Nashville, Tennessee … The world applauds the flag being raised over the city of Juba. It is July 9, 2011, and a new nation is entering the world stage. Located in the southern portion of the former North African nation of Sudan, the creation of the new country, known as South Sudan, brings to an end a long and bloody war. Will Ross, described the scene for the British Broadcasting Corporation.
“Tens of thousands of South Sudanese have watched the raising of the new country’s flag at an independence ceremony in the capital, Juba. Salva Kiir signed the constitution and took his oath of office in front of the jubilant crowds, becoming president of the world’s newest nation. Sudan’s President Omar al-Bashir and UN chief Ban Ki-moon were among dignitaries watching the events. Sudan earlier became the first state to officially recognize its new neighbor. The world’s newest nation was born at midnight local South Sudanese time (2100 GMT), the climax of a process made possible by the 2005 peace deal that ended a long civil war.”
Behind the scenes, and before the flag rose over the new capital, Director Don Humphrey, and the Mt. Juliet Church of Christ, were hard at work putting plans for a leadership training school, and medical facility in place. The church is a suburban congregation near Nashville, Tennessee, and it maintains a high focus on missions. Construction on the new facilities was under way well before the flag was raised this past July.
Members of the Malawi Project were called in to serve in an advisory status to what is aptly called the Sudan Project. With a number of years of experience in medical work in Malawi, Suzi Stephens, the Medical Director for the Malawi Project, has helped in the design of the new medical clinic, and then represented the new Project to supporters in Canada, in order to obtain a 40-foot trailer of medical equipment and supplies. This first trailer left British Columbia in mid-September and is expected to arrive in South Sudan shortly after the first of the year.
Pictured: Sandra and Don Humphrey look on as Suzi Stephens of the Malawi Project, goes over the list of needed supplies and equipment, for the new medical facility.