Genocide in Darfur

Caring for the least of these…Our church service today focused on creating awareness about the situation in Sudan, southern Sudan and Darfur, Sudan.

After the peace vigil that planned in mid July, our pastor asked if I would re-work it for a Sunday service. I agreed with a bit of trepidation, wondering how people would receive such a difficult message at the Sunday morning service. (Most people come to Sunday worship with the hope of being encouraged and uplifted, assuming that they will leave “feeling better,” and this service was going to challenge, confront, convict in its inspiration and encouragement).

We shared about the genocide in Darfur, and the history and fallout of the 21 year civil war in Southern Sudan.  We had a variety of visual portrayals of the reality of the horrors and atrocities experienced by the Sudanese people. We set up prayer stations around the room that offered propel a place to respond to the message of the morning the highlight of the service as the participation of Angelo Mangar Maker, one of the lost boys of Sudan, who shared his story of tragedy and triumph, putting face on the horrors of Sudan, and the miracle of faith.

This week, I have been spent with the emotion of planning and carrying out this service… my heart has been so burdened, for the people of Sudan, and for the hearts and minds of those who would hear these stories for the first time. I am thrilled to be part of a body of Christ that believes in being not only aware, but active in the world and is committed to the call to do justice, to love mercy and to walk humbly with God.

I will post more in the days to come… I need a really long nap and a bit of silence to gain the space to write about this powerful experience and the privilege it was to participate in bringing the story of Sudanese to the people of the our church community.