Tortured, persecuted and living in fear, Mansok Lado and his family continued to trust in God and eventually found help through the Refugee Support Ministry in Sydney.

Mansok Lado was born in Southern Sudan. He graduated in mech-anical engineering but could not find a job related to his training because of discrimination by the Islamic government that controls the country from the north. He eventually found employment as a vocational trainer with a German relief agency that was providing aid to refugees.

As the war between the northern Sudanese regime and the (southern) Sudanese People’s Liberation Army (SPLA) intensified, Mansok was arrested on three different occasions and accused of being an intelligence agent for the SPLA. On his last arrest, he was blindfolded and taken to an undisclosed army barrack where he was beaten, whipped, kicked and hung upside down as part of torture tactics to force a confession. He was held for seven days without trial.

Mansok was sentenced for execution, but he says that in his darkest hour, he remembered God’s goodness and faithfulness, and prayed for deliverance. On the day of his execution, one of the security officers recognised him as his former vocational trainer. He recommended to his superior that Mansok be released on the basis of his reference.

Mansok was released on the understanding that he would be an informant and report to the authorities on any supporters of SPLA. But he refused to betray his own countrymen, and in February 2000 he and his family escaped to Egypt, where they were eventually accepted as refugees by the UNHCR.

Mansok found employment in Cairo with the Anglican Church’s funded school for refugees, initially as a teacher and later as principal. But as Christians from southern Sudan, they faced persecution from Egyptian Muslims, who harassed them on the streets by throwing stones and spitting on them.

After more than two years of waiting and living in constant fear, Mansok and his family were accepted into Australia under the Australian Government’s humanitarian program for refugees.

Soon after their arrival, they were randomly referred to one of 24 registered Community Support for Refugee (CSR) groups. As it happened, they were referred to the Georges River region’s Refugee Support Ministry.

Phin Tang, coordinator of the program, says God had strengthened the Lado family throughout their whole ordeal. “Mansok never ceased to thank God for his providence, despite the trials and hardship they were experiencing,” Phin said.

Through the program, the Lado family was linked to a Christian volunteer family, Cathy and Wayne D’Chong, who have been supporting them ever since.
“We have found our involvement with the RSM to be quite life-changing,” said Wayne D’Chong. “The Lados have become part of our lives. This has been made easy because of their faith in God and commitment to being a part of the local church.”

Through the D’Chong family, the Lados have joined St Peter’s, Seven Hills, where they now worship every Sunday.

“I hope that more Australians will have a better understanding of the plight of refugees from war-torn countries such as Sudan,” Mansok said. “My prayer is that peace will be restored to my country one day through international community pressures and involvement.”

The Refugee Support Ministry is funded by the Archbishop’s Community Care and Development Grants, which contributes to the part-time employment of Phin Tang.

“There is no regional boundary when it comes to God’s kingdom,” said Phin. “The experience of the Lado family and the friendship and support given to them through Seven Hills is one such example. Since the commencement of this Refugee Support Ministry in early 2001, there has been a total of just over 200 refugees, including parents and children, being referred for our support and friendship.

“Many of these refugees have already been linked to a local church through the ministry. One Muslim has accepted Christ, and another professed Muslim attends Sunday church and midweek Bible study regularly because he wanted to learn and improve his English. Yet there are others who still need to be linked with volunteers who are prepared to extend Christian friendship. We pray that through these relationships many people will come to know Jesus.”

If you are interested in learning about how you can be involved in this exciting ministry, please contact Phin Tang on 0412 879 875 or email phintang@bigpond.net.au” />