Diocese of Rumbek
BASIC OVERVIEW OF RUMBEK
BACKGROUND
1 Corinthians 4:33, “because God doesn’t want us to be in disorder but in harmony and peace”.
South Sudan has been at war for twenty (21) years
* between the government of Sudan (GOS) and the Sudan Peoples Liberation Army/Movement (SPLA/M).
* The Diocese of Rumbek is one among the Dioceses hit hard by these policies of Government of Sudan, it has been without a Bishop for 18 years.
The Diocese of Rumbek was created in 1976 and it was the second largest Diocese.
* It stretches approximately 3,500 kilo meters square from Eastern Bahr el Ghazel to part of tropical Equatorial and upper Nile.
* The Diocese suffered from socio-economic crisis, immigration, political movements, wars. These have put the Diocese far behind other sister Dioceses in terms of moral and spiritual development.
* The Illiteracy level ranges over 95% among the Women and 80% among men, therefore as a result of war.
* As for ordained Clergymen in the Diocese, there are 178 Pastors and 23 are only trained, serving Christians in 273 Churches all of them under the trees churches.
* Great is challenges of underdevelopment. The Diocese have not escaped the bitter out of the 21 years of war in Southern Sudan.
It currently faces great difficulties in Communication with the rest of its sisterly Dioceses and outside World due to bad roads and bridges and lack of telecommunication system.
With all these, the word of God is going very well, many people are coming to the Churches every day.
* The Diocese wants to bring the vision and Mission of the Church closer to the Christians and see it strengthen.
* So that all people drive in relationship with God and keep their praise as God intervene in each day suffering.
Rumbek Diocese Vision and Mission are:
Vision
* Self-reliance and transformed the community of Rumbek to a life in fullness, and peaceful stayed. (John10:10b)
Mission
* Rumbek Diocese strives to transform the Spiritual, Physical and socio-Economic needs of the Community in Rumbek.
AIMS/OVERALL OBJECTIVES.
1. Raising the Spiritual standard of the Christians in the Diocese.
2. Promoting Socio-Economic Development in the Diocese.
* Our foundation: is faith in Jesus Christ and trust in the authority of the Bible.
* We believe: in integrity, team-work, accountability, transparency and commitment.
* We Strive: for Stewardship, to uphold mutual Partnership in Mission and Peace, respect and equality of all Men and Women before God.
Core Values
See our Cathedral Tree.
* We praying under the trees we do have 273 trees these are our Churches.
* Please, see this Cathedral tree were I was consecrated four years ago and my two Assistant Bishops also were consecrated there.
* Here we go to see the congregation
This is the goodness of under the tree Cathedral, it is for services and for classes.
* We do used it as classes for adult literacy and for meetings.
* You can see women class in the evening and children in the day time.
* Also the local authorities used it for meetings.
The beginning of building Churches, People at work
* As we are now on process of building Churches, schools, health centres. renovation of Bishop’s house.
* You can see the congregations at work with 3 bishops and Pastors together.
The lives of the Church workers is very difficult.
* Coming to how we feed ourselves, the Pastors and all the church workers are not paid.
* We do make our own living by cultivating.
* Some who has ox-ploughs used them with bulls for ploughing.
* Please, see the ploughs.
As you have seen our needs please, do pray with us. we have summary of our 5 years plan, take it with you for your prayers.
* We need to train our Pastors.
* We need to have VSAT with computers for email communication.
* There are women programs need encouragement.
* We need clean water for our schools.
* Health facilities for our people in the areas where is no health centres.
* We don’t have anything for income generations we need to build guests house, ox-plough, cow keeping, and other developmental programs.
* Transports for Pastors and accommodation for Provost.
And thanks. God Bless you.