“We are not surprised by the war in Sudan. About 70 years ago, the country got independence and it has known more times of war than peace.”
Samuel Majok is a pastor who leads the largest Sudanese congregation in Sydney, Australia.
Samuel and his church family at Oakhurst Anglican are concerned about, but sadly familiar with, the warfare ongoing in Khartoum, Sudan’s capital.
As Samuel told Hope Mornings, the civil war in Khartoum since April 15 is the latest phase of conflict and hardship for his home region.
“If this war is prolonged, it will cause another humanitarian and development disaster in [an area] of Africa already struggling with drought and chronic instability,” Samuel said.
“Even before the latest violence, one third of Sudan’s population – more than 15 million people – faced acute food insecurity.”
“Even before the latest violence, one third of Sudan’s population – more than 15 million people – faced acute food insecurity,” – pastor Samuel Majok
Warring armies tear country apart
Samuel is from South Sudan, the newly formed country that achieved independence from Sudan in 2011.
South Sudan and Sudan already had massive challenges with internally displaced citizens, before the conflict in Khartoum erupted between Sudan’s national army and a paramilitary force, The Rapid Support Forces (RSF).
Samuel explained RSF can trace its origins to the notorious Janjaweed militias, who helped Sudan’s Army crush a rebellion in the Darfur during the early 2000s.
Fuelling the civil war is both sides inability to integrate the RSF with the Sudanese army, or to decide who controls and leads the African nation.
Apart from the first week of the conflict, Samuel and his congregation have been able to maintain contact with family and friends in the war zone.
“The immediate help they urgently need right now are the things such as foods, mosquito nets, blankets and clothes,” Samuel said.
Most who have fled Khartoum are “stuck” in an enormous refugee city on the border of Sudan and South Sudan.
“There are no houses; people live in an open area. They just have a plastic tent… and it is raining on them right now.
“It is very devastating and very horrifying.”
What is God doing in Sudan?
Encouraging everyone to support Sudanese people, church minister Samuel knew that some would be questioning God in light of Sudan’s violence and destruction.
“If God is all powerful, loving and merciful, how could he allow the misery and horror of war?”
Samuel said that in the Bible he has found God’s answers to such questions.
When it comes to the reasons for warfare, Samuel turned our attention to the start of the fourth chapter of book of James, in the New Testament.
“James, the half-brother of Jesus, wrote under inspiration: ‘Where do wars and fights come from among you? Do they not come from your desires for pleasure that war in your members? You lust and do not have. You murder and covet and cannot obtain. You fight and war.’”
War inside us and praying for real peace
Samuel said these diagnostic verses in James “speak to me personally, to Sudanese and to those who have been in war for a long time”.
“Where does war come from? It comes from the desire of our own hearts.”
“Where does war come from? It comes from the desire of our own hearts,” – James 4:1-2
Samuel invited us to pray God will “touch and soften the [warring army] leaders’ hearts with his divine powers”.
Hopeful of God’s power to bring ceasefire and humanitarian assistance into the Sudan conflict, Samuel said he believed the peace of Jesus could cut through in Khartoum.
“Through the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, he provides us with an inner peace that surpasses the peace the world offers.
“If we look to Him with faith, we can feel peace in any circumstance.”