{"id":37673,"date":"2023-09-18T05:00:55","date_gmt":"2023-09-18T03:00:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.opendoors.org.za\/?p=37673"},"modified":"2024-09-02T08:11:48","modified_gmt":"2024-09-02T06:11:48","slug":"__trashed-29","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.opendoors.org.za\/afr\/__trashed-29\/","title":{"rendered":"\u201cDo not forget about your brothers and sisters in Sudan\u201d (slegs in Engels)"},"content":{"rendered":"
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As the war in Sudan continues into its fourth month, our field partners are telling us that the situation is devastating \u2013 and they\u2019re asking us not to forget our Sudanese family in our prayers.<\/p>\n

The fighting has claimed at least 3 000 lives, according to Sudan\u2019s Health Minister Haitham Mohamed Ibrahim, and the U.N. Secretary-General fears Sudan is close to a\u00a0\u201cfull-scale civil war\u201d<\/em>. The International Organization for Migration (IOM) reports that more than 3.3 million people have been displaced.<\/p>\n

There is growing concern among international and African humanitarian agencies that there isn\u2019t enough aid to assist the millions of displaced people \u2013 and that what aid is available doesn\u2019t always reach those who need it the most.<\/p>\n

Sudan is #10 on the 2023 World Watch List<\/a>, making it an incredibly difficult place to live for followers of Jesus, even in peaceful times.<\/p>\n

Fikiru*, an Open Doors field partner, tells us that he\u2019s received reports showing that more than 165 churches have closed during the conflict in Sudan, and at least 15 have been destroyed. Churches are also reporting daily human rights violations such as rape, the kidnapping of girls and the looting of property.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe situation has continued to deteriorate, and the Sudanese people are suffering,\u201d<\/em>\u00a0he says.\u00a0\u201cThe war doesn\u2019t look like it will end anytime soon. So far, the cease-fire agreement between the warring parties doesn\u2019t hold long. More concerning to us is that there is no improvement on human rights handling and no willingness from the two parties to cease hostilities.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cChristians in Sudan are especially vulnerable and on the receiving end,\u201d<\/em>\u00a0Fikiru confirms.\u00a0\u201cWe ask that churches around the world do not grow tired or forget to pray for the situation in Sudan. We know there are many terrible things happening around the world, but don\u2019t forget about your brothers and sisters in Sudan.\u201d<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

The conflict is between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF), led by chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and the paramilitary group Rapid Support Forces (RSF), led by Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, also known as Hemedti. The two sides worked together to overthrow the former Sudanese dictator, Omar Al-Bashir, in 2019. However, a power struggle developed when plans emerged to bring the RSF under the command of the military.<\/p>\n

The conflict started in the capital city of Khartoum, but has now spread outside of the city. Independent Catholic News reported in July that violence has spilled over to South Kordofan and Blue Nile states, which has impacted large Christian communities that are already vulnerable.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere are many Christians still present in the war zones today who do not have any means to flee, who are suffering, and we can\u2019t reach them,\u201d<\/em>\u00a0Fikiru says.\u00a0\u201cThis is very tough for us; they are part of the Body of Christ.\u201d<\/em>\u00a0But there are glimmers of God at work in the midst of the chaos. Many vulnerable people, such as children, the elderly and people who are disabled and sick are unable to flee. Seven Catholic nuns have welcomed these people into their church home, giving them a safe place to hide, food to eat and what little medicine they have.<\/p>\n

Another local field contact who has taken up residence with his family at the nuns\u2019 church shared that one night the children hiding there asked the nuns if they could join them in their prayers.\u00a0\u201cIt was pitch black as the neighbourhood has had no electricity for months,\u201d<\/em>\u00a0our field contact shares.\u00a0\u201cThey all came together and prayed for peace to come to Sudan.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

What a beautiful witness of God\u2019s supernatural peace in the middle of a war zone! Jesus has shown His presence and provision.<\/p>\n

\u201c[The nuns] provide water from the well, because in many places, wells have run dry since the war started,\u201d\u00a0<\/em>he explains.\u00a0\u201cThe nuns also have a generator that they share for an hour every day so that some of us can charge our phones. One of the nuns told me that she believes they were sent as missionaries, not just messengers: \u2018That\u2019s why we live with the Sudanese whether they are Christian or not, in joyful times and sorrowful times.\u2019\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

And it is indeed a sorrowful time for Sudan\u2019s Christians. Open Doors estimates that Sudan has 2 million Christians in estimate. Amidst the ongoing and already complicated conflict, there are reports that Muslim fundamentalists have joined the fight, further putting Christians at risk.<\/p>\n

Fikiru confirms these reports.\u00a0\u201cOur contacts in the country have indicated that [Islamic extremists] publicly ask citizens to join the Sudanese national army in the fight against RSF,\u201d<\/em>\u00a0he says. \u201cOther sources also mention that some of these [militants] or vigilante groups are former members of Al-Bashir\u2019s party and security [apparatus].\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

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Please pray with us for our sisters and brothers in Sudan:<\/p>\n