18 Years of Partnership
LMI’s partnership with the Church in South Sudan has been a long and fruitful one, marked by God’s faithfulness and powerful ministry. Alongside our Global Partner, Reverend James Baak, the mission has carried out a range of Kingdom-focused projects and endeavours.
A significant milestone in LMI’s South Sudan partnership came in 2007, when Thomas McClean, James Farmer and John Deaville led the mission’s first Overseas Ministry Programme. They conducted a number of leadership seminars, designed to equip and build up leaders to serve in their local churches. Thomas reflected on these seminars:
“Meeting the pastors was such an inspiration! Seeing their hunger for God’s Word and knowing that some of them had walked 180kms to attend the week-long training programme was such a challenge.”
One of the team’s lasting impressions from this 2007 trip was the scarcity of Bibles and the lack of efficient transportation, which left pastors exhausted and hindered their outreach work. Moved by these challenging realities, LMI launched a Bible distribution
initiative, placing 2,000 New Testaments into the hands of the Dinka Tribe, who live in South Sudan. In addition to this, LMI raised funds to purchase bicycles for local pastors to enable them to travel long journeys without having to walk for days in the hot sun. This offered the pastors renewed hope and strength for their lives and ministry work. One of the recipients, Pastor Marko Manut, expressed his gratitude:
“We didn’t know people in your country were thinking, praying and caring for us, but now we do…I will go home and preach the gospel, knowing that somebody is praying for me.”
Over the years, LMI has also supported a Literacy Programme in South Sudan. The literacy rate in South Sudan is among the lowest in the world, with adult literacy sitting around just 34%. Literacy is crucial for many reasons, including economic empowerment and effective communication. Additionally, poor literacy prevents people from reading God’s Word. For these reasons, LMI has placed huge emphasis on funding the Literacy Programme in South Sudan, which has liberated people from illiteracy and enabled them to explore the truths of the Bible.
Responding to Crisis: War and Famine
On the 15th of April 2023, conflict broke out between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces. This civil war displaced millions, many of whom fled to the South Sudan border as refugees. Two years later, the war still rages, bringing immense suffering, including widespread famine to the Sudanese people.
In 2024, the situation in Sudan grew even more severe, when the country experienced its worst flooding in 60 years. These weather conditions ruined crops and plunged people even further into a state of desperation. Our partner, Rev. Baak, and his team,
have been involved in Christian-led support and food distribution since the crisis broke out, providing lifesaving supplies to vulnerable communities with the help of LMI.
Looking Ahead:
Looking to the future, LMI is committed to continuing its vital partnership with Rev. James Baak and his team as they serve communities still reeling from famine.
A key part of this vision is funding more indigenous leadership seminars, which will equip local pastors with essential, practical tools for pastoral care and church growth. In addition to the training, LMI also seeks to provide free meals at these seminars, which provide crucial opportunities for fellowship and encouragement. But all of this comes at a cost. These life-changing initiatives carry real financial costs, which the mission alone cannot cover. Therefore, we are inviting those who believe in the importance of building up the Global Church to partner with us. Your gift, no matter the size, can make a lasting impact. Will you stand with us to strengthen the Church in South Sudan?
