Reaching a milestone

Beloved in Christ,

On Friday, July 9, South Sudan, the world’s newest nation, is marking its 10th anniversary.

The day should be a cause for celebration. The people of South Sudan voted overwhelmingly for independence in a January 2011 referendum, yearning for an end to the two Sudanese civil wars that had claimed more than 2.5 million lives over the previous 55 years. Sadly, the South Sudanese people’s dreams of peace were short-lived, as a new conflict broke out in December 2013.

With the prayerful support of the South Sudan Council of Churches, which is fostering peace through its Action Plan for Peace, the country has achieved some progress toward peace and reconciliation, particularly since the signing of the latest iteration of the peace agreement in September 2018. Nonetheless, the past decade has been marked with ongoing violence, particularly against women and girls. Huge humanitarian needs persist, including extreme levels of food insecurity; 8.3 million people are expected to need humanitarian support in 2021.

The Ecumenical Network for South Sudan (Europe and North America Hub), of which the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) is a member, has issued the following statement and has urged members to demonstrate their solidarity with the people of South Sudan through prayer, particularly during the weekend of July 9–11.

Let us pray fervently for our siblings in Christ in South Sudan, particularly those “who for many years have borne the burden of conflicts and injustice, instead of enjoying the fruits of a new system.” Let us remember, too, our global partners in the Presbyterian Church of South Sudan, the South Sudan Presbyterian Evangelical Church, RECONCILE, ACROSS and the South Sudan Council of Churches. May God grant them protection and courage, as well as gifts of wisdom and persuasiveness, as they work not simply to achieve a just and durable peace in South Sudan, but also to realize the gospel’s vision of life in fullness for all of God’s people. Please pray further for political leaders in South Sudan and around the world, that they will demonstrate a commitment to promoting equal dignity, genuine security and freedom from want for all people, both through their own actions and by working in concert through international institutions.

I would also invite those who feel able to do so to contribute to the PC(USA)’s efforts to accompany and support our partners’ ministries by making gifts to:

• DR000097-South Sudan, Presbyterian Disaster Assistance’s crisis response and recovery initiatives in South Sudan;
• E051172, Presbyterian World Mission’s South Sudan Education and Peacebuilding Project;
• E052152, the Presbyterian Ministry at the U.N. and the Office of Public Witness in Washington, D.C., which help to amplify our partners’ voices in the public square.

Let us look to God, our help, our hope and our salvation.