A New African Country Faces Conflict And Poverty. Missionaries Are Stepping In.
South Sudan, a nation with a population of around 11 million, is Africa’s newest country, having gained independence from Sudan in 2011. However, it descended into civil war in 2013 and again in 2016.
As a result, the fledgling nation faces numerous challenges: Widespread poverty, lack of technology, basic infrastructure such as roads and ongoing violence among ethnic groups.
After several postponements, it’s slated to hold its first general election at the end of this year, and the new democratically-elected government will lead the country starting in 2027. While the South Sudanese people wait for stability from their national government, local and international faith groups are working to fill the gaps and meet basic, everyday needs.
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Amid the violence, missionary work is growing and creating a refuge for those in need and the displaced.
“The country’s network of religious groups remained a crucial source of stability in an otherwise unstable country,” according to a U.S. Department of State Report.
According to international research, about 60% of the country’s population is Christian, about 30% practice indigenous or animist religions, and 6% are Muslim. Many combine Christian practices with native practices.
Yet, like many South Sudanese, faith-based groups constantly worry about violence.
Since April 2023, in the neighboring Sudan, fighting between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Sudanese paramilitary force has killed more than 40,000 people and displaced nearly 15 million, creating one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises.
A missionary worker, Ephraim Sami, who lives in Juba — the capital and largest city of South Sudan — has been a missionary in the war-torn country for almost a decade. He starts every day with a devotional prayer, thanking God that he is still alive and hoping to see the long day ahead — a prayer that resonates with people in both Sudan and South Sudan.
Christian missionaries and local church networks are operating on the frontlines of war in both Sudan and South Sudan. In these two nations, conflict, displacement, migration and political instability shape everyday life.
“We have no choice but to encourage our people to have hope and faith that this will be over and we will be a happy people like other nations. We take [the Bible] and preach, but also we strive to create teamwork in solving issues as communities,” Sami said.
Individuals and faith-based organizations operating in the region as missionaries are navigating extreme risk, from targeted violence to limited humanitarian access. Amid the risks, they have continued to provide education and spiritual support. According to field reports from evangelical groups, over 300 new Christians from dozens of ethnic groups have been trained through mission schools.
Sudan Evangelical Alliance Partners President Donnie Brake told Religion Unplugged that the realities on the ground are often hard to explain to people who have no sense of what it’s like to live and work in a third-world country.
“In conflict-affected areas, we see several challenges,” said Brake, who has more than 25 years of experience in the field. “We must always be on alert for insecurity. One minute, all could be safe and secure, and in the next minute, fighting could occur. Situation and location awareness are always a major concern.”
Brake said the people they are serving are often traumatized and are constantly afraid.
“We often associate PTSD with soldiers and wars, but in reality, most of the people in South Sudan suffer from this ailment. Can you imagine living every day wondering if you will survive it?” he added.
South Sudan remains one of the poorest countries in the world. The average household of 6 lives on less than $2 per day. In addition to conflict and displacement, Sudanese suffer from droughts, lack of clean water, starvation and disease.
In recognition of the people’s needs, the government of South Sudan has been open to missionary workers, giving land to some. Missionaries have been building churches, feeding people and treating the sick, complementing the meager resources provided by the transitional government.
Brake said the lack of infrastructure is a major challenge in South Sudan. The government provides few services to its people.
“There are very few roads, and those that are 'roads' are terrible. There is almost no healthcare, education, food security and clean water provided by the government. These services are primarily provided by NGO’s like SEA Partners.”
But Brake wonders: “Where all the oil money goes, no one seems to know.”
A faith-based approach provides hope for the local communities at the intersection of humanitarian aid, faith and local communities. Brake’s work is primarily in the very remote and rural areas. In those communities, people are more receptive to the Christian message as it can be a true source of hope.
“So, while we share the gospel of Christ to them, we come alongside them with humanitarian initiatives to give them practical encouragement,” Brake said.
SEA operates and supports schools, providing agriculture training through demonstration farms, drilling and maintaining water wells, and planting churches.
One of the converts, Zeinab Wani, said she converted to Christianity when the missionary team came to their village and shared the gospel. However, this has helped even her family in finding hope during the conflicts.
“My children attend schools, and we can now have some food and clean water, which is a challenge in our country,” she said. “My prayer is to see peace prevailing in our country, and to develop. This is exactly what the missionaries are teaching us every day, to be peace-loving, forgiving, resilient and hardworking people.”
In the past few years, SEA Partners was able to construct two dorms to house students from the remote Kachipo village of Zooch. Since their completion, these dorms have become more than just a place to sleep; they have become a place of spiritual growth.
Historically, the Kachipo from Zooch and the Murle from Boma have not had strong relationships, often keeping to themselves, and at times, doing so in tension. But through missionary work, these dorms have brought the two communities together. They now hold monthly joint church services, with the Boma and Zooch communities taking turns playing hosts.
Missionaries from the U.S. and other European countries have found it challenging to work in South Sudan due to differences in cultures. Brake ended up writing a doctoral dissertation on the leadership practices of the Murle people.
“I learned a lot from that research. … If the chiefs tell you ‘yes,’ we obviously believed we were moving forward,” he said. “Unfortunately, one family or another could say ‘no’ and hold up the entire project. It was a tough lesson to learn.”
Calvin Manika is an award-winning international journalist based in Zimbabwe.