Sudan (MNN) — Sudan faces multiple problems even though a peace deal is still in force. The issues include an emergency food crisis, lack of housing, long rainy season, and the expansion of Islam. Persecution Project Foundation says the time is now for Christians to be involved.
PPF’s Matt Chancey says, “We’re ramping up our efforts because we believe Christians need to show our brothers in Sudan that governments and NGO’s may fail them, but God will continue to provide for his people through the ministry of His church.”
According to Chancey, the issues are great. The weather is just one issue. “We’re nearing the end of a very long rainy season, one of the longest in recent memory. And, the rains make it very difficult to deliver crisis relief to various areas because most of the runways turn into big mud holes.”
The Darfur genocide is also causing difficulty, but Chancey says it’s also provided them opportunities for ministry. “We’ve been assisting thousands and thousands of Darfur Muslim refugees who have fled to southern Sudan to escape the genocide that is going on in Darfur. We’ve been providing them food, medicine and more importantly Arabic Bibles and Radios so they can read or hear, through Radio Peace, about the Gospel of Jesus Christ.”
The genocide has also put added pressure on Persecution Project. “This has resulted in many aid organizations leaving, because of safety concerns,” say Chancey. They don’t plan to do that.
While all of this outreach is helpful, PPF is also training Sudanese Christians to do, not only the relief work, but also the evangelism and discipleship work. “We go in and then we go home. So, it’s very important to continue to train them and make sure they have all the materials they need so that they can in turn train more pastors.”
Chancey says while the peace deal has allowed Christians more freedoms, it’s also allowed Islam to spread into the south. “That’s one of the ways that the Islamic government in Khartoum is trying to destabilize that area.”
Funding is essential for pastoral training, relief distribution and more.
