St. Francis and Ezo, South Sudan: Our Ongoing Covenant of Faith and Support

In the mid-1990s, St. Francis became involved with the Diocese of Ezo in Sudan (just “Sudan” in those days) through our associate rector, who had done relief work in that area of the world. In 1998, St. Francis signed a covenant with the Ezo Diocese, promising to pray for and offer other support for the people of Ezo.

After years of civil war, South Sudan became the newest country in the world in 2011. But the strife was not over in Ezo, where the Lord’s Resistance Army (the LRA), a terrorist group, wreaked havoc for years. Villages were burned to the ground, people were kidnapped or murdered, and livelihoods were lost. Once the LRA was gone, the people still had to deal with tribal warfare and with a new government where corruption was (and is) rampant.

In 2021, a new bishop, the Right Rev. Isaac Bangisa, was elected to be the Episcopal Bishop of Ezo. Bishop Isaac brought a new energy to Ezo. Drawing on his experience from working at World Vision, he and his staff developed a five-year plan for Ezo that focuses on building self-reliance and sustainability. It’s a big job in an area where the Episcopal Church is the institution that provides schools, health care, and social services to thousands of people.

Through all the turmoil of Ezo, St. Francis has sought to live out its covenant by supporting the Diocese and its people whenever possible and by praying for them daily.

Our Journey Together

2021: St. Francis sent close to $20,000 (raised at the church Gala) to repair a water well on the Ezo Diocese compound, as well as to drill a new well outside the Masumbu Primary School to provide clean water to families.

2022: St. Francis sent funds to help support the schools of Ezo, which are run by the church. Much of the money was used for feeding the children. The Masumbu Primary School, one of several the church runs in Ezo, has more than 700 students. St. Francis also sent funds to help feed Internally Displaced People (IDPs) from neighboring areas who ended up as refugees in Ezo after warfare.

2023: St. Francis held its first “Ezo Sunday” during Lent and kicked off a fundraiser to provide bicycles for about three dozen clergy in Ezo. Before they received their bicycles, clergy throughout the diocese walked many miles to serve their parishes. Some of the money raised was also used to help volunteers build a guesthouse for the Diocese. St. Francis also sent funds to support Ezo’s first Peace Event, which brought together tribes that had been at war.

2024: St. Francis raised funds for building supplies and tools that helped the Ezo Diocese build a community center for meetings. In addition, private donations for Ezo allowed St. Francis to send $13,000 for the bishop to purchase a 1999 Nissan Patrol, which has greatly increased his ability to get around the very large diocese, as well as to travel to Juba. Having a vehicle is a rarity in this area. St. Francis also sent funds to support Bishop Isaac’s 2024 Peace Event, which drew more than 3,000 people—including government officials, Episcopal and other church leaders, community leaders, and the Mothers’ Union. Tribal warfare has displaced more than 85,000 people near Ezo, and these peace events have helped broker peace and bring more people to Christianity.

Looking Ahead to 2025 and Beyond

The big news for 2025 is that St. Francis has invited Bishop Isaac and his wife, Mama Nora, to visit us in 2026. They are tentatively planning to come in early March of that year and stay with us for two weeks. There are challenges to overcome—they will need to secure visas, and St. Francis will need to raise funds for their travel—but we believe all of this is manageable.

Scott Perkins has agreed to lead this effort, securing housing and opportunities for Bishop Isaac and Mama Nora to speak and connect with others in the community.

If you are interested in helping with the visit, please contact Scott at ohio4csp@hotmail.com.

If you are interested in joining the Ezo Committee, which meets irregularly (often via Zoom), please contact Jack Mathias at Jackmathi@aol.com. Jack corresponds regularly with Bishop Isaac and shares the latest news from Ezo.

Closing Thought

For more than 25 years, our covenant with the people of Ezo has guided us to pray, support, and walk alongside our brothers and sisters in Christ. Each year brings new challenges and new opportunities, but together, we continue to build a stronger, more hopeful future.