Photo by Ken Odor
The Archbishop of Sudan’s Episcopal Church, Dr. Daniel Deng Bul Yak with his hosts Jennifer and Daryl Ernst. Maker Marial is at the left. Dr. Deng stayed with the Ernsts while on his visit to the U.S. to garner support for the peace agreement in Sudan.

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Jennifer and Daryl Ernst have been involved in helping the Sudanese people for years.

Last week they hosted the Archbishop of the Episcopal Church of the Sudan, Dr. Daniel Deng Bull Yak, and his wife Deborah Abuk Atem.

The couple stayed with the Ernsts for four days as the archbishop continued his visit to the United States. There are about four million Episcopal Church members in southern Sudan, said the archbishop.

The Manakin-Sabot couple, with the help of Maker Marial, one of the “Lost Boys” of Sudan who now makes his home in Richmond, founded Hope for Humanity in 2004.

The organization promotes educational opportunities for future leaders in Sudan, and is committed to the idea that education is the best way to help the southern Sudanese to grow and become self-supporting.

Dr. Deng Bull, here in the U.S. to address the General Convention of the United States Episcopal Church, is afraid time is running out and that civil war may return to his country.

“There is a fear people may go back to war,” said the archbishop.

Right now, there are provisions of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) between the northern and southern regions that are behind schedule for implementation.

The CPA, a series of six agreements signed between 2002 and 2006, were designed to help solve the many conflicts in the war-torn country. Since gaining independence in 1956, Sudan has endured years of civil war.

Numerous disputes over land, oil wealth and power sharing are at issue.

Elections for president and parliament have been postponed until 2010.

Also looming is a decision the disputed region of Abyei by an international court, expected in July, said the archbishop.

The archbishop addressed the convention, alerting them to dangerous conditions in the Sudan and asking them to pressure the United States to support the CPA.

Jennifer Ernst said she and her husband plan a letter-writing campaign to bring the government’s attention to the danger to the CPA.

“The international community has to continue pressure to honor the peace agreement,” said Daryl Ernst.

The Ernsts were to drive the archbishop to Washington last Sunday to meet with members of the United States for International Development (USAID).

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