Flying Together 8-South Sudan

SOUTH SUDAN - THE LAND OF RUSTLING OF WINGS AND PEOPLE TALL AND SMOOTH
M.M.NINAN
Allisson was the Bishop of all Sudan and South Africa.
Born in 1917 near Mundri, Elinana Ngalamu, a Moru, was the first native archbishop of the Sudan. He
studied at Bishop Gwynne College, was made deacon in 1953 and priest in 1955. He was
imprisoned in 1962 because of his preaching. He served as assistant bishop to Oliver Allison and was
made the first archbishop of the Episcopal Church of the Sudan in I976. I met him with Bishop Allisson
in Khartoum. As such I went to see him in the All Saints Cathedral in the early weeks of my arrival in
Juba. There was a Bible Study Group which met under a tree just outside this Church. They also had
a successful radio ministry at that time. During this period, I got connected with several vibrant
priests of the church who took me around with them into the various High Schools in the country.
Seem was one of them who became the Bishop of Yei and did lead the people in the midst of their
most difficult period of history. They got permission to speak to the students during one period within
the schedule. We visited almost all schools in the area. This was essentially to assure the students
that Science and Religion are not opposing philosophical systems. My status as Physics Professor
was insurance enough for the students. I suppose it paid off with a revival. These priests of the
Anglican denomination remained as friends in all my later endeavors. They were invariably present
in all the functions in the University and even in the main functions of the Sudan Pentecostal
Churches.
Elinana became a controversial figure late in his life when he refused to get down from the position of
Arch Bishop which was a post to be rotated every ten years. He developed a schism in the ECS, a
division that lasted until his death in 1992.
Séme Luwáté Solomona
Bishop Seme Solomona of the Episcopal Church of Sudan
: Bishop Seme Luwate Solomona (Sololomon) was born in 1939 in the village of Longaju, Longamere,
in Yeyi County. He received theological training beginning in the Sudan in 1960, and later in Nigeria.
He was ordained a Deacon in 1964, and in 1985, was consecrated as Bishop of Yei I remember sitting
beside Seme, two days before his consecration in a function in the University. I casually mentioned
that perhaps we may not be able to sit in relaxation and talk after the consecration. His reaction was
swift. He said that if that happens he will take his vestments out and be with all his friends and with
his people. I did attend his consecration two days later and enjoyed his support and prayers
throughout my mission in Juba. He was there with me when the Sudan Pentecostal Church
consecrated their new pastors before my leaving Sudan in 1988. He was with me when we first sat
together at the first meeting of the Sudan Council of Churches.
The Bishop Seme built a Health Centre, and an Orphanage Centre in Yei. He was a founding
member of the following: The New Sudan Council of Churches (NSCC), the Bishop Alison Theological
College in Arua (now the Pastor’s Training Institute for ECS clergy in New Sudan, Nyaŋiliya Secondary
School (in Ko’buko District), and West Nile Vocational Training Institute in Arua etc.
He continued to serve his people in their struggle for survival and provided hope “If there is divine
judgement there is also the redemption of an ‘open-hearted' God. Christians encourage themselves
with the phrase ‘God has not forgotten us’, ‘God has not abandoned or discarded us!'
"We are suffering, but God has not abandoned us. Be strong, do not despair. Give thanks to God, for
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