Dear Bishop Gwynne College Prayer
Partners,
Thank you so much for all the
prayers you have offered for BGC, the Episcopal Church of South Sudan
and Sudan and the people of those countries in the past few months.
Tina and I have booked to go to Juba on 21st October.
The college is now re-convening for
the beginning of a new semester with the potential of 32 new students
as well as those continuing in their first and second years.
Ten of these new first year students
will be studying for the St Paul's Limuru University diploma but the
other 22 do not meet the SPU admission levels. In the present
conditions in South Sudan this is inevitable. But the need to educate
men and women in the ministry is urgent, so the college is offering
an internal diploma for these students.
The college ran a course during the
long vacation in reconciliation and peace-making which was well
attended.
The ECSSS has now established a new
internal province for Sudan with Bishop Ezekiel of Khartoum as its
head. Archbishop Daniel's address, which includes an excellent
historical summary of the ECSSS, is here:
http://www.salisbury.anglican.org/resources-library/mission/sudan/news-and-info/Archbishops%20declaration%20Statement%20during%20Entrhonement%20of%20Inter.pdf/view?searchterm=declaration%20statement
The political and humanitarian
situation in South Sudan is dire. Talks have taken place in Addis
Abba but previous agreements have not been implemented. The latest
communiqué from IGAD
that commends the
protocol on the arrangements for a Transitional Government of
National Unity (TGONU) can be found here:
http://igad.int/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=943:communique-of-the-27th-extra-ordinary-summit-of-igad-heads-of-state-and-government-on-south-sudan&catid=47:communique&Itemid=149
The mood in Juba is reported as calm
but imbued with disillusionment and shame. The churches are a beacon
of hope and peace, and the Archbishop, leaders of other churches,
pastors and lay-leaders are outspoken in the need for an end to the
forces of destruction.
The people of the
Nuba Mountains and South Blue Nile continue to suffer attacks as they
resist the Khartoum government.
http://enoughproject.org/blogs/doctors-view-foxhole-sudan?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+enoughblog+%28Enough+Said%29
Keep praying,
Trevor.
The
College
1. We
give thanks for the well-attended course on Peace on
Reconciliation. We pray that the
participants may have the opportunity and courage to implement what
they have learnt.
2. We
praise God for 32 new applicants. Please
pray that they will all be able to take up the places
offered and manage to arrive on time.
3. Pray
for Samuel and all the members of the teaching faculty and other
staff at the college as they engage with this new semester.
4. Pray
for those who are waiting for the results of the exams sat in June,
especially those hoping to graduate in October.
The
Church
Give
thanks for the determination and courage of the Churches
to speak out and work for peace and humanitarian relief. Pray
for Archbishop Daniel, leaders of other churches and all those
engaged in Christian ministry throughout Sudan and South Sudan. Pray
for Bishop Ezekiel and the new internal province based on Khartoum.
The
Nations
1. Give
thanks for the continued work for the formation of a
transitional government in South Sudan led by IGAD (assisted by the
UN, AU, the Troika (US, UK & Norway), the EU, the Sudan and China
and others) and pray for them as
they continue to engage the parties in talks in Addis Ababa and
encourage implementation.
2. Pray
for the people of the Nuba Mountains and Blue Nile as they continue
to suffer attacks from the Sudan Armed Forces.
