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SUDAN
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EVEN IN SORROW: A Recorded Project for the Persecuted Church in Sudan
Important
Information About Sudan's Silent Scream
EVEN
IN SORROW
A Recorded Project for the Persecuted Church in Sudan
Written and sung by Sudanese Youth Choirs on location in Sudan, the heart and soul of these songs declare God¹s goodness, love and faithfulness toward His people from the midst of the most intense torture and persecution of Christians in our world today. The event which we experienced in one tragic day, on September 11, the Sudanese have experienced on a weekly basis for the last 19 years.
Most of the people you hear singing have, thus far, survived the horrors of this "holy war". Some of the voices you hear have not. The voices simply and profoundly question one of the deepest concerns in the history of our creation; "Where is God in the midst of our suffering, and why do His people suffer?" Though many of them believe that their suffering is punishment for their sin, like Job and even like their Savior, the song of their lives declares, "..though He slay me, yet shall I trust Him!"-Job
The songs are reformatted in "World-beat" style to make them more accessible to western listeners, featuring the voice of Slater Armstrong, along with the Sudanese choir. As of yet, there is no slice of the market pie for this music. It is a work of pioneering a new place in the Christian Music market for the songs of Christians on the "front lines" to be heard. One of the songs on this album, Follow Him, was featured in the worship leader resource, Song DISCovery, this past July. It is already attracting interest for use in churches in the U.S., though its context is undeclared!
THE PURPOSE OF THIS PROJECT is to transmit and "amplify" these songs of faith under persecution, in hopes that the church in the west might awaken and join our voices with theirs in intercession, financial support and calling for international intervention on their behalf. "Even In Sorrow" will generate relief funds which will be sent directly to Sudanese Churches who participated in the project, as well as established and trusted agencies already working in the Sudan. The writers are credited and will receive writer royalties.
“... from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth.” Revelation 1:5
This is the message of EVEN IN SORROW:
(The Dinka song # 65 “Breath
of God” summarizes the whole CD.)
Jesus and the Father are one.
The Church in Sudan, America, and throughout the world is one.
Regardless of our circumstances, even in sorrow, He is to be praised!
This is the song (witness/testimony) of the CD!!
This is the weapon of our warfare!!!!
“for they overcame him (satan, the accuser of our brethren), by the blood of the Lamb, and by the Word (spoken in action) of their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death!!!!!” Revelation 12:11
Zephaniah 3:10
From beyond the rivers of Cush [That is, the upper Nile region (modern day Sudan)] my worshipers, my scattered people, will bring me offerings.
- Sudan accounts for the largest
number of the world's uprooted people.
- One out of every eight refugees and displaced persons in the world
are Sudanese.
(U.S. Committee for Refugees
USCR World Refugee Survey
9 September 1999 www.refugees.org)
(this next section is for those who have the additional time to read and see the connection I’ve just made. If not, simply take my word for it. More info found at http://www.sudanupdate.org/ )
Gumriak, Western Upper Nile, South Sudan:
Deep, blackened craters pock the landscape.
"The reasons for the attacks are clear," said Stephen Mabok, a local commissioner. "They want to exploit the oil in this area without fear of local resistance, so they are clearing the area and removing all the people."
The extent of the terror unleashed here is chilling. There had recently been an airdrop of food by the United Nations World Food Program. But the Antonov bombers came hot on the tail of the UN aid, and dropped bombs on the starving people as they tried to get to the food.
All around are the scattered fragments of humanity, families hunkered down on the bare earth among the trees. One or two have crude shelters made from UN food sacks, stitched together with string. Most have nothing.
One woman, wearing a soiled floral dress, just stared aimlessly into the distance. Of nine people killed, one was her sister. As she started talking, her anger, the unquenchable resistance of the Southern Sudanese, flared. She spoke in staccato sentences, jabbing the air with her finger.
"Many died in the attacks. Many more are now dying of starvation and thirst. We know why they came to clear this area - because they want the oil." She all but shouted this last sentence. And then, more subdued: "We need food, clothes, water, just basic things to survive."
"The government forces came first and attacked from the air, using Antonov bombers," said Mr Mabok. "Then came the helicopter gunships. Then the enemy came on the ground and attacked the villages, burning them and seizing women and children."
He listed the names of villages destroyed: "Alog village first, and killed 11 people. Then Dir village and killed nine people. Then Obanye and killed 19." The list went on and on.
All that remained of Jamjang village was a circle of burned huts, wood-and-mud walls reduced to a sad ring of blackened ashes. The acrid smell of smoke still hung in the air. Passing feet kicked up a cloud of fine ash.
One survivor, Michael Manyiel, crouched down on the heap of ashes that had been his home. He wore a bright purple African kaftan. He has gentle eyes and spoke with little bitterness or anger. He and his family escaped alive. He was one of the lucky ones.
"The enemy came out from Pariang and burned the villages, but we had managed to flee the area. I took my family to a safe area, but now there is no food and they are starving. The food the UN brings is not enough. Now they are living under the trees."
Mr Manyiel shows us the village hospital. He worked here as a medic. The four walls are still standing, but the windows are scorched, blackened holes. Inside, knee-deep in ashes, remains of a busy hospital are clearly visible - a discarded shoe here, a broken water bottle there.
"Over all, it must be
around 6,000 homes burned, yes, 6,000," the commissioner said.
"And 16 churches. . . . Including the food and everything, it was
all burned. People are now just living in the bush..."
(Damien Lewis, The Globe and Mail, Toronto, 5 October 1999)
[ a little math: 6,000 homes X 3 people = 18,000 people (minimum, most families are larger than 3) Try adding 1 = 24,000; 2 = 30,000, etc.) this was three months after I was there for the recording]
I’ve emboldened the specifics for prayer in the forwarded letter from my new friend and ally, David Price. Please especially pray for him and the vision God has given him for this new direction for the market of music!
In His Grace and yours,
Slater Armstrong
--
JOINING OUR VOICES
Jack Slater Armstrong
800 Northshore Drive
Knoxville, TN 37919
www.joiningourvoices.com
slater@joiningourvoices.com
865-588-0589 x209