Time is critical - window may close in a few short years.
There is a precious window of opportunity now in Sudan, a country where 65 percent of the population is Muslim and 23 percent are Christians.
A peace treaty between Muslim-controlled northern Sudan and the Christian southern region of Africa's largest nation was signed in January 2005. According to the terms of the treaty, southern Sudan will have autonomy for six years.
After that, a vote will decide whether or not the southern region can secede.
During the six-year period, the north will remain under Muslim control and sharia (Islamic) law, while southern Sudanese will have the freedom to choose not to be under Islamic law, through the power of their elected assembly.
Money from the sale of oil in Southern Sudan will also be split between the two regions equally.
Many observers are skeptical that peace will hold.
Those familiar with Sudan's wrenching decades-long civil war know that millions of Christians have been displaced, one-half million are estimated to have fled their country, and perhaps as many as two million women and children have been enslaved by Muslim soldiers.
The atrocities committed against Christians by north Sudan's Islamic jihad have been well publicized.
However, one thing is sure: Currently there is a great window of opportunity for spreading the gospel and strengthening believers in Sudan. Now is the time to act, because this window may close quickly.
In the next four years, considering the horrible toll already enacted upon Christians by Islamic followers in Northern Sudan, Sudan's Muslim majority will likely put forth great effort to ensure that any southern secession effort will not succeed.
The jihadists' strategy may have changed in order to appease the world's peace seekers, but the aspirations of Khartoum's jihad against the followers of Christ certainly haven't died.
Islamic leaders in the north know the world is watching, and are currently allowing a small, but powerful gust of freedom into this suffering land. Christians in the West must seize upon this priceless opportunity to witness God's love in Khartoum.
The Last Harvest is responding to this opportunity by partnering in Christian book fairs in the heart of Sudan's capitol city Khartoum. The fairs were held right next to the University of Khartoum.
The Last Harvest sent Egyptian pastors to teach the Sudanese how to answer Muslim questions about Christianity. Egyptian missionaries also spent three weeks at the book fair answering questions from Sudanese and winning many of them to Christ. During this time, at least 1,000 Sudanese visited the book fair daily.
At a book fair this summer, crowds of people hungry for Christian literature came for 15 days of training. Thousands of free books, and Christian literature, newspapers, and materials have been distributed at the book fairs.
"Each day there were two lectures -- one in the morning and one in the evening," said David Joseph, founder of The Last Harvest. "Two book fairs have already been held -- in October 2005 and June 2006 -- and more are needed to meet the demand."The people are so hungry for these materials. With this Christian literature, they will be strengthened and equipped to win to Christ many in Sudan," said Joseph. "My heart cries out that others will see this great window of opportunity and partner with us in this effort to minister to Sudan before this door closes."
Please consider sowing seeds in Sudan during this precious window of opportunity, see our donation form.
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These Sudanese young men receive Jesus. |
