February 27 – March 1 fast materials
War, Hunger and Recovery
Sudan
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Children and Fasting | Slow Down — and Fast
Fasting options
The typical fast would begin after a simple meal Friday evening, refrain from food Saturday and break the fast with Communion or a communal meal on Sunday.
Those who are not fasting from food can choose to eat simple meals, skip a meal or design a fast that fits their circumstances.
Fasting from food should be avoided by those with health-related conditions, such as diabetes, heart problems and pregnancy. Anyone with questions about their health condition should consult with their doctor before beginning. Those fasting should read the guidelines in “Fasting 101.”
Special thanks for their help in making this month’s materials possible include Bill Andress of the Sudan Advocacy Action Forum, Mark Koenig in the Peacemaking Program, Doug Welch and Lacey Gilliam from World Mission, the staff of RECONCILE, Hunger Program staff and especially Debbie Braaksma.
Friday evening
Preparing and Focusing
The Rev. Orozu Lokline. Photo courtesy of PCOS Reflection on Hunger in Sudan
by the Reverend Orozu Lokline
Presbyterian Church of Sudan
“For I was hungry and you gave me food…” (Matthew 25:35 )
Is there anyone in Sudan who had not experienced hunger? Did God make hunger in order to punish Sudanese people?
When we look up the word hunger in the dictionary, we see several definitions. It is:
- Lack of food
- Food shortage
- Starvation or famine
A young boy gathers with crowd to welcome PC(USA) delegation to Thonyor village in southern Sudan. Thonyor is remotely located away from armies during the war. Photo by Doug Welch In most cases, hunger can strike because of drought, crop failure and flooding. It can be due to other natural catastrophes such as locusts, army worms and earthquakes. In most countries in Europe or the United States, many people don’t really experience hunger the way we do here in Sudan. They have enough to eat. Even those who have no jobs still get something from the government for their daily bread.
Sudan could be a bread basket for the world because of its enormous natural resources. But the hunger we experience in Sudan is not of God’s making. God did not intend to punish humankind with hunger. In Genesis Chapter 1 we see that God prepared a good garden for Adam before he was created. God created everything from day one up to day five. Adam was created in day six after all his needs were taken care of.
The hunger in Sudan was due to manmade devastation. It was because of greed and power struggles that brought suffering to the innocent civilian population in our country. Because of the war, people were not able to till the land or herd their cattle. The land was cultivated with land mines while the sky was pregnant with bombs. Many people were eaten alive by wild animals because they were too weak to run away.
Hunger is an enemy of the Sudanese people. It is a well-known “disease” all over South Sudan. I remember when I was still 8 years old my mother had a problem with my stepmothers and she had to leave the homestead to go to a different location to live alone with us. My father did not come to visit us. He had decided to remain with his other five wives. We had only a few goats. Those were some of the most terrible days in my life. There was not enough food for the five of us, my mother and her four children. After one year we finished slaughtering our ten goats. After that the next thing for us to eat was to turn to our sleeping skins for food. We grew very thin. My younger sister was close to death. She had malnutrition and diarrhea. After we finished all of the food that we had, my uncle heard of our situation. He came and took us to his house and there we found enough to eat.
In our Murle culture whoever gives food during a famine is considered “more than a brother”. Giving of food during hunger time is also valued by our Lord Jesus Christ because he said in Matthew 25:35, “For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat.”
Hunger is an enemy to human race:
- It makes the person valueless before others
- It reduces human dignity
- It creates dependency
- It is a source of temptation to take part in stealing
Now peace has come to our country. Therefore, we should not continue to depend on U.N. relief and outside help. In order to avoid hunger and become independent from it:
- We should till the land in order to produce enough food for ourselves and also for our neighbors who do not have enough land like ours to cultivate. Idleness and dependency in South Sudan is the only thing that will make us slaves to hunger forever. It is always painful to see young people, including some government officials, play cards and dominoes under the trees all day, wasting a lot of time without any benefit. We must get to work. Money is not only in the government’s hands. It is also in the land.
- To avoid hunger in our land, we must maintain peace. All our tribes should live in harmony among themselves so that business can be conducted freely, without restriction all over the country. That will boost our economy and hasten the development in the South.
- In Acts 22:35 Jesus said, “… it is more blessed to give than to receive.” We should learn how to give ourselves to the service of our people in this country of Sudan.
- Corruption is the enemy of development and human integrity. It must be fought by all means. Both the church and the government have the responsibility to make sure that corruption is eradicated in all government and church sectors so that our resources can go where we intend them to go.
Conclusion
Hunger is the enemy of humankind. It should not be allowed to reign in South Sudan again. It was a manmade devastation. Therefore let us fight it by all means. Let hunger not continue killing our people again during this time of peace. The world will judge us severely if we allow severe hunger to happen again.
The Rev. Orozu Lokline is a pastor in the Presbyterian Church of Sudan (PCOS). Orozu previously served as the executive secretary of the PCOS. He studied at the Nairobi Evangelical Graduate School of Theology.
Learn More
Our topic is war, recovery and the food crisis with a focus on Sudan.
When conflict uproots people, like the nearly 200,000 refugees in Sudan primarily from Eritrea, Ethiopia and Chad …
When the 2003 conflict in the western part of the country, Darfur, displaced nearly 2 million and killed as many as 400,000 …
When planting crops becomes an almost herculean accomplishment …
…what can we do?
There are no easy answers. As residents and citizens of a powerful nation, we can advocate with our government to support multilateral negotiated peace processes and fund recovery and sustainable development. We can also financially support effective relief and development initiatives. These are faith practices.
But how do we deal with the cruelty, selfishness, ignorance, greed and violence we humans continue to exhibit? This is a spiritual question. And it is a question we must ask ourselves each day. We can choose to act according to baser impulses, or we can choose to practice spiritual virtues of tolerance, kindness, compassion, empathy, inclusion and love. The crisis is the worst in Darfur and the situation there is depicted in the video. This map shows Sudan, the largest country in Africa which is about the size of the United States east of the Mississippi River, populated by about 40 million people.
 Darfur, Sudan Crisis
Five years into one of the world's biggest humanitarian crisis, the situation in Darfur shows no signs of improving. This exclusive report — filmed inside Darfur — reveals the refugees' plight. [Produced by SBS/Dateline; distributed by Journeyman Pictures]
The video is 26 minutes long, so you may want to watch it in parts or wait until you have the time to view the entire film.
As a member of the Presbyterian Church of Sudan, this woman takes part in a candle lighting ceremony in the hope of peace in the midst of war in Sudan.
Photo by Doug Welch Church groups warn about ‘collapse’ of Sudan peace pact
by Stephen Brown, Ecumenical News International
GENEVA — Church agencies and analysts have warned that an agreement signed four years ago to put an end to a two-decade-long civil war in Sudan is threatened with breakdown, thereby endangering the already fragile Horn of Africa region. [Read the rest of the article from Presbyterian News Service]
Learn about PC(USA) engagement in Sudan from World Mission.
For more, see the Sudan section in the Food Crisis Resource Center.
Prayer for the Hungry in Sudan
The Rev. John Khamis Moju By the Rev. John Khamis Moju, RECONCILE coordinator of psychosocial rehabilitation
Heavenly Father,
At all times you have taught our hearts, as your faithful people of Sudan, to remain loyal even in time of Pain and Hunger. And, Lord, you know us to have been set amongst so many great dangers in Sudan, dangers of being starved by our enemies, which caused us to die silently with hunger. It’s not that our land cannot produce enough food for us, it’s because when we are being attacked or are fighting we are left with no time to till our land and to produce crops.
But, O Lord, in the time of the People of Israel, you gave them bread from Heaven, and in their thirst you brought them water from the Rock.
May you, O Heavenly Father, look down on us people of Sudan and fill us with your “heavenly food” to nourish both our bodies and spirits.
We pray that as we, your people in Sudan, commend ourselves in every way to your heavenly hands you will bless us with great endurance, in our troubles, hardships, distress, beatings, imprisonment, sleepless nights and hunger. May we be comforted by you and be satisfied by you alone in the same way as you ministered to the Israelites. We here in Sudan have labored and toiled, and have gone without sleep. We have also known hunger and thirst, but your love remains with us forever. May you, O Father, intervene in your special way to inspire lasting peace in this country of ours so that your people of Sudan may receive the fulfillment of what you have promised to those who remain faithful to you to the end.
We pray in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, Amen!
Additional prayers for Sudan by Sudanese and Sudan supporters.
Saturday: fasting and integrating
Early morning prayer
God of abundance, open me to your presence in this period of fasting. May this fast draw me closer to you. Remind me of my dependence on you. Remind me of all humanity’s dependence on you. Remind me of all creation’s dependence on you. Illuminate how my living impacts my brothers and sisters here and in other countries. Inspire me with ways to reorder my living so that I might more faithfully follow Jesus Christ and love my neighbors. Amen.
Breakfast-time prayer
God, my rock and redeemer, creator and sustainer of all that is, I ask you to pour your powerful Spirit into all who are empty this day: fill the stomachs of children and adults who hunger for food. Fill the spirits of persons who are troubled. Fill the minds of men and women who are confused. Fill the souls of people who are feeling lost. Fill the hearts of all who have too much. Fill the lives of all who need you, but do not know you. Fill my spirit and mind and stomach and soul and heart that I may reach out to sisters and brothers in need. May your Spirit fill us all to overflowing, dear God, and inspire us to work so that there will be no more empty hearts and minds, stomachs and souls. I pray all this in the name of Jesus Christ, who fills lives with your endless grace. Amen.
— Bread for the World, adapted
Lunch-time prayer
Loving God, your hand is open wide to satisfy the needs of every living creature. We thank you for your good grace that provides for us. Guide us to share your gifts wisely so that all may have enough to eat. Fill our hearts with compassion like your own that we may faithfully serve you by responding to the needs of those whom it would be easy for us to forget. In this and every land, break down the barriers of ignorance, indifference and greed that those who hunger may share your bounty. Amen.
— Blue Water/Port Huron, Mich. area CROP Walk, adapted
Supper-time prayer
Spirit of mercy, trump the hunger of my stomach. Where I hunger for food, teach me hunger for justice. Spirit of compassion, satisfy my longing to consume. Where I seek to horde, teach me to share. Spirit of wisdom, feed me the bread of life. Where I feast on the folly of scarcity, teach me to spread a table of abundance.
— Adam Fischer, former young adult intern with
Presbyterian Hunger Program’s Enough for Everyone
Evening prayer time
Give us this day our daily bread.
All good gifts of the earth come from your generous hands, God.
Yet, this abundance is not shared equally among us.
While some are satisfied, others are starving.
Women often become the victims of exploitation because they are desperate to feed and care for their children.
If only we would be mindful that each and every one of us must pray:
Give us this day our daily bread.
— World Day of Prayer Committee, Myanmar
from Making Poverty History by Church World Service and the PC(USA)
Reflections from partners in Sudan
Interviews and photos of staff of RECONCILE by Debbie Braaksma
Download a full transcript of the interviews.
Ms. Milcah Lalam, RECONCILE Consultant
What do you think are the main causes of hunger in Sudan?
The war which prevented people from having a settled life to cultivate food. The controlling policy by the government in the north which controls production in that all of the food produced is sold overseas or to agencies working with food security within the country. They would later resell it at a higher price which the local population could not afford. Also, a myth has been created by the northern government that Sudan’s land is not fertile and cannot be cultivated to discourage people from farming.
What needs to be done to address this problem?
Peace has to come. There has to be peace in order for people to live a settled life so that they can be able to farm. The communities also need of demonstration farms which show good techniques of farming to be set up in order to show how to make use of the available land effectively. Also, more agriculture officers need to be trained to help the people to use better tools and better means of preserving the seeds for the next cultivating season. Also, the myth about the land not being fertile needs to be broken.
In what ways can our Christian sisters and brothers in the United States be supportive in addressing this problem?
They can pray so that the people feel they are supported. They can lobby with their government so that they don’t buy certain food exported from Sudan which may be the staple foods of the people here. They can also give support to programs which are supporting agriculture. They can send people who can show how to improve agricultural yields.
Mr. Cosmas Abugo, RECONCILE Community Mobilizer
In the refugee camp we received food from U.N. High Commission for Refugees. Each family got five to 10 kilos of maize beans and oil. Sometimes it was enough. It would sometimes end after 15 days. So, after that you would have to struggle with the money you received for day labor.
What do you think are the main causes of hunger in Sudan?
… Most of the people have been in war and it has frustrated many people. Many people went into exile and they were not stable, they always had to run to one side. Since people were not stable in their places, they were in a position in which they had to run away every time after they had planted their crops.
What needs to be done to address this problem?
People need to be educated on using cooperative societies; there is no motivation to do so. They do not want to work hard. In Lasu the people work very hard but they don’t have stores to store their food.
In what ways can our Christian sisters and brothers in the United States be supportive in addressing this problem?
Support in agricultural training at the community level and providing tools. It will be good to motivate farmers in the community. The way of motivation [is to] form agricultural societies and produce their food. Then they will be paid and it will give them the desire to work hard and produce more food when they see there is a market for their food.
Bakata Peter Martin, RECONCILE Psychosocial Training Officer
I faced hunger in Invepi, Uganda — the place where the sun shines throughout the year. If the rain comes we would dig and sow the seeds. It was hard but we could grow some food and do small business.
What do you think are the main causes of hunger in Sudan?
One is the imbalances [is that] some people are employed, some are not. Those who are employed have money and whatever the cost they can afford to pay. But the cost for poor people is high. The cost of one bag of maize is £70 (pounds) and they [the poor people] cannot afford that. So in the villages people are hungry. One can make charcoal — it takes four to five days to make a big sack of charcoal and you will get £15 for a sack. However, it is a lot of work and it still won’t be enough to buy the food you need.
What needs to be done to address this problem?
There is a need for improvement in the security. The government should bring stability to the community so that if you do something you have the end result — you get your harvest.
Also, the government needs to have laws against gambling, too much drinking and playing of cards and dominos.
In what ways can our Christian sisters and brothers in the United States be supportive in addressing this problem?
In Darfur we know there is a problem but that doesn’t mean the whole country has a problem. In the emergency areas they can bring food but there should be deadlines and time frames to reduce the amount of relief food.
Mr. Simon Chol, RECONCILE Peacebuilding Officer
What do you think are the main causes of hunger in Sudan?
I think I will go back to look at our history, as that will help us to understand. If we look at history and we look at the coming of the Arabs from the North into Sudan and the “colonial masters” from England and the role played by the Egyptian government at the time it will be easy for us to know why we have hunger in Sudan.
There is also the concern of global warming. The seasons that people were planting, in former days, are not there now. It may rain excessively so it destroys planted crops [or] it may be too dry.
What needs to be done to address this problem?
Agriculture — We need to help the people of South Sudan to be trained on how to farm in the modern way and be provided with the latest agricultural tools. We need to have small income-generating projects. One good thing about my people is that they can easily adapt to new things — they like change. [However,] they hate change which tries to destroy them. They are very hard-working, proud, they like to socialize, they like to share things and to learn new things. But, they don’t want to be taken advantage of. They will give you full support if you are fair – but if they see it won’t help them in the end they will “stay on their backs.”
In what ways can our Christian sisters and brothers in the United States be supportive in addressing this problem?
Try to lobby with the American government to do something about the democratization of the country.
Mr. Dele Seme, RECONCILE Base Manager
What do you think are the main causes of hunger in Sudan?
It is a lack of education. Because if people are educated on various ways of farming we can reduce hunger.
What needs to be done to address this problem?
There are a lot of idlers — these idlers should be encouraged to be doing things. They need different skills or professions. That will enable everyone to be active and to be able to produce something using their different skills. We need to support the farmers, the few that are farming, by introducing cooperatives whereby they can get seeds and tools at a cheaper price. This is at a small scale. On a big scale it could involve getting tractors for the cooperatives.
In what ways can our Christian sisters and brothers in the United States be supportive in addressing this problem?
To send skilled people in agriculture to work with churches and communities. Because I believe always giving relief will not make people self-reliant. Better to give them the skills and tools — it will make them better citizens and better people. It’s best to train people.
The Rev. John Phillip Omot, PCOS Pastor, RECONCILE Key Mobilizer (volunteer)
Since the war ended in Sudan, Pochalla County has been struggling from inadequate food every year. The causes are either drought or flood. The U.N. has changed their way of giving food to the needy, especially in areas where there is no war. World Food Program brings food for work to the area and the Pochalla government authority implements the food for work program. But there have been problems in the distribution of the food which have caused serious conflicts. The needy who worked hard to have food for their children will get only some amount of it. People are discouraged and they depend upon wild food or go for hunting or fishing to be able to survive until the next season. Apart from food for work, God sends antelopes every year to the county and wild fruits and wild rice are available sometimes.
Every year, from December or January onwards, antelopes migrate from East Africa to the county the whole of the dry season. They will be there until the heavy rains start. The people will struggle a lot for one or two months having almost nothing to eat. I experienced that last year. Maybe it was better for some who were in Pochalla town because there some could sell tea. Those who are serving the government can only go to buy food from Pinyudo, Ethiopia. Hiring a bicycle is another problem. You buy food at 200 to 600 Ethiopian Birr and the bicycle rent is 200 Birr from Pinyudo to Pochalla, whether it is during the dry season or rainy season. Some good hunters can also go to Pinyudo to sell their dry meat and then are able to buy food.
The interviews above were conducted by Debbie Braaksma, who, along with her husband Delvin (Del) Braaksma, was appointed jointly by the PC(USA) and the Reformed Church in America in July 2005 to serve the people of Sudan. They live and work in southern Sudan with the Resource Centre for Civil Leadership (RECONCILE), which was created by the New Sudan Council of Churches (NSCC).The Rev. Debbie Braaksma offers her own thoughts below the study questions on the human and spiritual dimensions of the challenges in Sudan.
Suggested study questions:
- These excerpts above and the full transcript are the words of Sudanese people who know their situation better than we could ever. What words, phrases or perspectives made an impression on you? Do they raise any questions for you?
- As Christians we are called on to approach the world in love and humility. Love compels us to use whatever resources are at our command to help those in need. When the cruelty is so intense and problems so big, where does one start? View the personal and communal responses and think about whether those could be a place to start. If you are with a group, discuss them.
- The Sudanese people have little or no access to decision makers at the United Nations and those making decisions on U.S. foreign assistance and trade policies. In Proverbs 31:8-9, we are encouraged to “speak up for people who cannot speak for themselves and protect the rights of the helpless poor.” How might we do this? How would you go about getting a decision-maker to listen to you and fellow church members?
Learn More
Brokenness in Sudan
By The Rev. Debbie Braaksma,
PC(USA)/Reformed Church of America Mission Worker in Sudan
It has been a privilege and a real learning experience to gather information from my colleagues and friends here in Sudan on the subject of hunger. I would like to add a few thoughts and impressions of my own on the root causes of hunger in Sudan.
Certainly unjust international trade policies contribute to hunger in Sudan. I served on the Board of the Washington office on Africa, a PC(USA) partner, for many years and gained an understanding of these macro-issues which hurt African farmers and which cause many countries to be unnecessarily “food dependent.” As Christians it is important that we address these issues as we advocate for fair trade policies. I am grateful for the work of folks like Joel Hanisek with the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) U.N. office who address these issues on our behalf.
But if I look at what root causes might be particular to Sudan one word comes to mind: “brokenness.” Sudan has been at war in all but 12 years since independence in 1956 so it is no wonder that the country has been broken by the continuous conflict. It seems that this brokenness is seen in three main areas: (1) Government structures, (2) Relationships between ethnic groups, (3) Spirit of the Sudanese people. [Read more]
Learn about Presbyterian involvement with Sudan from the PC(USA) Mission Yearbook.
Learn more about Sudan and the Sudan Advocacy Action Forum
The Sudan Advocacy Action Forum (SAAF) was organized as a Christian grassroots effort to advocate for a just and lasting peace in Sudan. Dedicated individuals have come together to increase advocacy efforts and outreach. Rapid growth has come through the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), Reformed Church in America and individual congregations of other denominations and non-denominational groups.
Sudan: Humanitarian Aid and Human Rights
The United States is the leading international donor to Sudan, providing more than $5 billion in assistance to Sudan since 2005, including $3.7 billion in humanitarian and peacekeeping assistance to Darfur.
In 2008, the United States provided half of the World Food Program's food aid request for more than 6 million people throughout Sudan and eastern Chad.
Sunday: breaking the fast and responding
It's important to break a fast carefully. Eating too much too soon will overload your digestive system, causing uncomfortable and disruptive reactions.
Early morning prayer time
This is the day that you have made, gracious God. I rejoice and give you thanks for the miracle of life experienced anew. On this day, and every day, may I be mindful that I live not by bread alone but by my relationship with you and in my relationships with your children. May I be open to your presence at work in your world, at work in your children whom I encounter this day, and at work within me. May I be aware of how you sustain me, how my life intertwines with your children, and how your grace might flow through me. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.
Breakfast-time prayer
God of all life’s mercies and blessings, I give thanks for your grace as I break my fast. May I experience afresh your peace in my spirit, your love in my heart, and your justice guiding my life that I may work for a world in which your gifts are shared so that all your children are fed. Grant me the strength and courage to follow Jesus and work for that world. It is in his name I pray. Amen.
Break the Fast with Holy Communion
A majority of Presbyterian congregations have communion on the first Sunday of each month, but some do not. If your congregation doesn’t celebrate the Eucharist on the first weekend of the month, you could break the fast with a breakfast or a lunch before or after worship. Alternately, another time of the month can be chosen to do the fast.
Worship Materials
Break the Fast with a Meal After or Before Worship Service
Bring local foods (as much as possible), perhaps create a prayerful ritual or simple worship liturgy, and share your fasting experience. You might wish to begin or end your meal with the Communion or Liturgical Materials from above.
Prayer for Darfur
By Bishop Desmond Tutu
We pray for the people of Darfur who have been terrorized and forced from their homes — for those who have fled to refugee camps, and who still live in fear;
We pray for those who have died, and for their families;
We pray for the women in Darfur who face danger every day as they leave their camps for firewood — may You watch over Your daughters;
We pray for the children of Darfur, especially those who face a frightening world without one or both of their parents — may they be protected and comforted;
We pray for the safety of the humanitarian aid workers as they feed and care for the people of Darfur;
We pray for the safety of the African Union's Mission in Darfur as they work in difficult circumstances;
We pray for the safety of the United Nations' Peacekeepers when they begin their duties in Darfur;
We pray that the world's leaders will be guided by You in their quest for justice and safety for Darfur's people — may they be inspired by Your humanity;
Remind us that we are all your children, and teach us to listen;
We pray that those who are causing death and misery in Darfur will turn away from racism and violence — may they be forgiven when they turn to You for guidance instead;
Teach us to rejoice in all the things we have in common and respect each others' differences;
We pray that people everywhere will strive to live in peace, tolerance, and respect, no matter what their faith or race — may we gain the wisdom, grace, and generosity of spirit to overcome our differences and live as one.
This is one of the prayers written for the September 17, 2006, Global Day for Darfur. The date was set aside as a day to pray for the Darfuri people and to advocate for the protection of civilians.
Bringing it home
The following responses are steps towards solutions. They are ways we can engage in our food system and learn ways of working toward the deeper changes needed. Consider choosing one or two to do during the month as part of your faith practice.
Personal responses
Communal responses
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