Africa Inland Church, Sudan

Leadership

Rev. Arkanjelo Lemi was born and raised in Kapoeta in Eastern Equatoria where his father worked as a gold miner. After the death of Arkanjelo’s mother in 1978, believers from AIC churches ministered to him and led him to Christ. As a believer, he became heavily involved in youth ministry and during his Bible school years, he and groups of students would share the Gospel in displaced people’s camps, especially during Christmas. They would often say, “Let’s take Jesus to them. That’s the only gift we can give.”

Over the years Rev. Arkanjelo has served in engineering, development, and pastoral roles and also worked with church leaders throughout Sudan. He was licensed as a pastor in 1997 and ordained in 2005. Associated with AIC for many years, Rev. Arkanjelo was elected as the new Bishop of Africa Inland Church in 2010. He is married to Julia and has five children.

Ministry Vision & Strategy

Decades of war and violent conflict have left a poverty-stricken populace, yet also a thriving Church. Founded in 1949, Africa Inland Church-Sudan (AIC) works to strengthen the Sudanese Church through training pastors and church planters, planting churches among unreached peoples, and implementing a wide range of community development programs. 

For Terrorized Families in Darfur, Basic Supplies Make All the Difference

“Thank you for the cooking utensils, blankets, mosquito nets, and water containers. God is working in the hearts of our brothers in other countries to come to our rescue. We are asking the Church not to forget us in their prayers.”

—Relief Recipient, Darfur

Context

Sudan is the largest country in Africa, located south of Egypt on the eastern edge of the Sahara Desert. After decades of war, in January 2005 a peace agreement was signed between the Islamic government in North Sudan and the Sudan People’s Liberation Army (SPLA) in South Sudan. By that time, however, the conflict had left two million Sudanese dead and displaced millions more. The reasons for the war are complex and include economic, ethnic, and religious factors. With the signing of the peace agreement, many refugees who have spent most of their lives in neighboring countries or in other regions of Sudan are returning to their home areas.

Sadly, the conflict in Darfur continues and is one of the worst humanitarian crises in the world. An estimated three million people have been displaced from their homes and hundreds of thousands killed. Despite widespread media attention, Darfurians continue to suffer violence and desperation due to lack of safety, shelter, and food.

Despite the overwhelming difficulty in the country, many Christian Sudanese continue to serve the Lord, believing that this is a strategic opportunity and challenge for the Church. They see themselves much like the Early Church in the book of Acts—scattered and persecuted, yet having great purpose and committed to seeing the re-establishment of a strong Sudanese Church. The peace agreement signed in 2005 will end in 2011. It granted semi-autonomous status to South Sudan, with an option to become an independent state or remain united with the North through a referendum in 2011. The outcome of this will have tremendous impact on the people and future of Sudan.

Investment Opportunities

>INCENTIVES FOR CHURCH PLANTERS: $42,000

Sending Church Planters, AIC

Help Now

Persecution and war have long oppressed the Sudanese Church, but the Christian message is still being proclaimed by AIC ministry workers, pastors, and church members. People are being saved, and the Church is growing. Enjoying relative peace, many hope this will be a significant and blessed time in the history of Sudan and for church revival. Because so many Christians migrated from the South into other parts of Sudan, Christianity has a foothold throughout the country.

Partners International would like to help AIC send church planters to Darfur and to unreached people groups in the South including the Didinga, Toposa, Murle, and Lango. Gifts to this project will provide a small stipend or incentive for 50 church planters (about $70 per month) to help with their travel and expenses. Project Funding Need: $42,000.

>CHURCH PLANTER TRAINING: $35,200

Church Planter Training, AIC

Help Now

AIC operates the Thomas Bible School in Lohutok, South Sudan, where Partners International would like to help support the training of 50 church planters in a one-year program. Many of these church planters are already serving as church pastors and evangelists but have not had the opportunity for formal biblical training. Once trained, they will be able to disciple other young leaders. Some of the graduates will be sent to new areas to plant churches among unreached people. Project Funding Need: $35,200.

> CHILDREN’S EDUCATION: $162,500

Children's Education, AIC

Help Now

The majority of schools in southern Sudan were destroyed during the long civil war. As a result, literacy rates have plummeted. A whole generation of children in South Sudan has not had the opportunity to attend school. In some areas, the government requires that all children go through Koranic kindergarten before being accepted into primary schools, which intentionally indoctrinates the children in Islam.

To protect the Christian heritage many Sudanese parents are building into their children, AIC has opened 15 schools throughout Sudan with Christian teachers that teach a biblically-based curriculum. The school premises are often also used as centers for adult education and other Christian training programs. Our goal this year is to complete the school in Torit, which is already severely bursting at the seams with almost 1,200 primary-school students. This is the most popular school in this fast-growing town in Eastern Equatoria, South Sudan. Once the school in Torit is complete, we are looking into building schools in Juba and Kapoeta and possibly expanding two schools in Khartoum. Project Funding Need: $162,500.

>EMERGENCY RELIEF & DEVELOPMENT: $70,400

Emergency Relief and Development, AIC

Help Now

Economic mismanagement, armed conflict, millions of internally displaced people, and drought interspersed with flooding have devastated Sudan’s economy. Despite the great hopes for peace after the signed agreement between North and South, Darfur remains unstable and refugees continue to flee the area with nothing more than the clothes on their backs. Relative peace in other regions of Sudan is allowing many to return to their home areas to rebuild their lives. Yet years of war, destruction, and neglect cannot be undone overnight. Basic relief supplies such as food, clothing, shelter, blankets, and medicine are needed for families in Darfur and for returning refugees as they transition back to their farms and resettle. Agricultural tools such as hoes, shovels, gloves, and seeds will increase local agricultural production and help the people rebuild their communities and livelihoods. As they show Christ’s love to the historically Muslim peoples of Darfur, AIC’s goal is to plant churches and help people rebuild their lives. Our goal is to raise $35 for each of 2,000 households. Project Funding Need: $70,400.

> HEALTH CARE FOR DISPLACED PEOPLE: $14,100

Health Care-Displaced People, AIC

Help Now

For more than half a century, AIC has ministered to the physical needs of the Sudanese through its health project. Many hospitals and health care facilities in the South were destroyed or looted in the civil war, leaving only a few ill-equipped health facilities that are badly in need of repair. Communities are desperate for medical services, particularly for their children and the elderly who are more vulnerable to disease.

AIC operates four clinics in Sudan. Medical staff at the clinics frequently hear Muslim patients say they receive better care from the Christian clinic than they do at the government-run hospitals. Besides preventative and curative help, this project enables health workers to teach families about hygiene, sanitation, nutrition, and the prevention of infectious diseases. This year Partners would like to help renovate one clinic, supply medicines to three clinics, and train Christian medical staff to work in them. Project Funding Need: $14,100.

>WOMEN’S CONSULTATION & LEADERSHIP TRAINING: $7,000

Women's Consulatation and Leadership Training, AIC

Help Now

In 2011, Partners International Women is bringing together African women leaders for spiritual refreshment, encouragement, and training. The event will include 20 participants from all over Sudan, including Darfur. The women have suffered untold heartache through many years of civil war. This time of spiritual refreshment will be a highlight in their lives and ministries. Project Funding Need: $7,000.

TOTAL NEED: $331,200