Seek
November 2015
voices from the
A Letter to Vasco
by Deborah Goldfeder, missioner to Lui, Deacon at Church of the Ascension, Northwoods Dear Vasco Tadu Daniel, I greet you in the Name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Your very name tells of your beginning. Vasco was given to you at your baptism but Tadu means “Last Born” and Daniel was your father’s name. You were the last child born to Daniel and you were so-named at birth because Daniel died before you were born. Last Born of Daniel, I owe you my confession. We had many conversations in the months I spent in Lui and during the time you visited us in Missouri—Missouri means “good” in Swahili you told me. We talked about your beloved children. One of your sons was born on 9/11 and so, you named him “In Pain” in solidarity with people eight time zones behind you. You cared about us before we even knew you. You knew what we felt on that horrible day because all of your life you have lived with war or the terrible feeling that war would come again because it always does! You endured my endless questions and I answered your
questions about your son who had congestive heart failure and who was beginning to receive digitalis to improve the strength of his heart beating. You stayed with him when he was hospitalized. I longed to provide him with western medicine and treatment that might even lead to a cure but it was beyond whatever I could do. We prayed and trusted that God would take care of him. How I wished for such a firm faith! I asked two questions of people in Lui: I asked, “What was your worst day?” and “What does peace mean to you?” I admit that I don’t remember your worst day story but I remember every detail of what you believed peace to be. I concontinued on page 4
Episcopal Diocese of Missouri
Sorrows of South Sudan Bishop Wayne Smith on the current situation for our companion diocese in Lui, South Sudan. The sorrows of South Su- 2011, regional differences in the dan continue to grow, despite South have overwhelmed any the end of civil war in 2005, national consciousness that despite the new nation claimmight have accompanied indeing its independence in 2011, pendence, to the point that any despite renewed promises of material development accomcease-fire in the succeeding plished in the war’s aftermath years. The Sudanese civil war has mostly come undone. It is a lasting twenty-two years was peace squandered. Open confought between forces of the flict between political factions North, mostly headed by PresArab in ethnicity “Everyone from whom ident Salva Kiir I hear begs for our and Muslim in and former Vice religion, and the President Riek prayers, and I make South, mostly Machar began that plea to you on ethnic Afin December behalf of these our rican and 2013, and it is partners. This common fair to say that a Chrislife in Christ matters to new civil war is tian in them and to us.” religion, in progress, this although time internal to a minority still keep South Sudan. The war between traditional practicNorthern and Southern forces is es indigenous to the over. Civil war in the South now region. That war ended is raging. ten years ago, and it Until this year I was able to was costly. The conflict report, correctly, that most of eventually killed two the conflict in this new war was million people and far removed from our friends displaced four million in the Diocese of Lui. Indeed, more. In the years since
continued on page 3
ph: 314-231-1220 www.DioceseMo.org Episcopal Diocese of Missouri Offices of the Bishop 1210 Locust St. St. Louis, Missouri 63103
© The Episcopal Diocese of Missouri, 1210 Locust St., St. Louis, Missouri 63103 ph: 314-231-1220 web: diocesemo.org