13 loving souls gathered at the Chapel of the Edgewood Vista Senior Citizen Community Center. The Center was newly opened last month and they were happy to let us use of their chapel for our event.

The Topic was "Peace in Sudan and the Role of the United Nations". Guest Speaker Rev. Dr. Sirisio Louis Oromo drove to Fargo from South Dakota. He is an ordained Lutheran Minister and native of Southern Sudan. He has been working tirelessly to bring peace and stability to his homeland.

His coming attracted an interested group. Fargo has been the new home of many who fled the war in Sudan. We are proud of our Sudanese friends, who despite their abuse in their homeland, are now standing up strongly and taking responsibility to rebuild Sudan. Our consciences are moved by them to understand and to do what we can to relieve their suffering.

Rev. Oromo's message began with a call to look closely inside ourselves. Don't condemn others. Religions that do so cause wars. Human beings cause war, not God. Religion means "good faith", but we made it something different. First be honest with your self, and change yourself. Selfishness creates injustice toward others. Don't seek to destroy the enemy, destroy the hate and enmity between you. God does not get rid of an enemy because he sees all of us as a parent sees.

The British who colonized Sudan gave the most attention to the Arab North, while Southern Sudan was influenced mainly by the missionaries. The more developed North began to unjustly plunder the resource- rich South when independence came in the early 1950's. Fighting has continued since that time, at first between Muslims and Christians, but as of late, mainly over natural resources.

There is a window of opportunity with the present peace agreement, in which the South is to share in about 25% of the government positions, and the oil is to be shared 50/50. Rev. Oromo has been offered a government position and is considering taking it, although he is somewhat wary because he knows the difficulty and corruption that he will need to endure. There are already violations of the peace agreement taking place.

Rev. Oromo shared the real situation of today's Sudan, its government system and life in refugee camps. For Americans who have lived a blessed life, the Sudanese situation is difficult to understand and bear. Our hearts were left heavy with the reality of life in Sudan.

God inspired the words of Mike McGregor after the Keynote address. Mike is a leader of faith at First Assembly of God in Fargo. He is also a physician's assistant and a Captain in the U.S. Army Reserves (now retired). He was deployed to Iraq as "Medical Officer in Charge" in 2003.

He spoke of how his strong faith was his greatest instrument of protection and strength during his 1 1/2 year deployment in Iraq. Even as shells exploded in his compound, he felt no fear because he felt the love of Christ constantly with him. He personally encouraged each of us, as we go into the dangerous arenas of conflict, to have no fear and believe that God will protect and use each of us to fulfill his will.

We were blessed with the attendance of Fargo writer and humanitarian Deb Dawson. She is coordinating a project with "Lost Boy of Sudan" Joseph Markeer. Joseph and Deb have begun their "mission" by promoting Joseph's book called "African Soul and American Heart".

They are raising funds to send Joseph and a film crew to create a documentary film about life in Sudan. They are planning a trip to Southern Sudan in December. As a mother who has adopted and raised international children from Siberia and Korea, Deb feels a deep parental love for Joseph and the other lost boys of Sudan. She is determined to aid him in fulfilling his goal to build an orphanage in Sudan.

Cindy Pfeiffer shared with us at breakfast, the importance of the Universal Peace Federation. She recently attended its convocation in New York City, where Ambassadors of Peace from 197 nations met. A major aim of the UPF is to install an Inter-religious council as a major component of the United Nations, where true religious leader can address concerns with a universal perspective rather than a nationally centered perspective. Cindy is helping Kenneth Masunga organize his efforts to make substantial improvements in Sudan.

Mr. Kenneth Adams Masungu from Sudan spoke about his "Young Shepherd Project". It is an effort to build a school and hospital in his home village near Juba, Sudan. Kenneth's daughter Roza came along to support Rev. Oromo and her father. Jean Albert, a strong mother in the Sudanese community, spoke compassionately and offered her beautiful smile. She is always working hard to love her Sudanese family, even as she is battling cancer. Both Jean and Roza gave heartfelt testimonies of their concern for Sudan.

At the end of the program, we stood hand in hand while Rev. Oromo gave the Benediction Prayer. We are all hopeful that our Prayer Breakfast will be a building block towards the future peaceful Sudan and world. Thanks to Toshiko Olson, Erica Trenbeath, and Michael Trenbeath for their support in helping to organize our event!

Reported by: John and Keiko Foss