South Sudan
June 16th

“May South Sudan proclaim the beauty of His goodness!”

But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.(1 Peter 2:9,NIV)

》 Country Profile

Continent | Africa
Population | 11.54 million
Area |  644,329㎢, Located on northeastern Africa, below Sudan.
Capital City | Juba (450,000 people)
People Groups | Total 80 groups, Dinka 33.9%, Nuer 12.7%, Zande 8%, Bari 6.2%, Shilluk 4.6%, Sudanese Arab 3%
People Groups Unreached | 6 groups (5.2% of the population)
Official Language(s) | English (official language), Arabic
Total Languages | 71
Bible Translations | Completed 11, New Testament 19, Partial 10
Religion | Christianity 56.7% (Protestant 14%, Catholic 30%), Ethnic religion 34.7%, Islam 8.5%, Evangelical 11% (1.26 million people)

》 About South Sudan

The Dinka, Nuer, and other Nilotic-speaking peoples of South Sudan arrived before the 10th century, while the Zande, a Sudanese ethnic group, migrated in the 16th century. In the 1870s, Egypt colonized the region, and after Britain occupied Egypt, a British-Egyptian joint rule was established over all of Sudan in 1899. After gaining independence from Britain in 1956, Sudan was torn by two civil wars (1955–1972, 1983–2005) due to religious, ethnic, and cultural conflicts between the Muslim Arab-dominated north and the predominantly African south, which adhered to indigenous religions and Christianity. Following these conflicts, a peace agreement was signed in 2005, and through a national referendum in 2011, South Sudan became an independent sovereign state.The two civil wars, which spanned 39 years, resulted in the deaths of more than 2.5 million people in South Sudan alone due to famine and drought, and up to 5 million people were displaced. South Sudan adopted a presidential republic system, with Salva Kiir Mayardit becoming its first president. However, since independence, the country has been embroiled in armed conflict. In 2013, President Kiir accused then-Vice President Riek Machar of plotting a coup, sparking violent clashes between Kiir’s supporters (mainly from the Dinka ethnic group) and Machar’s followers (mainly from the Nuer ethnic group). The conflict resulted in approximately 400,000 deaths and the displacement of millions. A peace agreement was signed in 2018, bringing an end to most of the fighting. The government and the majority of armed opposition groups agreed to form a unified national army, establish a transitional government in 2019, and prepare for elections in 2022, which were later postponed to late 2023.

South Sudan’s economy remains severely underdeveloped, with weak industrial and infrastructural foundations, and widespread poverty following decades of civil war with Sudan. The majority of the population relies on subsistence farming and humanitarian aid. However, South Sudan is rich in natural resources and possesses some of Africa’s most fertile agricultural lands, with abundant water supplies. It is one of the world’s most oil-dependent countries, with oil accounting for 80% of its GDP. Despite this, widespread famine persists, and 66% of the population lives on less than $2 per day. Increased military spending and government corruption have led to significant national debt, while police officers, soldiers, and civil servants often go unpaid, fueling looting and theft. Inflation peaked at over 800% in 2016 but dropped to 118% in 2017. Key long-term challenges for the country include eradicating public sector corruption, increasing agricultural productivity, reducing poverty and unemployment, improving fiscal transparency (especially regarding oil revenues), controlling inflation, boosting government revenue, and establishing a legal framework for business operations.
South Sudan’s GDP per capita is approximately $1,600.

》 Scripture Focus

》 Prayer Points

1. Since South Sudan gained independence from Sudan in 2011, Christianity has become the dominant religion, with 57% of the population identifying as Christian. However, there is still a strong influence of syncretism, where traditional religions and Islam are mixed, and many are Christians in name only. More than half of the Christians are Catholic, while others belong to the Anglican, Presbyterian, and African Inland Churches. Many people converted to Christianity out of resentment against the forced Islamization imposed by North Sudan in the past. Let us pray that the freedom of religion that was obtained at a blood price will not be in vain, so that they will be raised up as holy priests who are pleasing to God through Bible schools and seminaries. Due to financial difficulties, most church leaders are only able to serve part-time instead of full-time.
Let us pray that these ministers will be firmly established on the gospel of the cross and be given faith to devote their lives entirely to gaining the precious Jesus Christ. May they proclaim the beautiful virtues of Christ, ministering with the Word and prayer to restore those whose bodies and souls have been broken by war.

2. South Sudan has great potential to be a significant economic and missionary force in Africa. It can serve as a channel for the gospel to neighboring Arabic-speaking countries. Let us pray that the light of the gospel will shine upon this land devastated by political chaos and civil war, breaking all the schemes of Satan that cause division and destruction.
Let us pray that the church in South Sudan will be united in Christ and firmly established in the truth of the gospel, boldly testifying to surrounding nations and Muslims that they will receive life if they believe. May they forgive the persecution and violence they have suffered from Muslims, pouring out the life of Jesus, who loves even His enemies, so that a great revival will come, bringing salvation to many Muslims.

3. The 350,000 Sudanese Arabs are mostly Muslim, and the Nuer are the largest group with 1.43 million and are deeply immersed in indigenous religions. Let us pray that God will raise up faithful evangelists who will call them out of darkness, leading them to Jesus, the precious living stone, so that they may be built together into God’s house. Before South Sudan could fully establish itself as a nation, another civil war broke out in 2013 due to political conflict, resulting in 400,000 deaths and displacing more than 30% of the population. Missionary organizations and churches provided shelter and met urgent needs for the displaced.
Let us pray that God will send more missionary organizations and workers to serve them. May the refugees who have lost their homes encounter Jesus, the treasure of life and their true shepherd, so that their tears may be wiped away and they may receive eternal life and rest.

》 Urgent prayer requests around the world need your prayer!