NATIONS
We live in an increasingly global society, and this is wonderful news because the kingdom of God is global in scale. Jesus Christ commissioned his Church saying, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age” (Matt 28:17-20, NIV). Later, in the biblical book of Acts we read, “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8, NIV). The Mission Abbey believes in foreign missions.
THE MISSION SUDAN
The persecution of Christians in Sudan is systematic and more reminiscent of a policy of ethnic cleansing. Sudan is one of the few African countries that has consistently been on the World Watch List since its first use in 1993 for internal research purposes. The country’s rank on the list has been oscillating mostly between the top 10 and the top 20 countries. Sudan has been designated a “Country of Particular Concern” by the US State Department since 1999. Furthermore, for the past few decades, there has been no rule of law in Sudan — press and media laws have been restrictive, and freedom of expression and religion has been highly curtailed. The ethnic-cultural landscape is very diverse and complicated: Arab versus black, Muslim versus Christian. The secession of South Sudan did not solve these problems; and the country’s deep Islamic roots make persecution of black Sudanese swift and fierce, as the majority of this group are Christian. To make things worse, the government of Sudan is strictly implementing the policy of one religion, one culture, and one language.
Since the war broke out in the South Kordofan State between the Islamic Government of Sudan (GOS) and Sudan people Liberation Movement / Army (SPLM/A) in June 2011, the Islamic Government has gradually increased the persecution and pressure on the Christians in Sudan.
South Kordofan State is an area of 158,355 square kilometers, bordering Republic of South Sudan from the south, and Darfur from the west. Kadugli is the capital city of the state of South Kordofan. The state is multi-ethnic, multi-cultural, multi-religious, and has multiple languages (over 50 languages are spoken in the state).
Episcopal church of the Sudan Diocese of Kadugli covers the whole geographical area of South Kordofan State. On June 6, 2011, the Government of Sudan destroyed the bishop’s house, guest house, and burned all diocesan headquarter buildings. The government also looted everything within the cathedral, including the windows and doors.
Part of South Kordofan is under control of the Sudan People Liberation Movement /Army (SPLM/A) in the Nuba Mountains. This area has 100 churches (congregations) with over 100 priests. These people are suffering. The Government of Sudan is indiscriminately bombing civilians, churches, schools, and markets and many people have fled to Republic of South Sudan. Now over 200,000 thousand live in two refugee camps: Yida and AJung Thuk — others have fled to Uganda and Kenya.
The Mission Sudan is aiding this crisis by operating the Hope Primary School in the Nuba Mountains. This school has 250 pupils, 9 teachers, and 4 non-teaching staff. Because of the bombardments, fox holes have been dug out around the school so the people may have better protection from the violence.
The Mission Sudan is also helping by operating the Korkel Theological Institute (KTI). The Episcopal church of the Sudan Diocese of Kadugli does not have enough resources to send pastoral students into neighboring countries to study theology. The situation in Nuba Mountains is getting worse every year since war started in 2011 — but the good news is that the church is growing rapidly. Thousands of people are joining the church each year — but over thirty tribes within Nuba Mountains have still not been reached with the Gospel. KTI is training pastors to reach those tribes.
Though we always encourage everyone to give their full tithe to their local worshipping community (i.e. chapel or church), if you feel led to give an additional offering (over and above your tithe) to The Mission Sudan, you may send a check to:
Mission Chattanooga, 149 E. ML King Blvd, Chattanooga, TN 30725 (designate the check "The Mission Sudan, The Mission Maio").
You may also give via The Realm
After setting up an online giving account, please select "The Mission Sudan, or, The Mission Maio."
You may give a one-time gift, or even set up reoccurring monthly giving.
THE MISSION MIAO
THE GHAO-XONG (pronounced “Gow-Shong”), are commonly called the Xiangxi Miao, and live mainly in western Hunan Province where they farm in the high mountains. The Miao are divided into two mutually unintelligible languages: the Eastern, and the Western Ghao-Xong. Being Animists, they live in fear of evil spirits that must be appeased in the proper way and at the proper time. Festivals are often accompanied by vigorous drum dances, shamans climbing ladders of swords, men playing trumpets, and women dressed in elaborate outfits of silver and embroidery. There are over 1 million Xiangxi Miao people and very few of them have ever heard the Gospel. These people are considered an Unreached People Group (UPG). (http://legacy.joshuaproject.net/people-profile.php, http://miaoupg.yolasite.com/languages-and-maps.php)
In the year 2000, a young man from southern China (who’s name we must not divulge, for the sake of his personal safety) heard about Jesus through the Jesus Film. This film has made an enormous impact in China. In 2009, this young man moved to Hunan. In 2010, he was baptized. He then began ministering to the Xiangxi Miao people through the use of storytelling (http://miaostories.org/index_en.php). Because the Xiangxi Miao live by an oral tradition, storytelling is a very effective format for presenting the Gospel.
After 5 years of training, discipleship, research, and missionary work to the Xiangxi Miao, this young man discerned a call to begin the hard work of translating the Jesus Film into the Western Ghao-Xong language. This is a massive project, as the Miao language is orally based. In addition to translating the words of the Jesus Film, the project will need to involve 15-20 Western Miao “voice actors.” The completion of the Western Ghao-Xong Jesus Film is expected by the end of 2017. After creating and distributing the Western Ghao-Xong Jesus Film, our young missionary will begin to plant Xiangxi Miao house churches.
Abbot Chris became friends with this young missionary in September of 2016. This young man spent an entire month with Abbot Chris at a very special Leadership Institute. All 12 participants in this institute had already been highly vetted and identified as “future leaders” of the world Church. This Institute spent $10,000 per participant during the month-long training. This was viewed as an investment in the Gospel.
In October of 2016, the Mission Chattanooga officially agreed to partner with this young missionary in his ministry to the Xiangxi Miao — and The Mission Miao was born. Each month, the Mission Chattanooga Abbey Development Fund contributes financially to support this project. In addition, we collect funding for The Mission Miao and then deposit it into a special account that our missionary in Hunan can access.
Though we always encourage everyone to give their full tithe to their local worshipping community (i.e. chapel or church), if you feel led to give an additional offering (over and above your tithe) to The Mission Sudan, you may send a check to:
Mission Chattanooga, 149 E. ML King Blvd, Chattanooga, TN 30725 (designate the check "The Mission Miao").
You may also give via The Realm. After setting up an online giving account, please select "The Mission Sudan, or, The Mission Maio." You may give a one-time gift, or even set up reoccurring monthly giving.