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Sudan
For nearly 50 years, the Sudanese government has conducted a brutal campaign to Islamize the nation, destroying churches and imprisoning Christians while seeking to implement strict adherence to Islamic law. Until recently, the Islamization campaign also included the bombing of villages, crops, hospitals and churches. The Sudanese government seeks to exterminate both Christians and ethnically African people in the contested Nuba Mountain, Blue Nile and Darfur regions on its border with South Sudan. The Islamist dictator and convicted war criminal Omar al-Bashir, who led Sudan’s assault on Christians, was removed from power in 2019 by a military council controlled by the country’s Islamist establishment, and the nation remains unstable as multiple Islamist factions fight for control. In April 2023, growing tensions between two of al-Bashir’s former generals, ardent Islamists who participated in the 2019 coup, led to fighting in the streets of Khartoum. Since then, the Islamists have targeted and killed Christians and attacked churches.
Major Religion
90 percent of the Sudanese people are Sunni Muslims. 5 percent are Christians.
Persecutor
The Sudanese government has intimidated, arrested, imprisoned and tortured Christians.
WHAT IT MEANS TO FOLLOW CHRIST IN SUDAN
In times of peace, Sudanese Christians have been able to attend church openly, but Christian leaders are detained and sometimes imprisoned if their activities are viewed as threatening Islam. Most Christians who have not fled the current violence must meet underground in small groups.
Access to Bibles
As a result of the regime’s long-standing campaign to Islamize the country, Bibles and Christian literature have become scarce. However, there are concerted efforts to inundate the country with Bibles during this time of political upheaval. Give Bibles
VOM Work
VOM supports Bible-importation efforts and evangelism in the north while providing crisis response (such as clean water and medical aid) to Christians in conflict areas, especially the Nuba Mountain region of South Kordofan state. VOM also supports Bible distribution efforts as well as providing basic necessities to children of displaced Christian families who have fled to neighboring countries. Give to VOM’s Global Ministry
Pray for Sudan
- Pray that churches in the Nuba Mountain area will stand firm despite attacks.
- Pray for those who have lost loved ones as Islamist armies have fought each other to gain control of the country.
- Pray for Sudanese pastors and families who have fled the civil war and live in refugee camps in neighboring countries.
- Ask the Lord to comfort and strengthen Christians who have remained in the country despite a brutal civil war.
- Using Psalm 146:7 as a guide, ask God to bring his justice to the oppressed and food to those in refugee camps.
