Sudan (MNN) — The latest clashes between Sudan’s army and rebel forces left 17 dead and 123 seriously wounded. These attacks were part of intensified fighting near the border with Chad.
Sudan’s civil war started three years ago, with strong evidence of genocidal violence in Darfur, but few in the West pay attention.
“There’s genocide after genocide, and oftentimes it doesn’t make the news because there’s other conflicts that are more germane to United States politics,” Jesse Griffin of unfoldingWord says.
Sudan faces one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises, with war, famine, and economic collapse all overlapping. There’s no clear path to peace, and violence is intensifying rather than slowing.
Yet hope remains. “The Gospel continues to expand in Sudan, and it’s wonderful to see how the Holy Spirit is still at work,” Griffin says.
“Our brothers in Sudan will say that, because of the conflict, there’s a huge receptivity to the Gospel.”
Refugee camps become ministry centers
The Lord is working through Sudanese church planters who partner with unfoldingWord to do Bible translation.
“Our partners at Greater Reach Alliance have trained people from 89 different tribes in Sudan,” Griffin says. “These people are going back to their communities and sharing the Gospel, starting churches, and making disciples.”
Using the Scriptures they’ve completed, translators eagerly share the Gospel in their language communities. Some have relocated to displacement camps within Sudan, or to refugee camps in South Sudan, to share the hope of Jesus.
“They have adopted a method that integrates translation into the life of the church and their ministry,” Griffin says.
“On a weekly basis, they are not only understanding Scripture, translating it, applying it, but they’re also ministering it in their church context, and they’re proclaiming it in the refugee camps.”
Translators press on
(Photo courtesy unfoldingWord)
Teams are completing the New Testament in Sudanese Arabic and Masalit this year. Sudanese Arabic teams will finish work on the Old Testament in 2027. Support these efforts through unfoldingWord here.
“Because we have empowered the people to do it (Bible translation) themselves and they don’t need outside help to do the work, it’s actually progressed in spite of the war,” Griffin says.
“It (translation) doesn’t have to be a long, drawn-out, seven-or-10-year process. They’re actually using Scripture as they work on it.”
Many Muslims are turning to Christ after hearing the Gospel in their heart language.
“Pray for their protection because many of them, [as] soon as they make that decision, their lives are in jeopardy from those closest to them,” Griffin requests.
Header and story images courtesy of unfoldingWord.
