Special Report
Christians in Sudan and South Sudan have asked you and I to pray! There continue to be atrocities against Christians and reports of "ethnic cleansing" in the region. Details are here: www.sudanpartners.org
Specific prayer and information is on our "Take Action for Sudan" page.
Original Article: Prayer for the Peoples
Sudan is a nation made up of hundreds of ethnic, linguistic and cultural groups and clans. One researcher has identified about 2,200 groups including local clans. The following is a list of the 15 of the 36 people groups of over 100,000 people considered by some believers to be those most in need of the Gospel in Sudan. In fact, none of these groups has an established, long-term, native-language outreach involving either foreigners or local Sudanese believers. Altogether, these 15 groups number possibly more than 20 million people, with no known believers.
1. Daju | 2. Danaagla/Kanuuz | 3. Darfur Region NSA (Northern Sudanese Arabs) | 4. East Region NSA | 5. Fellata: Fulani-speaking | 6. Fellata: Hausa-speaking | 7. Kanuri | 8. Kordofan Region NSA | 9. Masalit | 10. Nile Region NSA | 11. North Region NSA | 12. Rashaida | 13. South East Region NSA | 14. White Nile Region NSA | 15. Zaghawa
A "people group" can be defined as: 'The largest group of those who perceive themselves to a have a common affinity with each other, and within which the Gospel can spread without encountering significant barriers of understanding and acceptance.' The barriers could be (1) Religious (2) Language (3) Social Interaction and (4) Geography (Sudan is the biggest country in Africa).
The Daju People
Living in Western Sudan and Eastern Chad, the Daju (number one in the list) are mainly farmers and their economy is primarily based on grain production. Staple crops include millet, sorghum and corn. Some hunting is also done. Altogether, the Daju number about 150,000 in Sudan (260,000 in Chad and Sudan).
This is Sudan
Map of Sudan
The Daju have been a Muslim people since the fifteenth century. They revere the Qur’an, and all oaths and commitments are made according to its writings. Although the Daju are Muslim and follow Islamic teachings daily, they do not do so in the strictest sense. Friday prayer at the mosque is not attended by all, and the restriction of alcohol is often ignored. In addition, many of their traditional animistic beliefs have been retained and mixed in with their Islamic beliefs. In their animist religion, cults are formed, good and bad spirits are believed in and witchcraft is practiced. For their health and protection, newborn babies are sometimes given water that has been used to wash a board with Quranic scriptures written on it.
Prayer Starters for the Daju Peoples of Sudan:
- Pray for the Daju and the other groups in the list that the Gospel might reach them (Mt 28:18-20).
- Pray that Bible-based communities of believers with local leadership could be established in each group (Titus 1:5-9).
- The Bible has not yet been translated into the Daju language. No Christian resources such as the Jesus film or Christian radio programs are available to them. However, gospel recordings are available in their language.
This article is from material provided by the IMB and the Joshua Project.
Background on Sudan (World Factbook)
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 4 million people displaced and, according to rebel estimates, more than 2 million deaths over a period of two decades. Peace talks gained momentum in with the signing of several accords; a final Naivasha peace treaty of January 2005 granted the southern rebels autonomy for six years. A separate conflict that broke out in the western region of Darfur in 2003 has resulted in at least 200,000 deaths and nearly 2 million displaced; peacekeeping troops are struggling to stabilize the situation.
NOTE: South Sudan became the worlds newest country on July 9, 2011. Continued prayer is needed for peace between North and South Sudan.
Economy of Sudan
Chronic instability - resulting from the long-standing civil war between the Muslim north and the Christian/pagan south, adverse weather, and weak world agricultural prices - ensure that much of the population will remain at or below the poverty line for years. Agricultural production remains Sudan's most important sector despite exports of crude oil.
About Sudan
Was the largest country in Africa; dominated by the Nile and its tributaries
Population: South Sudan is between 6 - 8 million, (North) Sudan numbers range from 30 to 40 million, depending on what you read, as of July, 2011
Life Expectancy at Birth: 52.52 years. World Rank #207
Ethnic groups: black 52%, Arab 39%, Beja 6%, foreigners 2%, other 1%
Religions: Sunni Muslim 70% (in north), indigenous beliefs 25%, Christian 5% (mostly in south and Khartoum)
Languages: Arabic (official), Nubian, Ta Bedawie, diverse dialects of Nilotic, Nilo-Hamitic, Sudanic languages, English note: program of "Arabization" in process
Literacy: 61.1% male: 71.8% female: 50.5%
School Life Expectancy: 4 years
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Pray for Sudan:
* pray for war to be avovided
* pray for Bibel translation into the numeorus Sudan langauges still needing one
* pray for wisdom on the issue of independance for south Sudan
* pray for the many tribes in the north, west, and east of Sudan without a Christian witness to be adopted by churches for evanglisum
* pray for Christian TV, radio, and other meida to be prepared for the unreached of Sudan
* pray for widespread revelatiosn of Christ to Sudanese Muslims
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It can be translated into various languages.
It is a must read.
http://www.harunyahya.com/jesus01.php