The Secretary General of the Anglican Communion, The Right Reverend Anthony Poggo, has visited his former home and diocese of Kajo Keji in the Episcopal Church of South Sudan, to encourage a church that’s rebuilding a community traumatised and displaced by civil war.

Hosted by the Right Revd Dr James Lule, the bishop of Kajo Keji, Bishop Anthony spent two days meeting with Kajo-Keji Christian College, Collegiate of the Episcopal University, Hope FM 89.6 and the local commissioner, the Honourable Phanuel Dumo Jame.

Back in 2009, Anthony was the bishop of Kajo Keji. On this visit he wanted to learn more about opportunities and challenges facing the church today. Led by Bishop James Lule, they are working to encourage thousands of refugees and displaced people back to the area, redeveloping community services and supporting local people.

The impact of civil war on Kajo Keji

The town of Kajo Keji in South Sudan is a rural community, in Central Equatoria State and near the border of Uganda.

Like the rest of the country, the area has been destabilised by the trauma of war for decades. In 2011, South Sudan became an independent country after over 20 years of guerilla warfare, but civil war then broke out in South Sudan in 2013 when Salva Kiir sacked the cabinet and accused Vice President Riek Machar of planning a failed coup.

Between 2016-2018, Kajo Keji was directly impacted by South Sudan’s civil conflict. Despite repeated attempts at peace agreements and ceasefires in 2015, 2017 and 2018, political violence between government forces and opposition rebel groups worsened.

Kajo Keji, like many other communities of South Sudan, experienced fighting, looting, destruction of property and killing. Many people died or lost loved ones in the struggle.

Most of the population abandoned their homes, fleeing to Uganda for safety in refugee camps – just as they had had to in years past, during the Second Sudanese Civil War between 1983-2005.

The UNHCR estimate that country wide, there are around 2.2 million refugees and 2.2 Internally Displaced People.

Bishop James Lule and a community of hope

Since 2021, Kajo Keji has become more stable. Members of the Anglican Diocese of Kajo Keji, under the leadership of their bishop, the Right Rev Dr James Lule, have started to return. They want to repair the damage to their community and encourage refugees and displaced people to come home.

Before the terror that struck the area, the Diocese of Kajo Keji ran an Anglican centre which housed a cathedral, primary and secondary schools, a theological college and medical centre. They also ran the Kajo Keji ‘Revival Centre’ a community space providing church, health and community services for the local population. But during the conflict, both sites experienced significant damage. Solar panels, water pumps and electric wiring were stolen.

A metal crucifix on the chapel wall at the Revival Centre was wrenched out and sold on by fighting groups. Yet the indentation of a cross remains in the plaster. It seems to symbolise the hope and determination of the church, who are steadily working to rebuild and restore what was lost.

The return of the church community began under Bishop Emmanuel Murye, who died in December 2022. Bishop Lule took over as Bishop from July 2023. Since that time, the church has replaced many of the roofs on the Anglican centres, reopened the Episcopal University and are undertaking repairs at the Revival Centre too. They meet as a Christian community, praying and ministering to the area.

Of the work of the Diocese, Bishop James Lule says: "If the people see their bishop going back, if we can rebuild our communal spaces, if we can share the hopeful message of Christ, they will have confidence and trust that community life can be restored. The church must model reconciliation and what it means to live peaceably with one another."

Broadcasting hope

Bishop James’s message of hope is reinforced by the Diocesan’s own radio station ‘Hope FM 89.6.’ Run by Khemis, Julius and Ambrose, a dedicated team of journalists and producers, the station broadcast from 5 am – 11 pm each day to the local area. The show combines news and interviews with guests from the government, health and business communities, along with Chrisitan devotional content and prayer requests. In such a rural area, the community are heavily dependent on the radio, as a source of news and guidance.

But there are challenges. The radio team share office space in the Cathedral building, but background noise interrupts broadcasts. The studio is hot and stuffy. It’s an unpleasant work environment and ill-suited for live interviews. The most pressing issue is that the radio antennae isn’t tall enough. Radio shows reach the local community but can’t stretch to the Kajo-Keji population who are further away in refugee camps. The team are actively seeking funds for a radio mast that’s 60 metres high, so that the message of hope can go further.

The Secretary General returns to his home diocese

The visit by the Secretary General to Kajo Keji has been an encouragement to the diocese, as repatriating South Sudanese refugees has been a major theme of Bishop Anthony’s ministry.

Born in 1964, he has twice been a displaced person due to conflict in Sudan. His experiences led him to work with with Scripture Union and ACROSS in South Sudanese refugee camps in North Uganda in the 1990s. He later became ordained, because he saw the urgent need to equip clergy for ministry amongst refugee communities.

Enthroned as bishop under the mango trees in the Kajo Keji parish of Kimu Town 2007, bishop Anthony set about rebuilding church life and community infrastructure, including 13 Anglican primary schools, one secondary school, a health centre and a theological college where his father Canon Benaiah Poggo had once taught.

Fast forward to 2024, and it seems that the story has gone full circle. The current Bishop James Lule (mentored by Anthony in his formational years), is taking on the mantle of rebuilding these sites all over again. It is slow and difficult work – in a hugely under-resourced and uncertain context. The diocese say many are staying away from South Sudan as there has been slow progress by the government in implementing the 2018 peace agreement. Alongside this, long delayed national elections are set for December 2024, but some fear the country may not be stable enough for the elections to be open and fair.

Speaking about the visit Bishop Anthony said: “Kajo-Keji is my birthplace and homeland, so I have been overjoyed to spend time with the church team here and see their faithful work in such challenging circumstances. In South Sudan, many people look to the church for support with education and health. My prayer for the future of Kajo Keji is that God will provide funding and resources to enable the diocese get these services back on their feet, so they are ready to welcome returnees. I give thanks for their faithful service and witness. May God continue to use them to bring peace and healing to the people of Kajo Keji.”

The Secretary General was accompanied by members of the Anglican Communion Office – Canon Dr Stephen Spencer (Adviser on Theological Education for the Anglican Communion) and Janet Miles (Director of Public Engagement).