The Comboni Missionary Sisters started a year of prayers towards the future of Southern Sudan to mark the end of the interim period and the countdown for the referendum on self-determination.
The Year of Prayer for the Sudan runs from January 9, 2010 t0 January 9, 2011.Sr. Giovanna Sguazza, provincial superior of the Comboni Sisters in Southern Sudan, wrote a message asking her sisters to pray every day for peace and justice in Sudan, for wise choices and decisions on the part of the leaders and of the people, for reconciliation and peaceful living among the different ethnics groups and for light and truth in the Christian communities.
Sr. Giovanna invited also the Comboni sisters who have ministered in the Sudan and live abroad to join in the prayer campaign throughout the year.
The Comboni Missionary Sisters have communities in Juba and Lomin (Central Equatoria), Nzara (Western Equatoria), Leer (Unity State), Malakal (Upper Nile), Wau (Western Bahr el Ghazal) and Gidel (Nuba Mountains). They will soon open another community in Chuibet (Lakes State), near Rumbek.
The sisters work in pastoral, health, education, women promotion and in the Sudan Catholic radio project.