The Hope of Sudan |
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New World Outlook, May/June 2009 This May-June edition of New World Outlook is our annual mission-study issue, a companion piece to the geographic topic studied at the Schools of Christian Mission. This year the new study is on the country of Sudan. It is a difficult study. The first article in this issue begins with conflict; the timeline depicts a country riddled by a series of violent invasions, coups, and civil outbreaks. United Methodist mission outreach in the country concentrates on providing the most basic of needs: food, water, shelter, and schools. The stories are about shifting populations -- people leaving all behind and running for their lives, only to settle and repeat the process all over again. Southern Sudanese describe their experience of returning to their communities after years of flight; finding nothing left, they strive to rebuild. Yet, in the midst of their rebuilding, violence breaks out again. As our staff was preparing this issue for publication, we received news that visiting members of the mission-travel study team were holed up in their hotel in Yei, Sudan. Shooting started in the city and moved into their location, apparently military unrest over veterans' benefits. The entire team made it out safely to Uganda and returned to the United States unharmed -- but their lives have changed. Paul Jeffrey returned from Southern Sudan a few weeks before the mission-travel study team arrived. He brought back hundreds of photos that depicted the state of affairs: sparse surroundings; few material goods; weary faces of mothers and fathers striving to keep their children safe; backbreaking labors of water fetching, planting, harvesting, and building with little or no mechanized equipment. But as I reviewed the photos for this issue, another story emerged: a picture of strong and resilient Sudanese children. The photo on the contents page is one such picture. Youth -- not conscripted as soldiers, but students -- attending school. Events outside Sudan, particularly the US presidential election, have not escaped their attention. Jeffrey has a knack for finding these kinds of photo opportunities -- partly, I think, because he takes the time to ask them: "Hey, what do you guys do for fun around here?" and partly because he looks for a tough and resilient God at work in all people and in all kinds of situations. These children are Sudan's hope for a better future. They have survived horror and deprivation -- more than most of us will ever see in our lifetimes -- and they have survived. More than that, they still play, dream, laugh, and beguile. For more of Paul's photos of Sudanese children, visit the special feature "The Hope of Sudan." Christie R. House
Date posted: May 01, 2009 |
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The Mission Magazine of the United Methodist Church
