.
• Pray the surrounding countries will stay out of Sudan and stay out of this complicated referendum.
• Pray for the various people groups / tribes of Sudan who have no access to the Gospel [approx 20 million ] (see further information below).
• Pray that there would be a fair and comprehensive deal for both South and North on the splitting of the oil wealth

Forum Quotes

• “Show me a southerner who ever said I am a Sudanese … they always take pride in being Southern and never Sudanese.” [In a showdown with a post from a north Sudanese writer.]
• “Neither do we care about being Arabs or not, but you can see the barrage of hatred here.” [A southerner observing the comments on a Sudanese newspaper site.]
• “And who is going to control the water (Nile River)? Not those boys up there!” [Another complication since water is precious to the region.]
• “Yeah war is not yet over! All Sudanese must taste the killing including the North Sudan.” [On whether war will come if independence comes. One of many, many entries where both north and south Sudanese show they are ready if not committed to a new war!]
• “Therefore, I call upon all South Sudanese people as we approach referendum to decide our fate and total independence from north, let us desist from Arab and Islamic culture and to abide to our unique African and Christian culture to differentiate us from radical Arab and Islamic culture, which I know will take years and years to overcome it in our South Sudan society but have we forgotten our African and Christian cultures!” [Commentary from a Southerner about the “Arabization” of South Sudan.]
• “However, after an Islamic legal code was introduced on a national level, the ruling National Congress (NCP) established themselves as the sole political party in the state and has since supported the use of recruited Arab militias in guerrilla warfare, such as in the ongoing conflict in Darfur.” [The history of Sudan.]
• “Program of “Arabization” in process.” [Sudanese newspaper article.]
• “A generation drenched in hate.” [A comment observing the mood from a forum where both north and south Sudanese flame each other.]
• “Sudan’s independent history has been dominated by chronic, exceptionally cruel warfare that has starkly divided the country on racial, religious, and regional grounds; displaced an estimated four million people (of a total estimated population of thirty-two million); and killed an estimated two million people.” [Wikipedia entry on Sudan.]

People Groups

Sudan is a nation made up of hundreds of ethnic, linguistic and cultural groups and clans. One researcher has identified about 2,200 groups including local clans. The following is a list of the 15 of the 36 people groups of over 100,000 people considered by some believers to be those most in need of the Gospel in Sudan. In fact, none of these groups has an established, long-term, native-language outreach involving either foreigners or local Sudanese believers. Altogether, these 15 groups number possibly more than 20 million people, with no known believers.

1. Daju | 2. Danaagla/Kanuuz | 3. Darfur Region NSA (Northern Sudanese Arabs) | 4. East Region NSA | 5. Fellata: Fulani-speaking | 6. Fellata: Hausa-speaking | 7. Kanuri | 8. Kordofan Region NSA | 9. Masalit | 10. Nile Region NSA | 11. North Region NSA | 12. Rashaida | 13. South East Region NSA | 14. White Nile Region NSA | 15. Zaghawa

Video Prayer/Faith Fuel

Salam Sudan

Mohammed Testimony

From August 9th – September 9th 2010 Worldwide Mission Fellowship will be praying that Muslims around the world going through Ramadan will turn to Jesus Christ as their Lord and Saviour, this is in conjunction with similar prayer strategies around the world supported by Open Doors and 30 days of Prayer. Our ultimate prayer is for their salvation. The site will be updated daily at 05:45 GMT to coincide with our early morning prayer meeting so you can join us in prayer wherever you are.