The congregation marveled as they stood on the threshold of a new building made of brick, wood and steel, waiting for the official dedication of their new church home.
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The new church, made of concrete bricks and steel, was a monument to the faithful perseverance of believers who endured the war. It was also a symbol of hope for the future of the nation.
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While in hiding, displaced Payawa believers kept their faith alive by gathering under mango trees for worship and prayer. Now they worship freely in a new church building.
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SPONSORED BY: Christian Tools of Affirmation, Inc. (CTA), Fenton, MO
Church members were ambushed during a communion service and tortured by North Sudanese soldiers. Those who survived are returning home to worship once again in Undukori.
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SPONSORED BY: The Gathering, Sevierville, TN
The God of miracles had gathered His people from exile, and rebuilt their church.
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CO-SPONSORED BY: Rev. & Mrs. Kenneth Partridge, Clinton, NC and Mr. & Mrs. Gary Long, Mt. Pleasant, SC
The believers were overwhelmed by the sight of their new church. The sanctuary stood as a symbol of God’s faithfulness.
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SPONSORED BY: Marr Community Bible Church, Howell, MI
Pastor Andrew looked out over the packed congregation in their church building. “The power of darkness will not prevail over the Church,” he said.
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Everyone in the sanctuary had survived the struggles of war, but faith in God brought them through the darkness to a day of celebration.
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SPONSORED BY: Grace Presbyterian Church, Ocala, FL
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SPONSORED BY: Harrod and Associates Constructors Inc., Raleigh, NC
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SPONSORED BY: Belisi Fashions, Jupiter, FL
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SPONSORED BY: Timberline Church, Fort Collins, CO
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SPONSORED BY: Mr. and Mrs. George Stoops, Covina, CA
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SPONSORED BY: Graig and Patricia Phillips, Rancho Palos Verdes, CA
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SPONSORED BY: Christian Tools of Affirmation Inc., Fenton, MO
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Watch "Rising from the Ashes"
For years, Christians in South Sudan suffered violent persecution. Hundreds of churches were destroyed, and countless believers were killed. Yet their suffering only strengthened Sudan’s Christians, and many continued to worship together in the bush. To help these faithful brothers and sisters, in 2005 Samaritan's Purse launched a major church reconstruction project. Today across South Sudan, dozens of these new churches are bringing the comfort and hope of the Gospel to war-ravaged communities.
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National name: Jamhuryat as-Sudan, Republic of Sudan
Location: northeast Africa, bordering the Red Sea between Egypt and Eritrea
Total area: 967,493 sq mi (Africa's largest country, slightly more than one-quarter the size of the U.S.)
Population: 39,379,358 (July 2007 est.)
Ethnic groups: black 52%, Arab 39%, Beja 6%, foreigners 2%, other 1%
Religions: Muslim 65%, Christian 23.2%, traditional ethnic 10.6%, non-religious/other 1.2% (Operation World statistics)
Languages: Arabic (official), Nubian, Ta Bedawie, diverse dialects of Nilotic, Nilo-Hamitic, Sudanic languages, English (Note: program of Arabization in process)
Literacy:
(Definition: age 15 and over can read and write)
total population: 61.1%
male: 71.8%
female: 50.5% (2003 est.)
Climate: arid desert in north; tropical in south; rainy season varies by region (April to November)
Terrain: desert in north; grasslands and low mountains in vast central region; swamplands and rainforest in south; Blue Nile and White Nile flow north and join near Khartoum to form the Nile River
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