Stories from South Sudan

We had the privilege of having 5 members of the Serge Bundibugyo, Uganda team come and stay with us in Arua this week! It was so refreshing to spend time with them and get to know them all better. We felt very encouraged by their prayers, food and laughter.

Since they were not able to be here over a Sunday for church, we invited a few of our Moru friends over to where we are staying on Tuesday so the team could meet them. We asked them to share their stories about living in South Sudan, how and why they had to leave and what they are doing here in Arua. This ended up being a really special time of fellowship!

Four people from the church came and told their stories. One man (probably around 25 years old or so) shared that he was captured by SPLA soldiers when he was around 12 (during the previous war). He was taken as a child soldier. Fortunately, he and a few other boys were able to escape one night after only a few days of being kidnapped. What was amazing is that one of the Bundi team members later asked all of the Moru friends if there was ever a time in their story when they doubted God. A time when they though He has abandoned them and maybe wouldn't come through. The man who shared about being kidnapped said that he never doubted God's sovereignty or ability to save him. He said that even when he was captured, he knew in his gut that God would get him out. He knew God would come through for him. What faith!

Momma Panina shared that her husband was in Mundri this past May during the bad time of fighting. He was working with a ministry called SEM and was badly beaten while soldiers were looting the ministry compound. They stole everything and beat everyone who was there at the time. He recovered and is now in Juba, but it was very scary at the time.

Stories from South Sudan are always hard to hear, but also always paired with hopefulness and a positivity that can only come from the Lord. One of the women who shared told me later that her husband was a pastor and he brought she and her four children to Arua during the last war. He returned to Mundri and ended up taking another wife (I think she said multiple more wives) and left her in Arua with no money or resources to care for her children. Her kids don't have money for school fees and she struggles to feed them on the regular basis. After saying all of this, she said, "but God is greater". I'm trusting with this woman that God absolutely is greater and will somehow bring hope and redemption to this desperate situation.

We were all able to pray for our Moru friends after they shared their stories. It was emotional, but so encouraging to see the Body of Christ circle around them and pray for hope, provision and peace. My prayer is that we will hold these stories in our hearts and remember to pray for them often. I don't want to be someone who gets depressed and bogged down by these depressing realities, but rather someone who takes these stories to the cross and pleads for redemption and hope. All-the-while, remembering that "God is greater". He is greater than war. He is greater than poverty. He is greater.