Letter to the Diocese of Vermont
From the Rt. Rev. Thomas Clark Ely
January 20, 2007

Greetings in the name of Jesus:

I have just completed my sabbatical travel segment to Germany and Africa. Our time with family in Germany for Christmas and the New Year was fun and relaxing. We enjoyed the Christmas markets in several cities and the time to visit with family and family friends was much appreciated. It was the first Christmas in 26 years that I did not have liturgical responsibilities! Even so, I agreed to preside at a family Eucharist on Christmas Day.

Africa was simply amazing! I spent eight days in Southern Sudan, in the southern part of the Diocese of Bor. I spent four days before and four days after in Kenya, where the Diocese of Bor also has an office and where there is a large Sudanese community. It turns out that I am the first bishop to visit inside the Diocese of Bor since the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) of 2005. Unfortunately, I was not able to visit Kakuma Refugee Camp in Kenya due to some unanticipated new restrictions imposed by the government.

The limited financial resources of the Diocese of Bor were very evident, starting with the Bishop’s car that was out of service and in need of repair. I made a gift of $1,000 to the bishop from the Diocese of Vermont to help get his car on the road. Fortunately, we were able to get some transportation assistance from the Governor of Jonglei State, Philip Thon Leek. There is a good working relationship between the Church and the local government and so not only were we provided with transportation to visit some local churches, but we were also invited to accompany the Governor and his ministers on a two-day excursion to several communities in Jonglei State (same geographical area as the Diocese of Bor) in celebration of the 2nd anniversary of the signing of the CPA. It provided me a unique opportunity to spend time in conversation with an important political leader of the SPLM, as well as his ministers, local Commissioners, and several members of the Southern Sudan Parliament.

Bishop Nathaniel Garang and Assistant Bishop Ezekiel Diing were very gracious hosts and it was wonderful to watch them ministering among the people of their diocese. We visited several church communities and were welcomed with great enthusiasm at every stop. The Episcopal Church in Sudan and in the Diocese of Bor is alive in the Spirit and a very important player as Sudan seeks to implement the CPA and resettle thousands of refugees. The resources to help make this happen are limited and so it comes as no surprise that I was invited to consider supporting several projects that will help build capacity within the diocese. I’ll return from sabbatical with several suggestions for our Global Reconciliation Committee and a number of opportunities for the people of Vermont to become more directly involved in the mission of the Diocese of Bor. The needs run the gambit from education to water and from health to agriculture.

It was amazing how many people I met who knew one or more of the young Sudanese men living in Vermont. I took lots of pictures and hope they help to tell the story when I return from sabbatical. You can check out some of my pictures on this site and by visiting http://picasaweb.google.com/TenCup. It was good to bring greetings from Vermont and to be asked to carry greetings back. As I was leaving, I said to the bishops that I was leaving a part of my heart in Sudan. They responded by saying not to worry, they were giving me a part of their heart to carry back.

I returned home to the news that my dad had suffered a heart attack (mild?) and was in the hospital. He also just got some discouraging news about a biopsy of lymph nodes in his neck, which indicates the presence of a malignant tumor. We are awaiting further medical information about treatment for both his heart and the tumor, so please hold him in your prayers. Right now, Ann and I are still intending to go to El Salvador for the month of February, but that is obviously subject to change.

My heath is terrific – no problems in Sudan – and my spirits are high. I continue to be most grateful for this sabbatical time and for those who are working to ensure that the life of the diocese continues to flourish. I hope this brief report gives you a glimpse of what I’ve been up to. I look forward to sharing more fully with you when I return. Until then, may God continue to bless and keep you during this time of sabbatical.

Faithfully,

+Thomas

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