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Matt Kennedy

ACNA: Prayers Requested for Southern Sudan—new martydoms and persecution

Saturday, September 5, 2009 • 11:08 am


Via email:

PRAYERS REQUESTED FOR SOUTHERN SUDAN - September 3, 2009

The Anglican Church in North America is asking its constituent congregations to pray at this weekend’s services for those impacted by the recent tragic murders in southern Sudan, and for peace in that troubled nation. Forty men, women and children were killed the region’s recent upswing in violence. Among the dead was the Ven. Joseph Mabior Garang, Archdeacon of Wernyol and Archbishop Daniel Deng Bul Yak’s Commissary in the new Diocese of Twic East, who was shot at the altar of the church in Wernyol during a service of Morning Prayer.  Many more were seriously wounded in the brutal attacks.


The rising tide of violence in Twic East and Ezo Counties has also led to the destruction of homes, as well as loss of life. Donations for support of the region’s 39,000 displaced persons and the bereaved family of Archdeacon Garang (including his widow and children) may be sent to Anglican Mainstream (noting “AID - Sudan”), 21 High Street, Eynsham, OX29 4HE or donated through the Paypal link on Anglican Mainstream website (http://www.anglican-mainstream.net). All funds will be sent directly through to those in need with no deductions.

here is more information:

Tens of others have been wounded, some very seriously with gun-shot wounds and broken limbs.  Only a few of these have been taken to Juba Military Hospital, whilst the rest are still in Bor Hospital.

I have leant from Episcopal Church sources on the ground that the attackers were well armed with new automatic weapons, dressed in army uniforms, and appeared well-organized and properly trained.  Instead of attacking a cattle camp, this was an attack on a Payam headquarter town.  Consequently in the view of the Church, this was not a tribal conflict as commonly reported, but a deliberately organized attack on civilians by those that are against the peace in Southern Sudan.  These reports confirm the suspicions that I aired in my May 2009 appeal to the diplomatic and international community in Sudan.
Last week I received the news from Ezo, Ezo County, Western Equatoria State, that there had been another devastating attack by the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) on Ezo town on 12th/13th August in which three people, including an Episcopal Church lay reader had been murdered.  The attack included the abduction of children from the Episcopal church building in Ezo, and several thousand more people have been displaced into Ezo town – people that the local churches are struggling to care for.  Ezo Hospital was also attacked, medicine stolen and equipment destroyed.

...more

May God have mercy on the Sudanese and may the blood of these martyrs be the seed of the Church in southern Sudan.


Comments:

+May the souls of the departed in the mercy of God rest in peace, and may light perpetual shine upon them.  Amen.  Lord have mercy…Christ have mercy…Lord have mercy.

[1] Posted by TXThurifer on 09-05-2009 at 11:22 AM • top

These attacks are taking place while the UN Representative in Sudan is painting a rosy picture, saying “The war is over.” The news services have not been on top of these latest events.

[2] Posted by Br_er Rabbit on 09-05-2009 at 01:11 PM • top

When was the last time you hear the UN tell the truth about what’s happening?

[3] Posted by Cennydd on 09-05-2009 at 02:36 PM • top

Murdered at the altar—shades of Thomas Becket and Oscar Romero. 
Three days after Becket’s death, there began a series of miracles at Canterbury Cathedral attached to his martyrdom. Canonization came three years later.
Attendance at Romero’s funeral may have been the largest demonstration in Latin American history.

[4] Posted by Jill Woodliff on 09-05-2009 at 05:48 PM • top

Joseph Garang And His Companions…now THAT’S worthy of being on the TEC calendar of saints, confessors, and martyrs, unlike some recent additions.

[5] Posted by TXThurifer on 09-05-2009 at 07:34 PM • top

Two current prayers at Lent & Beyond: here and here.  We’ve posted a good many prayers for Sudan through the years.  I’ll try to pull together a menu over the next day or so.

[6] Posted by Jill Woodliff on 09-05-2009 at 08:39 PM • top

May the Lord show His love and mercy on both the murderer’s and the martyrs. May those who are the shadow of death understand their error before it is too late.

[7] Posted by Another Pilgrim on 09-05-2009 at 08:43 PM • top

A summarized history of Sudan can be found here.

[8] Posted by Jill Woodliff on 09-05-2009 at 08:48 PM • top

Menu of prayers completed. 
When I ask God to teach me to pray, I ordinarily receive a phrase of scripture or the memory of a Bible story.  When we commenced our prayer campaign for the defeat of the Lord’s Resistance Army, I asked Him to teach me to pray.  I received a scripture citation—Psalm 17 & 18.  This is the only time I’ve received a citation reference.  I didn’t know which psalms these were, but they provided the basis for our prayers.

[9] Posted by Jill Woodliff on 09-05-2009 at 10:31 PM • top

Thank you Matt+ & Jill for the posts—will pray!

[10] Posted by Hosea6:6 on 09-06-2009 at 08:44 AM • top

Heart-aching prayers ascending…

[11] Posted by Athanasius Returns on 09-07-2009 at 03:36 AM • top

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