Among the births of African nations, that of South Sudan has been among the most difficult. From 1950 until 1993, fifty African countries were born, the vast majority peacefully receiving autonomy from colonial masters.¹ In South Sudan's case, the birth has been tortorous:

"Military regimes favoring Islamic-oriented governments have dominated national politics since independence from the UK in 1956. Sudan was embroiled in two prolonged civil wars during most of the remainder of the 20th century. These conflicts were rooted in northern economic, political, and social domination of largely non-Muslim, non-Arab southern Sudanese. The first civil war ended in 1972 but broke out again in 1983. The second war and famine-related effects resulted in more than four million people displaced and, according to rebel estimates, more than two million deaths over a period of two decades."²

I've traveled in many areas of Kenya and Uganda during the course of about a dozen trips. As with a newborn, South Sudan comes into the world with very little except their lives, compared with Kenya and Uganda, which inherited a well-developed infrastructure from the British, including good roads, rail systems and telephone lines. These have deteriorated, but were inherited nevertheless. In contrast to many Ugandan tribes, South Sudanese seem to be quite serious, even stern, and stubbornly determined, which should serve them well. South Sudan may have 50-100 miles of paved roads in a country about a third the size of Texas (I haven't found pavement in Eastern Equatoria so far). South Sudan is decades behind Kenya and Uganda economically. Oil wealth is beginning to show up in Torit, our ministry base in SE Sudan, in the form of new government buildings.

The January 2011 referendum to secede went better than expected. Somehow the election groundwork was laid in time for voting. Turnout was high and overwhelmingly in favor of separating from the North. Nationhood will probably become official on July 9, 2011.

Fox's ReBoot

What are the challenges ahead for South Sudan? A December 2010 report of "Key Indicators for Southern Sudan" published by South Sudan⁴ provides a look. South Sudan, with a population of over 8 million, is exceedingly young in population, with 72% of the population under the age of thirty--partly a fallout of war. Only 27% of those over age 15 are literate. Some men with families are catching up by attending elementary school. Only 16% of women over 15 are literate. In Eastern Equatoria the Net Enrollment Rate for primary school was 37%, the lowest in South Sudan. Only 37% of the population over age 6 has ever attended school. There is one teacher per thousand elementary school students.4 A 15-year-old girl has a higher chance of dying in childbirth than of completing elementary school.⁵ In fact, one in seven women will probably die in childbirth—only 14% give birth in a hospital.⁶

Rural life in round thatched huts is home to 83% of South Sudanese. Of these, 53% have access to some kind of improved source of drinking water. To access water, 38% must walk more than 30 minutes one way--and women carry the water. Eighty percent of the population does not have access to "any toilet facility." The average South Sudanese lives on $1.32/day. Twelve per cent of the population were paid employees, and another 52% were "unpaid" family workers, mostly in farming and livestock. Among state capitals, Torit had the fewest formal businesses, with 259. Add to this sampling of problems at least 180,000 South Sudanese returning from the North since October 2010, and the unresolved boundary in the oil fields in Abyei (a contested land between established North and South borders) and you realize that South Sudan needs just about everything.⁷

Last March I listened to a candidate addressing Lopit tribe members at Lohutok village. What stunned me was not his long speech, but a brief conversation with him as he left the grounds. He said that only God could have brought South Sudan to the brink of free nationhood, and that only God could establish the new nation. Chills went down my back, and I wanted to cast a vote for him. God usually uses people to accomplish His will. Whatever your professional skills, whatever your spiritual gifting, you can help assist in establishing a new nation, under God. One way is to join us April 8-23, 2011 on our fourth ministry trip to the Torit area. I've met quite a few people particularly burdened by South Sudan and this is an opportunity to unburden. Ellen Fox, an African American missionary who went with RMNI three times to South Sudan, and now works there, just sent a report (facing page) that gives insight into the needs of one remote girls' school, where she joyfully serves at her own expense.

1. http://africanhistory.about.com/library/timelines/blIndependenceTime.htm
2. https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/su.html
3. http://ssccse.org/storage/Key%20Indicators%20Final%2014%2012%2010.pdf All stats in this and the next paragraph are from this source, unless noted.
4. http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/RWFiles2010.nsf/FilesByRWDocUnidFilename/MUMA-8B82ZG-full_report.pdf/$File/full_report.pdf
5. http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/RWFiles2010.nsf/FilesByRWDocUnidFilename/MUMA-8B82ZG-full_report.pdf/$File/full_report.pdf
6. http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/RWFiles2010.nsf/FilesByRWDocUnidFilename/MUMA-8B82ZG-full_report.pdf/$File/full_report.pdf
7. http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportID=91660

• Please pray for additional men to work in inner-city Chattanooga, and workers for ministry trips to S. Sudan and central India.
• Pray for genuine conversions, effective discipleship, deep friendships and planting a simple church at the Westside project.
• Pray for needed time to continue the African American missionary survey/census and for wisdom to know what opportunities to engage.
• Wisdom is needed in partnership with S. Sudanese to know how best to proceed with mutual goals.
• Jobs are a huge need at the Westside housing project, and jobseekers face many obstacles. Please pray that God will provide jobs by sympathetic employers and that we'll know how much time to invest.
• Pray for staff to join RMNi.
• Please pray for effective ministry to S. Sudan in April, that bears enduring fruit.
• I'm very grateful for the wonderful ladies who pray and serve at the Westside. Pray that they will stay encouraged.
• Pray for Ellen Fox as she has requested above.
• Judi and I welcome granddaughters Liza Mae Sutherland and Allison Claire Hochhaus! Judi has been in Texas and California.