Written by: Dr Peter Hammond
Article source: Frontline: Behind Enemy Lines for Christ
The Rwandan Genocide
In praying as to how best we could respond to the requests to establish a hospital in the Liberated zones of South Sudan, one ministry seemed to me to be the ideal answer, Samaritans Purse. During my mission to Rwanda, Samaritans Purse had been the only medical mission working in that devastated country. They waded into the sewer system of Kigali hospital to extract the vast amounts of body parts blocking the entire drainage system, broke up the congealed blood and restored the hospital to full operation, despite the plague of rats and myriads of flying, crawling insects. When even the Red Cross and Doctors Without Borders (Medecins Sans Frontiéres) had fled the genocide in Rwanda, Samaritans Purse were the only medical mission operational in that desperately needy country, at its time of greatest need. Approaching Samaritans Purse So, I wrote to Franklin Graham, head of Samaritans Purse (SP), requesting his involvement. Soon the reply came, from his secretary, that their programme was full and SP was overcommitted, not able to take on any new projects. As I was praying over this, the news came that Franklin Graham was scheduled to come to Cape Town, South Africa, to conduct an Evangelistic Crusade at Newlands Cricket grounds! I eagerly wrote again, requesting an interview with Franklin Graham when he was in Cape Town. Another polite reply came back informing me that, sorry, but his programme was full.
Ambulance donated by FF
An Invitation to City Hall
Pondering this, convinced that this had to be God’s timing, wondering how I would manage to meet him, a gold embossed envelope was delivered to my desk. Inside it was a card from the Mayor of Cape Town, inviting me to a Prayer Breakfast at City Hall, where the guest of honour would be: Franklin Graham! I praised God.
Meeting Franklin Graham
On the day of the Prayer Breakfast, I ensured that I was there early. Parking my motorbike close to the entrance, I walked in with my helmet over one arm. I greeted Franklin Graham: “Mr Graham, I believe that you are also a motor biker?” Franklin Graham beamed, replied that he was and told me about his Harley Davidson. Next, I commented: “I see that you have been working amongst the Contra resistance fighters in Nicaragua?” Franklin Graham replied: “Yes, I have.” “I have one question for you, Mr Graham: Why is Samaritans Purse not involved in Sudan?” “We have been,” he replied.
“Yes, but that was in Upper Nile and I know that the experience was frustrating, but you were trusting in the wrong people. Riek Machar’s crowd are surrogates of the Muslim government.” Mr Graham looked surprised. “I did not know that,” he said. “I know the people that you can trust in South Sudan, in Equatoria. I also know just the right hospital for Samaritans Purse to renovate and use as your base of operations, in Lui. It was the first hospital established in South Sudan, by pioneer missionary, Dr. Kenneth Fraser. There is no hospital for seven million people in Free Equatoria…”
Introduction to Sudan
At this point, a line was beginning to form behind me and Mr Graham had to politely excuse himself to give attention to other guests arriving. Later, during the prayer breakfast, he brought me his Operations Manager, Ken Isaacs, to brief. At first, Mr Isaacs was a bit skeptical, leaning back with his legs crossed and his arms folded. Soon, however, he was leaning forward, looking at my photographs and maps and asking penetrating questions. Two days later, I received a phone call from Ken Isaacs: “Franklin has given us the green light. Can you take us into South Sudan in 2 days’ time?” I was a bit overwhelmed at the abruptness, as I had a full and demanding programme. Ken challenged me: “Peter, you have a green light, go through the intersection!” So, I rearranged my schedule, cleared my plate and headed off to Nairobi to lead Ken Isaacs and the Samaritans Purse exploratory team into Moruland to show them the newly liberated town of Lui.
Film evangelism in Moruland
The Legacy of Kenneth Fraser
I had told Ken Isaacs much about Dr. Kenneth Fraser, the pioneer CMS Missionary, who had established the first hospital, the first school and the first church in Equatoria. I told him that the people of Moruland were so evangelised that you could leave your wallet on the road outside the market place and someone would bring it to you and nothing would be missing. So, one morning, as we were driving out to explore the newly liberated town and hospital at Lui, Ken asked me to hand him my wallet. Whereupon he unceremoniously threw it out the window to land on the ground outside the market place! The rest of the American team roared with laughter.
A Test Case of the Character of a Community
It was a full day and my thoughts often returned to my wallet lying as a test case outside the Mundri marketplace on the main road. Not that there was much money in it. There were just a few cards, a couple of notes and my ID card. However, I began to have second thoughts and to worry over what might happen if someone from another tribe was passing by. There was no word when we returned that night. However, the next morning, which was a Sunday, on the way to church, Canon Reuben, came up to me with two young boys and asked if this wallet was mine. Sure enough it was. “These two boys found it and seeing your picture inside, they brought it to me to return to you.” I looked inside and nothing was missing. I looked sideways at Ken Isaacs and his team. They are all standing there, open-mouthed, wide-eyed, in obvious shock. They were impressed.
The Hospital in Lui
From that point, it was clear that Samaritans Purse was committed to establishing a hospital in Moruland. Within just a matter of weeks, they were back, fully laden with everything necessary. Within days, they set up a fully operational hospital, with surgery equipment and specialist staff. It was impressive! Initially, they only planned to be there for 6 months. As Ken Isaacs explained, “We seldom are anywhere for more than three months at a time. However, we will commit ourselves to South Sudan for six months.” Ten years later, they were still running the hospital in Lui. The longest running and most successful medical operation in the history of Samaritans Purse. They saved tens-of thousands of lives and treated hundreds of thousands of patients. None of that would have happened without the integrity of the Christians in Moruland.
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Date published: 01/11/2024
Feature image: Chapel service at the hospital in Lui
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