Report on Ethiopia: Part Two

The following report is based on personal observation, interviews with Bishop Grant LeMarquand, and quite a shameless amount of "plagiarism" from various reports written by a new and dear friend from Egypt, Rosie Fyfe, who works with Bishop Mouneer in the Diocese of Egypt, North Africa, and the Horn of Africa.  

I will be posting these in bite sized chunks...so if you come in on some part of the tail end, please scroll down to the beginning...

Unfortunately, there will be no images, but, if you go to my Face Book site (https://www.facebook.com/johann.vanderbijl?ref=tn_tnmn) you will find picture galore.  

As always, please pray for the Horn.

3.  Churches in the Gambella Region

ST BARNABAS’, GAMBELLA

An Anuak congregation served by the Rev Girma Obong and Dcn Darash Thatha

Daughter Churches are Illea, Kir, Pohal, Imar, Abol, and Bonga.  The Anuak are the indigenous people of the Gambella region, and make up approximately 20% of the population of Gambella.

ST LUKE’S, GAMBELLA

St. Luke’s  was the first Nuer Anglican congregation in the Gambella region. The church, located in Gambella the capital of the Gambella region, has a long standing relationship with St. Matthew’s Anglican Church in Addis Ababa. The priest-in-charge is the Rev. Stephen Kuany.  The Nuer people live in the border regions between Sudan and Ethiopia. Many of the Nuer people who are now in Gambella were originally from Sudan.

DIMMA MISSION CENTRE

Dimma is a gold mining area in the southern-most part of the Gambella region. The first Anglican church in Dimma was planted in a refugee camp, which is no longer there. Most of the people who were in that refugee camp were Dinka, and have now been repatriated to Sudan. When they left Dimma, they gave their church to the local Anuak people.

The priest-in-charge is the Rev Wilson Okwello. As well as the daughter churches in the surrounding villages listed below, the congregation has also an outreach program to the Tsamako people, an unreached people group.  Daughter churches in surrounding villages are Gedu, Markes, and Remu.

PINYIDU REFUGEE CAMP

Considered a permanent camp, Pinyadu is one of the oldest refugee camps in the Gambella Region. It is located in the south of the Gambella region. Most of the churches are Nuer, although there is one Dinka congregation and two Anuak congregations in formation.  There are approximately 40,000 people in this refugee camp which is divided into two, Old Camp, and New Camp.

Old Camp

Six Nuer congregations, two Anuak, and one Dinka all served by the Rev Paul Puok.

 New Camp

A new section started in 2012 to accommodate the 16,000 new arrivals, mostly from the Blue Nile region of South Sudan.  Two Nuer Mission centres served by the Rev Michael Lual

LARE

The congregation at St. Paul’s are mostly Nuer people, with some Anuak members. The priest-in-charge is the Rev. Simon Ker. He is responsible for the mission centre, as well as the following daughter churches:  Duk, Kuachthiang, Koatngoal, Waken, Kuerroh, Luakdong, and Kowkow.

TIERGOL

Tiergol is located on the border with South Sudan, and consequently can be unstable. Currently, the only way to reach Tiergol is by boat, although there is a road under construction. Most are the congregation are Nuer people.  The priest-in-charge is the Rev. Michael Anyar Garang, serves 3 Dinka and Nuer congregations.  Daughter churches are Lol-kwac and Babbe.

MATAR

St. Peter’s is a Nuer congregation. The priest-in charge is the Rev. John Gach. The congregation are very active, and have four daughter churches, Rotlong, Burebiey, Tonyler, and Gade, all connected to the mission centre.

PILWAL

Pilwal Mission Centre is a Nuer congregation and one of the more recently established mission centres, but it has six daughter churches connected to it. Peter Gak is the Deacon-in-charge.  The daughter churches are Wath-gal, Malow, Thorow, Yom, Thiaajak, and Pal-deang.

NININYANG

All Saints’ Mission centre is a Nuer congregation. The priest-in-charge is the Rev . Peter Kuel. In 2012, the whole town of Nininyang was flooded and the congregation have almost finished rebuilding their church on higher ground.  Daughter churches are Wiy, Bil-dak, Puldeng, Adura, Gear, and Jikow.

ITANG

Itang used to be the home of the largest refugee camp in the world, made up mostly of Dinkas who have since returned to South Sudan. Itang now has both Nuer and Anuak people groups.  There are four Nuer congregations in Itang with one Anuak congregation in formation.  There are an additional four Nuer and three Anuak congregations in the surrounding areas and one more in Illea.  These churches are served by the Rev Isaac Pur Wal and layman Peter Tot Chuol (Nuer), and the Rev Gimar Obang and Dcn Luke Gala.

OPO

Jesus Prince of Peace is the Mission Centre for five Opo congregations served by the Rev David Onuk who is also the Opo Missioner.  The Opo have only been Christians for 6 years, having been evangelized by Dcn Gordon Rock.  Their entire ethnic group numbers approximately 5,000 people. They do not have a Bible in their own language.

 Until they became Anglican Christians they had no written language. They now have Morning Prayer and Holy Communion in their language, and they desire the Bible in their own language.  Daughter churches are Bonga, Lungkey, Mera, Lulbare, and Pamdin.