South Sudan became the world’s newest country on 9 July 2011. It was the outcome of the 2005 peace deal that ended Africa’s longest-running civil war. The majority of the population adhere to Christianity. Only 18% call themselves Muslim unlike Sudan, which is 97%.
AIM’s work in Sudan began before the civil war, with our first members being invited to work in the country by the Church Mission Society (CMS) in 1949. The initial members were supported by additional couples and between them they quickly set up a medical clinic and a girls’ school. From the early days, the work in Sudan was also helped by African Christian workers sent out from Congo.
Over the years, civil wars and restrictions placed by the government created difficult conditions. Partial and full expulsions limited the number of AIM personnel in the country and then in the early 1960’s all missionaries were expelled. In 1972 however a peace agreement between south and north Sudan enabled work to be picked up again. The peace was not as permanent as hoped and fighting resumed in the early 1980’s. All AIM members left Sudan in the late 1980’s due to escalating insecurity.
In 2004, with the decline of the war, a gradual re-entry of AIM personnel began. With the signing of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement in January 2005 the door was opened wider. AIM provides a diverse menu of skills and ministries in South Sudan including nursery, primary, and secondary education, health, literacy in mother tongue, leadership development, theological education, and church planting.
What did 25th December look like for you? For the SIM team in Doro, South Sudan, Christmas day afternoon found them lying on the floors of their houses as the sounds of gunshots came far too close for comfort. Tensions had risen and there were several days of unrest between the 40,000 refugees who live in the Doro Refugee Camp and the Doro community.
Jill Davis gives us a brief insight into the background behind the troubles that South Sudan has seen this past year.
Meet Andrew and Jacob. Two young men serving with AIM among the Laarim people of
In this series of stories Caroline Bett shares why she gave up a promising running career to become a missionary in South Sudan.
The Laarim live in small villages in a place called the Boya Hills in South Sudan. Listen and learn some Laarim phrases.
In this series of stories Caroline Bett shares why she gave up a promising running career to become a missionary in South Sudan.
