Renewing life and hope to the people of Sudan...
SALAM was formed in 2002 as the Lord refined the vision He had placed in the hearts of Richard and Rebecca. The Lord brought together a core group of members (see the "People" section) who were united with the same vision and purpose: to reach the people of Sudan with the gospel, strengthen the Sudanese church, and minister to the needs of the people (both spiritually and physically).
SALAM seeks to serve the Lord in three main areas in Sudan: evangelism, support of the church, and humanitarian ministries. Our core group currently consists of Australian based Sudanese as well as Australians, and our volunteers are from various churches, denominations and racial backgrounds. Our prayer is that as the Lord opens the doors and calls others, people from other nations will also join with us. SALAM works in unity and involvement with various churches throughout Sudan.
Although since 2003 SALAM has been involved in a number of short-term missions into Sudan, these have focused mainly on Khartoum (the capital in the north) and surrounding areas. These teams have worked in prisons and orphanages, conducted crusades and held youth and church leadership seminars.
Now, as a result of the peace agreement of January 2005, many other areas of Sudan are opening up for us to minister in. Our main project (The Juba Project) now focuses on the development of an orphanage, school, medical clinics and Bible College (with church) in Juba, the capital of South Sudan. This is a long-term project which is working toward the permanent placement of Richard and Rebecca Jock and family on the Juba base to facilitate this ministry. Richard currently travels in and out of Sudan as this project develops from the ground up. When the facilities are adequate, the family will re-locate and be based there together.
In 2006, SALAM came under the umbrella of AAMA (Australian and Asian Missions Association - President: Rev Dr Gladwyn Turner) and now functions as a subsidiary or ministry of AAMA (aama.org.au). This was in order to make use of the many years international missions experience of AAMA and to put in place a system of accountability and spiritual support.
SALAM's heartbeat is best summed up by the words of our Lord Jesus in Luke 4:18-19.
"The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me,
Because He has anointed Me
To preach the gospel to the poor;
He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted,
To proclaim liberty to the captives
And recovery of sight to the blind,
To set at liberty those who are oppressed;
To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord."