Letter to The Right Reverend Peter Coffin, Bishop of the Diocese of Ottawa

Don't withhold to do good when it's in the power of your hand to do it.  And don't say to your neighbor in need, “Come back tomorrow and I'll help” Proverbs 3:23-24.

From:  Justin Laku

2108-415 MacLaren Ave

Ottawa, On, K2P 2C8

Tel\fax: 613-567-0549

E-mail:  ljsamuel33@hotmail.com

Feb 11, 2000

The Right Reverend Peter Coffin

Bishop of the Diocese of Ottawa

71,  Avenue Bronson Avenue.

Ottawa, On, K1R 6G6

Dear Bishop Peter,

Christian greetings and best wishes to you in name of our Lord Jesus Christ, and praise Him for His many mercies on us.

My very sincere appreciation for your long letter of Feb 2, 2000.  Thank you so much for giving the Sudanese Community of Ottawa-Carleton your time, and for undertaking the problem of Sudanese Churches as one of your objectives for the year 2000.

In your letter you mentioned that you have been approached by number of groups, which claim to be the legitimate voice.  Yes!  There might be some who are trying to assist the persecuted Christians in Sudan with a different point of view according to their group objectives.

However, this does not mean that the Anglican Church of Canada should be inactive, silent or not taking a strong position.  It is time for the Anglican Church of Canada to wake up from its long sleep and speak out about these persecutions of the Christians, bombing of hospitals, churches and schools, as well as using of chemical weapons.

Therefore, we have been deeply concerned by the news coming out of Southern Sudan, and my group is trying to its best to educate and uneducated the Anglican Church of Canada which still has not taken a stand about its sister church in Sudan.

We "the Sudanese Anglicans" in Canada, would like to see Anglican Church of Canada involved in the peace process, speaking out fearlessly on behalf of the believers in Sudan, asking the Government of Canada to put pressure on the Canadian oil company in order to pull out of Sudan and to assist the needy people of Sudan who are living in Camps of Kenya, Uganda, Zaire, Central Africa and other place around the World.

I am personally disturbed with way that the Anglican Church of Canada has ignored the suffering of the brothers and sisters for seventeen years.  How could the Anglican church of Canada describe itself in the light of Saint Matthew 25:35-37,  "For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me”.

Let the Anglican Church of Canada seek more facts and respond to the needs of the Sudanese Church as soon as possible in order to be a practical Church, not a “theoretical Church".  Jesus was a practical man.

The Bible is very clear about what we are asked to do for those who are victimized because of their faith.  We are called upon to pray for them (which never happened at Christ Church Cathedral) and lay claim to the civic privileges that God has given to us.  It is our turn to speak up (on behalf of the voiceless people of Sudan.  The silence of many on behalf of the few ultimately diminishes and could destroy all of us.

Your letter failed to mentioned any plans, programs or what should be done next regarding the suffering believers of Sudanese Churches.  Instead, the letter focuses on the number of groups as if these are the main issue.  These groups like the Vessel, the Carrier, but not the Treasure, which is the persecuted Christians of the Sudanese Church.  The challenge is to ensure that the value is placed in the right spot, and that we defend the treasure, not the vessel.

I hope that the Work Group should not tie our hands as well as yours, or become an excuse for you not to speak out.  The practical solution is that either you visit South Sudan and see the persecuted Christians and draw your own conclusion, or simply invite one of the Sudanese Bishops in exile and let him tour and speak out on behalf of the voiceless people of Sudan who are suffering from the National Islamic Front (NIF) government which Arabized and Islamized Christians in the Sudan.

Finally, the primary purpose of this response is to explain to you how the Sudanese Persecuted Churches are been ignored by the Anglican Church of Canada.  I sincerely hope that this letter will help you and your Church understand the crimes of the NIF government against the Christians in Sudan so that you could take this issue seriously before gets too late like Rwanda.

We need to shake awake those who are power to bring their attention to these injustices.  And where we have a voice, speak out.  Once you know, then you're accountable.  And I would say, now we know.

I will be most happy to provide you with additional information should you desire so May God's richest blessings on your life and work.

With my Prayers,

©Justin Laku