Brother Mike and friends take a short break from mudding the walls of a thatched hut.

This past week a life-long friend returned to visit as he does every two years or so from Africa.  Mike Foley is an Xavierian Brother, and a teacher of Mathematics for the Roman Catholic Church in Africa for the last 25 years.  Currently he is assisting the Jesuit Refugee Service in cooperation with the United Nations in caring for and helping Christian refugees in the Southern Sudan.  [See Bringing Stability to Nimule, Sudan: A Challenging Struggle article for more information.]

This area is a war zone where Muslims in control of the capitol of Khartoum and most of the the country are bombing and killing Christians just because they are Christian.  The UN handles the logistics of feeding these people, a monumental job, but some people still die of starvation everyday.

Most are members of the Dinka tribe, and beside the UN, the only other organizations there to help them are the Jesuit Refugee Service of the Roman Catholic Church and the Episcopal Church.

School children of Nimule, Sudan - always a smile despite their hardships.

The Episcopal Church of Sudan, Nimule Parish, in the Diocese of Bor is headed by Bishop Nathaniel Garang who speaks no English.  Through Mike we can communicate and perhaps help these Episcopalians.  For $17.50 a box of 25 large bars of soap can be shipped from Uganda to these people in Nimule Parish.  Soap is so valuable that a man will work a whole day for half a bar.  Also plastic water jugs for carrying and storing water are a treasure most sought after.  There is no currency.  Will you please help these Christians in need?

Mike works tirelessly to help provide a meaningful education for Sudanese children.  He is pictured here at the conclusion of a teacher training workshop.

More photos from Sudan

Every Sunday I will leave a basket or plate at the base of the Pulpit marked for Sudan Nimule Parish.  At the end of each month, I will send this money to Brother Michael Foley at the Jesuit Refugee Service, P. O. Box 7300, Kampala, Uganda.

He will purchase supplies and see that the Episcopal Bishop receives them.  Mike goes back soon through Uganda into Sudan without the permission of the Sudanese government at some risk to himself.  He suffers from Malaria even while here on leave but still returns to serve Christ and his Church.

I ask in Christ's name please help those in need.

For the Advisory Board,

W. J. Luther, Warden