South Sudan | Rooted in Jesus

Rooted in Jesus was first introduced to the Diocese of Kajo-Keji in October 2016 at the invitation of Bishop Anthony Poggo – just before a renewal of the civil war which has taken such a deep toll on the people of South Sudan. The cathedral was burned down, violence led to famine, and by January 2017 95% of the people had been forced into exile in neighbouring Uganda. When we asked how we could best support them, Bishop Poggo’s successor Emmanuel Murye replied: ‘The believers need Rooted in Jesus at this time of distress and spiritual need. Rooted in Jesus is the only tool and way forward to nourish the Christians and make the newly born Christian grow.’

Eight years have now passed, and we were delighted to be invited back to Kajo-Keji by the current Bishop, James Lule. Continuity of vision and leadership has been maintained between successive bishops despite all the suffering and disruption – James originally oversaw the translation of Rooted in Jesus into the local language of Bari.

The Rooted in Jesus Conference, 29 Oct to 1 Nov 2024

The conference took place in the cathedral of Kajo-Keji, where 163 people were trained and commissioned to lead Rooted in Jesus groups. The team was led by Revd Mike Cotterell, with former CMS missionaries John and Cathie Rutter, the RinJ coordinator in the Diocese of Northern Uganda Revd Geoffrey Opiyo, and Andrew (AJ) Nankivell, who has worked with RinJ in South Sudan before. Revd Isaac Kenyi was appointed as Diocesan Coordinator.

Bishop James and Mama Mary with the team and the Bishop’s Chaplain

Mike Cotterell reports:

‘Even the wind and the waves obey Him’, the astonished disciples remarked! As I look back at the Conference, we saw various answers to prayer and many things just working out well – it was not a coincidence! Unseasonal rains were a potential threat, and coming as they had would have caused havoc, beating on tin roofs and upsetting outside kitchens and eating arrangements – but it only rained at night. Travel and visa arrangements can go wrong or become difficult – but they happened. The Bishop’s invitation to people from far rural places to come together could have been wrecked by any number of things – unrest, criminal activity, fear, floods – but the Conference was protected and blessed.

People came from all over the Diocese and from the refugee settlements in Moyo, Uganda. We saw the Lord at work in all this. The participants were enthusiastic, quick to learn and engaged; practice small groups went well; worship in song, dance and quiet reflection was joyful and deep. Faith was refreshed for some, new focus given to others and lots of learning, fellowship and fun were had. Everyone, clergy included, were subsistence farmers – eating what they grow. It was a rare treat for them to get together for a week with good food provided. The land, its people and infrastructure have mostly not returned to normal after the 2016 widespread unrest. Many local people remain in Uganda; returning would mean breaking their ground again and rebuilding their home from ruins.

The conference was held in the Cathedral

Reflecting, memories flood back: waving to people along the dirt roads, seeing their faces light up and wave back – it wasn’t necessary, but it said, ‘Hello, I see you, you are important’. Offering condolences to a mother waiting for her student son’s body to arrive from Juba, and have a member of the team preach the next day at the funeral. Seeing 40 become Christians at a Confirmation Service for Refugees, where 150 were confirmed. Preaching, praying, meeting people while on a kind of walkabout along a village street where bandits had traumatised the community recently. Seeing a woman who had come to the bishop’s home for help delivered of powerful evil spirits that at first refused to leave, confusing her mind and blocking her responses. She eventually asked Jesus for help and turning to him found freedom. The next morning she was a different person. Please pray for her, that she will get the pastoral care that has been planned and stand firm against the spiritual attacks. Her name is Elizabeth.

Participants get to grips with the material

Now, we have left, they all have returned home and so the real work of Rooted in Jesus in small groups really begins. It will be a quiet for a bit, little will have seemed to have changed, but in the coming months as people use this tool to help them and their groups explore and apply Scripture, and things will begin to change in Churches and communities, transformed by Word and Spirit going deep into people’s lives.

Kajo-Keji needs many programmes and resources but Christian discipleship – the application of scripture and live faith – is foundational to everything: ‘No one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ’.

Team member AJ writes:

The conference was a joy. It was a privilege spending time with worshipping Christians who openly rely on God. We were hosted with care, generosity and great honesty. Around the conference we were invited to engage in the church’s wider work: praying in markets, joining an ecumenical prayer meeting and speaking at a funeral. This was a privilege and helped the team understand a little more of the pressures facing the diocese and surrounding neighbourhoods. Prayers were answered with rain being restricted to night time – until after the conference. Many participants travelled considerable distances from northern Uganda where they live in refugee camps having settled there as a result of violence in 2016.

Small groups led by participants meet to practise under the trees

Team member Revd Opiyo Geoffrey writes:

I am tremendously thankful for the trust and recognition bestowed on me to be part of the Rooted in Jesus team to handle training in the Diocese of Kajo Keji, South Sudan. The eagerness of all the trainees to get Rooted in Jesus to go and form groups right away was so encouraging. May the Lord bless Bishop James Kenyi and Mama Mary Kenyi so that they may remain blessings to many for their humility and servant leadership. They sat together with the participants and insisted on being distributed in different RinJ groups as trainees. Bishop James also ensured that the RinJ team got interwoven with the Leadership and community of Kajo Keji Sub-County; he took us to pay a courtesy visit to the Commissioner of Kajo Keji, took us to mourn, to share the word of God and also to pray with the business community of Leikor where some members were attacked by unknown thugs some weeks before our arrival; he distributed the team in different churches to preach; I preached at Emmanuel Cathedral, Romogi and later to the mourners during the burial of one of the community member. All these gave us fertile ground to talk about the Rooted in Jesus discipleship programme, and to invite people to be part of it. We look forward to sharing testimonies and challenges, encouraging and praying together for effective implementation of RinJ in our two Dioceses.

A conference workshop; meeting with the suffering community

Finally…

Bishop James Lule reports: ‘The training came at the right time and I witnessed the Spirit of God working in the lives of the participants. The conference went very well and the entire clergy of the Diocese of Kajo-Keji promised to support the programme.’

He also tells us that during the feedback session at the end of the conference, the following statistics were collected. How many:

Enjoyed the conference?                                                         ALL!
Aim to start a small group                                                       At least 70
Heard God speak in a new way                                             10
Made a renewed commitment                                               35
Received physical healing                                                      40
Received spiritual healing                                                       15
Were already planning who to invite to their group        50
Were feeling nervous about leading a group                    7

Bishop James has also shared the following testimonies:

“I was hurting from previous issues. But when I arrived, and heard the teaching, my heart received peace. It was like the Holy Spirit pouring over me like water”.
“When I saw the drama about the farmer and the seed, I realised I was like the seed smothered by the weed. I had allowed a complaining spirit in me to stop my growth. I have now repented and feel renewed.”
“The picture of a goat tethered to a stake, without freedom, really spoke to me. This training was a blessing, which helped me personally. I am going back a changed person who can change the lives of others.”

163 participants were given certificates and commissioned to lead groups

We are hugely grateful to all those in the diocese who worked so hard to ensure that the conference was a success, to those who supported it so effectively in daily prayer from home, to the Diocese of Northern Uganda who printed the books for us, and to The Relay Trust who provided the diocese with a grant through the ECSS Provincial Office to enable the conference to take place. And above all, to God who calls, equips, sends and blesses his people – even in the toughest of circumstances.