In January 2024 we sent a Rooted in Jesus team to the Diocese of Gogrial, one of the largest Dioceses in the Northern Bhar el Ghazel Internal Province and located near the border with Sudan. Spread over a huge area, it has 12 Archdeaconries, 24 Deaneries, 72 parishes and 150 sub parishes. 117 group leaders were commissioned to lead groups in their communities.

A Rooted in Jesus group meeting, Diocese of Gogrial

One year later, we have received a highly encouraging report from Revd Albino Akeen Akoon, the Diocesan Coordinator, who says that “All the group leaders and the diocesan administration met together last month to share their experiences and evaluate the programme. The groups that were formed have been going from strength to strength, though facing many difficulties. The Rooted in Jesus programme has not only provided Gospel outreach, it is now contributing to peace building in our communities, as we are visiting some far places that were inaccessible before.”

He continues: “The following are some of the achievements of RinJ in the Episcopal Diocese of Gogrial:

Group members in the Archdeaconry of Gogrial receiving their certificates and Book 2

• “All the group leaders that were selected from archdeaconries and parishes are still leading their groups successfully.
• Both women and men are involved equally. This means the program has been embraced by everybody in our community.
• The programme has reached Christian and non-Christians directly and indirectly.
• New groups have been formed and the programme has been extended to local churches outside town.
• Books 1&2 have been completed and certificates have been awarded to some of the participants.
• RinJ has led to the conversion of many souls; the boy in the picture was a dangerous boy in the community but is now a Christian.

Sharing testimonies, and meeting for evaluation and planning

• The Episcopal Diocese of Gogrial has managed to open 7 churches this year through the help of the Rooted in Jesus training programme
• The Episcopal Diocese of Gogrial has revived some of the dead churches as a result of the Rooted in Jesus training programme
• Rooted in Jesus has improved the church activities in the churches in the sense that we have attached all the students undergoing this training program to many churches
• This training program has helped some of the participants who were not good at reading
• Now with the help of this training program, the Episcopal Diocese of Gogrial is going to create some archdeaconries because of some dead churches being revived and opened.
• Rooted in Jesus has boosted and promoted the work of mission and evangelism in the Diocese.
• The Diocese celebrated official opening of 4 churches in December. It was a very colourful celebration shared by the Diocesan bishop.
• The help of RinJ led to open air preaching in Pan-Chum village last year”

Enjoying open air preaching; and a RinJ group meeting

South Sudan is a very challenging place in which to live and work – and yet God is clearly blessing his people there as they strive to follow Jesus. They plan now to provide additional training; they need Books 3 and 4, they need Bibles, and above all they need the peace, security and climate stability which sometimes seems such a distant hope. We continue to pray for them.

Rooted in Jesus is published and supported by the Mathetes Trust. The training provided in 2024 was made possible by a grant from the Relay Trust.

Posted 12th February 2025.