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ACROSS – STAGE III starting

06/06/2022

An extra-ordinary meeting of the Board was held in UK in March 1988.

ACROSS had been expelled from Sudan. Security in South Sudan was deteriorating – but:

  • Southern politicians had appealed to ACROSS not to be too hasty in dissolving the organisation.

  • Sudanese church leaders had given suggestions as to how ACROSS could continue to serve South Sudan.

Chairman Dr. Dick Anderson spoke on Mary’s anointing of Jesus Mark 14:4, Matt 26:8 – “Why this waste?”

After much discussion a motion to liquidate ACROSS would have been passed unanimously. It was however decided to sleep on it. Next morning it was unanimously resolved to continue.

Within several months – 11 new projects were approved, all but one, church related. This marked a significant development in closer church relationships.

The projects included:

  • Assistance to the church in evangelism programs.

  • Emergency relief in both North and South Sudan.

  • Assisting churches to continue ACROSS initiated projects.

  • Service ministry to Sudanese churches – transport, post, banking etc.

  • Emergency relief to 350,000 Sudanese refugees in Ethiopia.

  • Sudan Literature Centre.

Within Sudan – greatly increased hardship – devastation by floods in Khartoum August 1988.

  • In November, 1988 8,000 reported deaths from starvation in Aweil – No children under 5 left alive.

  • By the end of 1988 all Ugandan refugees had returned home.

  • 350,000 Sudanese refugees in Ethiopia, 35,000 in Uganda.

  • Displaced Sudanese – 40,000 in Yei, 70,000 in Kapoeta, 80,000 in Juba (making total population 200,000) 1 million in Khartoum.