In November 2007, three missioners from the diocese visited the Diocese of Bor, our companion diocese, in Sudan.

By the Rev. Ellen Hanckel

As I look at the photos on a cold winter day, the trip to Southern Sudan last November warms my memory, bringing to life many incredible experiences that transform a lifetime. Six of us from North America joined with two companions from Sudan and together we traveled for two weeks to places whose names roll off the tongue like the names of unfamiliar Old Testament prophets. After leaving the bustling city of Nairobi, our destinations included: Lochichoggio and Kakuma (Kenya); Panyagor and Paliau (Sudan); and ultimately Maar – the most remote place we visited.

The Bishop Marmion Resource Center has several books (and one video) by or about Marc Nikkel:

• Why Haven't You Left? Letters from the Sudan, by Marc Nikkel, edited by Grant LeMarquand.
  
  

Rev. Dr. Nikkel

The Rev. Dr. Marc Nikkel (1950-2000) was a priest of our diocese who dedicated his life and ministry to the people of Sudan. He is remembered there as a teacher and evangelist who was instrumental in the exponential growth of the Christian faith during the 1980's and 1990's and as a peace-maker who helped bring together more than two thousand feuding tribes in southern Sudan. We celebrate the Feast of Marc Nikkel on September 3, the anniversary of his death.

Photos of the Jonglei area in Bor Diocese and the Marc Nikkel School, taken by Bol Deng during the summer of 2005

School is held in the shade, weather permitting.

A woman pumps water near the school.

Church services are lengthy and are held in the shade, weather permitting.

Three Marc Nikkel School students

Please report broken links to Lynn Robertson (Lrobertson@dioswva.org).

From Fox Video Production's video featuring Marc, The Crosses of Dinka Christians.

Archibald Shaw: Witness to Christ in the Sudan

Sermon preached in Christ Church

Alexandria, Virginia

June 6, 1999

The way to faith in God for many of us has run through a person. One definition of a saint is a person through whom God's light shines. You would of course expect me as a seminary professor to emphasize the importance, for a mature faith in God, of asking questions and of engaging in serious study. But most of us would never ask our questions or pursue them seriously if we had not first met someone who in their person communicated to us deep trust in God. These people who have embodied for us trust in God are unforgettable. They have made us who we are.