General Conference President Addresses South Sudan Leaders on National Day

Ted N. C. Wilson called on the president to work for the prosperity of the nation.

July 18, 2024 | Juba, South Sudan | Marcos Paseggi, Adventist Review

General Conference president Ted N. C. Wilson attended a national banquet in South Sudan on July 9, celebrating that East African nation’s 13th anniversary of independence.

Wilson and his wife, Nancy, were special guests of honor at the celebratory banquet in the capital city of Juba on a national holiday. He thanked South Sudan president Salva Kiir Mayardit and his cabinet of vice presidents, ministers, and other officials for the invitation.

“It is a special honor to be able to be with you on this the national day of independence, a day in which you can reflect upon God’s blessing upon the beautiful motto that is inscribed even on the seat I have been assigned … ‘Justice. Liberty. Prosperity,’ ” he said. He added that he praised and thanked God for the stability that the country is now enjoying.

Wilson addressed remarks to President Mayardit and other dignitaries, urging the president to seek the prosperity of his nation (quoting Micah 6:8 from the Bible) by “doing justice, loving mercy, and walking humbly with God.”

He also referred to “special religious meetings” taking place in the country, as he thanked the president for his tutelage and sponsorship in allowing the Seventh-day Adventist Church to hold meetings in the recently renovated Juba Football Stadium, by the shores of the Nile River. “For me it is a privilege to be in this place,” said Wilson, who as a son of Adventist missionaries, grew up not far from the Nile in Cairo, Egypt.

Wilson also thanked South Sudan leaders for religious liberty. “You have provided in a very special way for people to live together in peace and harmony, and have allowed freedom of conscience,” he said to President Mayardit. “This is a great stabilizing factor for the future of South Sudan,” Wilson emphasized.

To close his remarks, after calling on the president to depend on God, Wilson prayed for South Sudan and its leaders. “We ask that You bless this country as it continues to focus upon justice, liberty, and prosperity,” he prayed. “And may we all remember to do what is right, to love mercy, and especially to walk humbly with our God.”

A day later, Wilson commented on the experience of the Adventist leaders who attended, calling it “a beautiful, unexpected opportunity to share encouraging words about the country and from the Bible.” He added, “God opens doors in highly unusual ways, highlighting His Seventh-day Adventist Church, and we praise His name!”

Visit to Institutions

During the week that the Wilsons spent in South Sudan, they were speakers at the East-Central Africa Division Homecoming Impact 2024/2025, visited Adventist institutions in the capital city, and met with Adventist Church regional leaders.

The Wilsons paid a visit to what is known as the Adventist compound, where several institutions are located, including the South Sudan Union Mission headquarters, a primary school, a secondary school, the Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) South Sudan office, and a radio station, among others.

A day later, Wilson shared some of the challenges the infrastructure of the Adventist Church is facing in South Sudan. “The [Juba Adventist Secondary] school has grown so much that it needs two more classroom floors constructed,” he wrote. “The first floor was erected through 13th Sabbath offerings. The Juba Adventist primary school is also growing and needs a new worship building since they outgrew the original building. They now have about 700 students,” Wilson shared.

In the mornings, the Wilsons conducted Week of Prayer meetings for the students of both Adventist schools.

The GC president also reported that leaders inspected the site where a new, large Seventh-day Adventist church is being constructed in Juba. The new church building, which will seat 3,500 people, will certainly become a witness to the community, he said. But there’s still a lot to do, Wilson emphasized. “One of the next steps is to put a roof on it, which will cost about [US]$350,000. God will provide!” he wrote.