Agricultural Development | Health & Welfare | Education | Sudan Video Clips | You Can Help!

Through the generous donations of the viewers of our daily television program, 100 Huntley Street, Crossroads Missions is currently involved in the rehabilitation and reintegration efforts of the people of South Sudan. Our work is along-side the indigenous churches and Christian faith-based organizations of South Sudan, to equip and empower their leadership, so that they can better serve their people.

Background

Many years of civil war in the Sudan have led to various forms of human suffering in the South of the country. Crossroads Missions has been instrumental, and in most cases at the forefront, of many aspects of development in the South of Sudan. Although the Darfur situation is grave, in the south it is slowly beginning to change.

Since 1956, Sudan has experienced only eleven years of relative peace. Every child, teen-ager and young adult up to 25 years of age has known nothing but the sound of guns, aerial bombing and northern militias as well as the army of the regime in Khartoum rampaging through their towns and villages in the south. People have been slaughtered in genocidal raids. Slaves were taken, often killed while in captivity, and abused, emotionally, physically and sexually. The abuse of human rights has been rampant, and in fact still is a part of Sudan's every day life.

In the northern regions of Darfur, intense attacks are being carried out against the Fur and other tribes, which are black and predominantly Muslim. Northern Muslims are killing Northern Muslim. There are attempts by the international community to barter a peace in this region as well. Only minimal progress has been made.

A new Peace Agreement has been signed between the Government in the north, and the Sudan People's Liberation Movement. It is still an unsteady peace, but for the first time in generations, the people are beginning to return to Sudan from refugee camps in surrounding countries.

Agricultural Development    [Back to Top]

For example: the ruined shell of a town and surrounding area called Kajo Keji, only a short distance from the Uganda border, has had about 7,000 inhabitants left in it for many years. Because of the new confidence in this new Peace Agreement, the area has been flooded with a sudden return of 37,000 refugees returning to their traditional land and ruined homes.

This has caused an unprecedented crisis in the feeding of thousands. This is repeated in many parts of southern Sudan.

It is this milieu in which Crossroads is building farms under the authority of Savannah Farmers Cooperative (SFC). Co-chairing the Board of Directors are Rev. Cal Bombay, and Mr. Steven Wondu. Dr. Samson Kwaje, official spokesman for the SPLM is also on the Board. Each farm has a Manager. All the Sudanese involved in these farms have both experience and/or education in agriculture.

For instance, Dr. Samson Kwaje has degrees as follows: B. Sc Agriculture, M. Sc. Plant Pathology/Plant Breeding, Ph. D West Virginia USA. Others have degrees in animal breeding. The Co-Chairman of the Board, Mr. Steven Wondu has degrees in Commerce, Philosophy, Economic Development and Trade, MA in Accountancy and is a Certified Public Accountant (Kenya).

These farms are being established with three major goals in mind:
1) To mass produce food for consumption by the very hungry population
2) To overcome and defeat the dependency syndrome, which has overtaken the population of southern Sudan through these, many years of manipulated famine cause by war and deliberate destruction by attacks on local farms and villages. (It should be noted that for many years the United Nations through Life Line Sudan has been delivering food by air into starving areas)
3) To develop farms which can be models for replication throughout Southern Sudan to eventually make Southern Sudan's food security dependable and long range.

Cal Bombay (former Vice President of Missions) has been asked by Crossroads to be their representative to Southern Sudan and to administer the funds being given to the Savannah Farmers Cooperative for the operation and development of the SFC farms. Some of these farms are coming close to self-sufficiency. Cal Bombay has given his assurance to Crossroads Missions that his interest and commitment will continue in Sudan for years to come.

The areas around Kajo Keji and Yei are very fertile, and are now free from war and the conflict, which has been their horror for years. They want to help themselves. They want to get back their dignity and prosperity. They have the people with the drive and ability to accomplish their dreams. It is simply a matter of putting the basic tools and equipment into their hands under good management.

Seventeen tractors with equipment are now in place. The need still exists for operational funds as well as vehicles to deliver the produce to those in need. Appropriate systems are being set in place to market the product to Non-Government Organizations (NGOs), which will buy it from the SFC and give it to the hungry. The savings to the international community will be vast, the food will be fresh and of a kind which is staple to the diet of the southern Sudanese. These sales, within Sudan to the NGOs will assure the on-going operation of the farms as they develop enough acreage to become self-sufficient.

Health and Welfare    [Back to Top]

A hospital is nearing completion in Liwolo, forty kilometers from Kajo-Keji. On Aug. 26, 2004, word was received stating that the final two wards, the children's ward and the maternity ward are now being finished. This will be in addition to the men and women's ward now in place.

The Centre Block with Operating rooms, out-patient services and administrative offices is also now in process of being built. All these facilities are being built under the guidance of Manase Lomole, a man who has given up easy wealth outside Sudan to sacrificially dedicate himself to his people in the Liwolo area.

The Sudanese authorities in Southern Sudan will install the medical personnel, and through other international aid organizations, provide the medical supplies needed to run the hospital.

Crossroads Missions has shipped many containers of beds, medical equipment and medical supplies already for use in this new, and possibly most modern hospital in Southern Sudan.

Education    [Back to Top]

Sudan was a British Colony, partitioned with Egypt until independence in 1956. The official languages were Arabic in the North and English in the south, both intermixing. We have shipped containers of educational books, and are in the process of restoring, or reconstructing schools, which were demolished by the Islamists from the north. In some cases we are building from the ground up. The five schools that we've funded to be built are nearing completion and some are ready for use by the students eager to learn.

Two full generations of youngsters have missed education altogether because of the civil war, the violent attacks by air and on the ground, and the need for millions of people to run for their lives. About 4,000,000 people are still internally displaced because of northern aggression in many forms. 2,200,000 have died either through oft-manipulated starvation, or from direct and violent attacks.

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Sudan Video Clips - Documentary    [Back to Top]

Spoils of War This is a moving documentary of modern day chattel slavery and the abuse of human rights in Sudan.

Length 56k Cable/DSL 1:10 Play Introduction Play Introduction 10:05 Play Part 1 Play Part 1 34:05 Play Part 2 Play Part 2