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2009-10-06T02:36:07Z

As African Leadership equips National Directors like Tito Abaha Oturo to make a lasting impact in churches and communities throughout Sudan, we are grateful for the support of our donors who make this national transformation possible. 16

Sudan is a nation of 39 million people and is the largest nation on the continent, where since 2002, the country has suffered through war and genocide, with 500,000 deaths resulting from fighting, disease, and famine. African Leadership has been training Pastors and church leaders there since 2005. As of March 2008, we have 188 students attending 7 classes with over 300 total graduates who are active in church ministry. Our National Director for Sudan is Tito Abaha Oturo. Tito is himself a displaced survivor of the war, and as he works as African Leadership's National Director, he also works to serve the widows and orphans who are victims of the war and genocide. In Sudan, the population is 70% Muslim and only 5-10% Christians, while 20-25% of the Sudanese people adhere to animist and traditional beliefs. The church of Sudan is just coming out of the stressful situation of civil war, which has devastated people spiritually, morally and physically. Millions of people have been displaced by the war and genocide, and as they just now begin to contemplate leaving refugee camps to return home, they find their homes and villages destroyed. The church could not support herself in such devastation, only with the help of brothers and sisters who respond to needs as they learn of the church's plight. Tito sends this report, "With the pastor training classes, the students need to be supported in every way possible, so they may complete the courses, and minister to their congregations with biblical maturity. The training will help the church and her leadership to be supportive in the future, in propagating the gospel of Christ. All 7 classes need financial support for feeding the students, support for teachers, and travel costs". Joseph in Kurmuk says "...the training has helped me know how to read the scriptures carefully and apply them in my life and to my situation...". Alhadi in Yabus says"...it is because of this of this training I got saved. I have been serving in my church as an elder, but through this training God spoke to me." On September 9, 2004, the United States Secretary of State Colin Powell termed the Darfur conflict a "genocide", claiming it as the worst humanitarian crisis of the 21st century, as the Janjaweed had been launching raids, bombings, and attacks on villages, killing civilians based on ethnicity, raping women, stealing land, goods, and herds of livestock. The devastation in Darfur, as a result of the genocide, is a national concern, especially for the destitute orphans and the elderly. These two people groups especially need much support in their extreme poverty in Sudan, which is reflected in local community concerns, as the church struggles to reach out to them, and assist them, with so few resources. People lack basic needs such as clean water, shelter, education and health services. UNICEF reports that about 80 infants die each day in Darfur as a result of malnutrition. African Leadership working to provide renewal for these victims, as the lasting scars of this war seen in the orphans, widows, and victims of rape and violence, may only be healed by the Gospel of Christ. Tito and his staff face tremendous difficulties, in this country devastated by war. The signing of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA), peace deal between South and North, on May 5, 2006, between the Sudanese government and Darfur's largest rebel group the SLM (Sudan Liberation Movement), aimed at ending the three-year long conflict. The agreement specified the disarmament of the Janjaweed and the disbandment of the rebel forces, and aimed at establishing a temporal government in which the rebels could take part. The agreement, which was brokered by the African Union however, was not signed by all of the rebel groups. Since the signing of the agreement there has wide-spread violence throughout the region. A new rebel group has emerged called the "National Redemption Front", which is made up of the 4 main rebel groups who refused to sign the CPA. Recently, both the Sudanese government and government-sponsored Muslim militias have launched large offensives against the rebel groups, resulting in more deaths and more displacements. African Leadership is thankful to have a presence in Sudan. As African Leadership equips National Directors like Tito Abaha Oturo to make a lasting impact in churches and communities throughout Sudan, we are grateful for the support of our donors who make this national transformation possible. As we travel to visit our Directors and attend graduation ceremonies in Africa, we are amazed at the dedication of these pastors. They often work full time jobs in addition to their pastoral workload, and go to school 2-4 days a week. The desire to be better teachers and preachers is reflected in their joyful completion of the 2-year program, which provides comprehensive training in all phases of church leadership equivalent to a foundational-level seminary or Bible College degree, utilizing a 10-course, 2,500-page Bible centered curriculum, developed by Dr. Dennis Mock and translated into a nine African language by African Leadership. Please pray for Tito and his family and staff, as they labor to bring hope to the communities of Sudan, by increasing the impact of the Gospel through training of pastors and church leaders. African Leadership-Sudan hopes to graduate some 80 students each year, who, when their training is finished, will periodically attend alumni training for HIV/AIDS issues, Islam apologetics, and financial management. In the midst of the war and violence, new classes may be established with networking of these alumni and teachers, spreading the word about our Training Program, resulting in more pastor registrations, and expanded educational outreach. With such immeasurable need for training of Pastors and church leaders, African Leadership is working to bring accessible, affordable training to the Sudan for the vitality and health of the Church. In bringing the Gospel to Sudan though, the African Leadership team members and teachers face many travel difficulties, with dependable vehicles always in short supply, as they travel crude roads to organize and teach their classes. Please consider how you might lend your support, as you pray for Tito and his family and staff, as they labor to bring hope to the communities of Sudan, by increasing the impact of the Gospel through training of Pastors and church leaders.

2009-10-16T19:53:24Z