The Covenant
In April 2006, members of the worldwide Anglican Communion, the Diocese of Lui, Episcopal Church of the Sudan and the Diocese of Missouri, Episcopal Church of the USA officially entered into a covenant to memorialize their newly formed Companion Partnership; with mutuality in vision, knowledge, wisdom, expertise, and material resources.
Our Companion Diocese Agreement: Covenant with the Diocese of Lui
History
The Diocese was originally a Church Missionary Society station started in 1920 by Dr. Kenneth Grant Frazer, from the Scottish Episcopal Church Dr. Fraser's original priorities of water, food, health care, education, and evangelism continue to inform our own mission. The Diocese was created in Northern Sudan - Khartoum in 1996 by the late Bishop Ephraim A Natana.
The Diocese of Lui was established in Lui, Southern Sudan, 11 April 1999, when Bishop Bullen Dolli was consecrated as the first bishop amongst Moru people. The Diocese is comprised of about 25 parishes, seven archdeaconries, 38 clergy, and 50 Mother's Union ministers. We do not know how many square miles comprise the diocese, nor has there been a reliable census to ascertain its total population (11/08)
The cathedral in Lui was bombed by the Sudanese government in the recent civil war. Bishop Bullen was forced to flee and set up administrative offices in Nairobi, Kenya.
Challenges
The Diocese of Lui has no electricity, no running water, no sewers, and no telecommunications aside from satellite communications the Missouri diocese installed. Most communications are delivered by either drum messages or runners from village to village.
Transportation within the Diocese of Lui is a challenge. There are only 30 miles of paved roads in all of southern Sudan. Missouri parishes have provided bicycles to most of the clergy. The distances and terrain within the Diocese call for better transportation, but vehicles and fuel both pose a challenge.
More information on Southern Sudan and its development: http://www.southsudanmaps.org/
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