Rejoicing and Rebuilding in South Sudan

Rejoicing and Rebuilding in South Sudan: February 18, 2011: Gord Skopnik, Program Leader for Impact Southern Sudan with International Teams Canada, was in Sudan in 2005 for the signing of the Naivasha Agreement, a comprehensive peace agreement struck between the north and the south in order to end the Sudanese Civil War and develop democratic governance country-wide. As part of the agreement, a referendum was scheduled for January 2011, giving the people of South Sudan the opportunity to vote on the issue of succession from Sudan as a whole. Gord remembers the 2005 agreement as a great cause for celebration, and feels that the referendum results (98% in favour of succession) is an even greater reason for the people of South Sudan, many of whom have been displaced, to rejoice.

With the referendum on the horizon, many people began over the past few years to return to Sudan from refugee camps in Congo, Kenya, and Uganda to re-establish and start life over again. The returnees, some armed with supplies provided by the UN, have been faced with the difficult challenge of rebuilding their lives in their homeland, as thousands and thousands have returned to a devastated country without an infrastructure in place to support them.
Still, Gord says, the refugees continue to move forward. 'It is very exciting for them, that they can come back to their homeland and find it relatively safe. With the exception of some disputed areas, the country has been fairly peaceful, and the peace was maintained even throughout the vote. With the results of the referendum, they feel more secure to start work on the reconstruction of their country. Outside countries can now get involved due to the end of the embargo on Sudan as a whole, and the Southern Sudanese will receive aid to help in the reconstruction of their country.'

Gord says that his personal prayer for Sudan, and what he has been preaching to both the local people and government and community leaders, is that they would maintain their integrity in Christ, and abstain from corruption. 'These things have destroyed much of north and east Africa. Because the governments are full of leaders without integrity, countries break down and fail. I don't want to see that for Sudan. I'm excited to see the rebirth of a country that is built on Christian integrity, morality, and principles.'

An excerpt from South Sudan Oyee, the proposed national anthem of South Sudan:

Oh Eden! Land of milk and honey and hardworking people,
Uphold us united in peace and harmony.
The Nile, valley, forests and mountains
Shall be our sources of joy and pride.
So Lord bless South Sudan!