About Juba

Juba is located in the southern region of Sudan and is one of the fastest growing cities in the world. It has a population of over 1 million people. Historically Juba was a busy trading port, being the southern terminus of the White Nile. Now it operates as the regional capital for the southern region. Soon after the discovery of oil in southern Sudan in 1983 the Muslim north annulled all southern autonomy. Shari’a law was incorporated into the penal code and control of southern armed forces was transferred to the north. A second civil war began, developing into one of the deadliest wars of the 20th century.

During the 22 years of conflict over 1.9 million civilians were killed and more than 4 million fled their homes. Juba, as a strategic location, was the focus of much of this fighting. Southern Sudan will hold a referendum for independence from the north in January 2011, although many hold grave concerns that regardless of the result fighting will be renewed between the Northern and the Southern regions. There are also fears that, in accordance with repeated attempts to “Islamicise” Sudan, Southern Sudan is being used as a strategic launching pad for Islam into Eastern Africa.

Rebuilding Juba for Christ

“War leaves no victors, only victims.”

Nearly 25 years ago, Holocaust survivor and Nobel Laureate Elie Wiesel used these words to describe the results of human conflict, which can be seen today in the city of Juba, Sudan. This city in southern Sudan is where African Enterprise is working to heal the wounds of war.

Erasing the war mentality
Compassionate support has enabled us to host over 75 pastors at a Trauma Healing and Reconciliation Workshop in early July, empowering them to offer their parishioners an escape from the lingering war mentality that still holds many in its grip.

This mentality can entrap schoolchildren, who are experiencing relative peace for the first time in their lives and are just now learning how to behave towards teachers and peers. A war mentality can also ensnare adults, who tend to see violence as the only answer when disagreements break out.

Using “stratified evangelism”
Visit Juba today, and you’d see construction everywhere. But you would also see thousands of mud huts where families still live in cramped and often unsanitary conditions.

Because war puts development on hold, this crude style of building – usually a sign of rural poverty – is still prevalent in a city of more than 160,000 people. The diverse backgrounds of the people who live here mean that African Enterprise engages in “stratified evangelism.”

Rather than focusing on a single city-wide crusade, we train local evangelists who spread out across the city, working intensively in small groups, which are a starting point for church growth.

African Enterprise is working to rebuild Juba for Christ, basing our work on Nehemiah 2:18, which says, “Let us start rebuilding.” God is using your gifts and prayers to rebuild the lives of people who lost everything during years of violent civil unrest.

Please continue to pray for the people of Juba where tens of thousands of people will hear about God’s love only if African Enterprise is there to continue reaching out. And thank you for your ongoing support of this vital kingdom work!

Juba for Jesus 2010

When Jesus talked about the advancement of His kingdom in Matthew 11:12, he said, “From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven has been forcefully advancing, and forceful men lay hold of it.”
Jesus’ words are at the heart of the African Enterprise Southern Sudan Pan African Mission that will be held in Juba in September this year. Because there are few places in Africa, much less on earth, where the spiritual battle is as intense – and where the Kingdom of our Lord’s love and grace is more needed.
Decades of civil war. Millions of lives lost. Widespread displacement of people groups. These words alone cannot describe Sudan’s recent history.
Yet in the midst of this, there’s another force – a Kingdom force – that is being organised to advance the gospel of Jesus Christ in Sudan.

A Kingdom Force … for Recovery

For the past 45 years, African Enterprise has engaged in our Pan African evangelistic efforts across the continent of Africa, and they are extremely effective. In fact, our 2009 mission in Monrovia saw over 3,700 men, women and children make first-time commitments to Jesus!
This year’s Pan Africa campaign is called A Kingdom Force… for Recovery. This massive effort will include up to 100 meetings a day in factories, businesses, schools, marketplaces, prisons and hospitals. As in the past, the key to the success of this year’s campaign will be the training, the follow-up to all those who respond, and the necessary resources.