Recently an article in Anabaptist World stated there were no known Anabaptist congregations in South Sudan (July 7, 2023). Praise God, that is no longer the case.

According to Gatjiak “Simon” Tongyik, one of the new students sponsored by Mennonite Church Alberta to attend Meserete Kristos Seminary in Bishoftu, Ethiopia, there is now one small Mennonite church in his village in Longchuok County Centre Mathiang. He hopes this is just the beginning of church-planting efforts.

“There are eight South Sudanese Mennonite churches inside the refugee camps in Ethiopia, and as soon as peace comes to South Sudan, we expect each church will move back to its hometown,” he said. “And even if there is no peace upon my graduation, I plan to be a missionary and plant more Mennonite churches.”

Last year, Mennonite Church Alberta sponsored two South Sudanese students to begin a four-year theological degree program at the Anabaptist seminary. Members of South Sudanese Mennonite Church in Edmonton requested help for their brothers and sisters in Christ in the refugee camps and surrounding areas in the Gambella region in West Ethiopia.

Two South Sudanese students were chosen for the MC Alberta sponsorship, but only one was able to return last fall. The one who returned was Khan “Isaac” Gatkuoth, an evangelist and father of three small children. He is a leader at Lare Mennonite Church in Gambella and hopes to return one day to South Sudan as a pastor.

“Everyone has received us,” he said of his seminary experience. “They help you even when they can’t understand you.”

In addition to South Sudan, students come to the seminary from Eritrea. Kenyan students were also enrolled until this year.

MC Alberta agreed to replace the student who was unable to return with another member of the South Sudanese church community: Gatjik “Simon” Tongyik, a young leader in the regional South Sudanese Mennonite church in Ethiopia and a father of five children living on a small farm in South Sudan.

These are the first South Sudanese students to attend the seminary. Many people in South Sudan have a sense of hopelessness due to endless war and famine, but Simon and Isaac have great hope for the future.

“I will one day help the people with teaching,” Simon said. “God is good!”

In addition to being excited to plant Mennonite churches in South Sudan, the two men speak enthusiastically about opening a Mennonite church office in South Sudan and maybe a small school to offer a Bible diploma for local people.

“We also want to care for the many orphans and widows,” Simon said.

Joanne and Werner De Jong are serving at Meserete Kristos College in Ethiopia with Mennonite Church Canada International Witness.