Bishop Nathaniel Garang Anyieth: The Spiritual Leader of Our Time
Bishop Nathaniel Garang Anyieth Jangdit: The Forgotten Spiritual Leader in the Promised Land
By Michael Mading Akueth, Juba, South Sudan
June 17, 2015 (SSB) — It was hot Friday in the Refugee camp when we were mobilized by our rabbi (teacher) Aluong Mangok in Zone 1 and give us the information about the coming of a great leader to our camp. We were astonished about the conviction and fashion our Rabbi was introducing this man in the red cloth; we start to murmur among ourselves about the coming leader.
Is he may be Dr. John Garang whom he might want to hide from us? Is it may be they don’t want to reveal the identity of Dr. John Garang because the UNHCR does not want rebel leaders in the camp? We start memorizing and sing our guerrilla songs but the rabbi said the coming leader does not want those songs; he is a spiritual leader and he wants spiritual songs.
We start to practice our spiritual songs immediately.
On Saturday, we gathered under trees with our teachers giving us the instructions about how we are going to march to receive the spiritual leader whom they said was bigger than all the spiritual leaders we know. We were told not to come out in the line during the marching to welcome Bishop because we cut the blessings.
Anyone who came out in the line for obvious reasons was rejected to enter the line again so we started marching to welcome Bishop Nathaniel Garang to Kakuma in 1993 from Ethiopian camp which was commonly known for its Anjera dishes.
In the evening Bishop Nathaniel Garang emerged with red garments and dozens of pastors were around him we could not even see him. We were convinced surely this was a great man of our time. Everyone was trying to see him or even touch him like the bleeding woman in the book of Luke in the Bible but he was maximally protected; we could not even see him.
We moved with him to zone three church compound was headquarter of the Episcopal churches in Kakuma refugee camp. In Zone three church compound, we could not enter in the compound because we were multitudes and the space could not accommodate us. We left him in a safe custody of all the pastors and we returned to our various zones.
On Sunday before dawn, we wake up and start singing our favorite spiritual songs and move to zone three Church. It was full very early in the morning and those who came during normal hours found no space. We were interested to worship God with Bishop Nathaniel Garang but most of us who did not have an opportunity to see him could see him during the services especially if one could sit in front or next to the route where he will entered to the church or leave.
As we sit on our mudded benches singing welcoming songs, I was seated in the middle not far from the route which the Bishop will used to enter to the church (under trees). while we were singing songs the groups of youth start entering slowly and in their midst I could see the man wearing the red garments in his midst fifties moving with Moses’ rod of authority in his right hand.
I could hear women ululation and men were cursing demons. I bow down my head in respect and tears of joy start rolling down in my cheek.
We learned a lot of thing from his teachings on that Sunday, Bishop taught us humility and suffering without expecting any reward. I could remember the word he said that day if you are greedy and lazy you will not reach to the Promised Land. He challenges us that there are two things that determine your success in life that is God and your determination.
We were taught to put God first and work hard to excel in life; those who did not take his teachings seriously the evidence are available in their lives today. We were small boys but that word had gone down deep in me until today.
Bishop Nathaniel talked about the Moses and the children Israel in the wilderness and how God protected and guide them to the land that flow with milk and honey. He mentioned that those who were opposing Moses falsely did not entered to the promised land but because Moses did not handled them according to the scribed word of God cause him his life too.
Bishop Nathaniel Garang is an available resource in South Sudan who can help us achieved God plan for our country. Do we really consult him in the affairs of our nation? Do we consult him fully in the affairs of the church? We cannot just forget him in the Promised Land.
The charisma and persuasive spiritual leader who built us during the bush war should still be consulted in the current affairs though he is a retired Bishop; he can still provide us with the word of wisdom without any interest. He loves the country and the people. We must always seek wisdom with tears and truth with courage.
I was blessed by this great servant leader of our time who had devoted his life for the word of God. We should always remember him in our prayers and do good to him. Surely, he has maintained the word of God during difficult times of bush war.
Dr. John Garang and Bishop Nathaniel Garang will go down in the history of our country as leaders who have used charisma and persuasion to followers from cattle camps, streets, schools and business to achieve their visions.
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