Even in war-torn Sudan, education provides the best hope for a brighter future. Yet few children have the opportunity to attend school, either because they are poor or because there is no school nearby. That's why the Global Food Crisis Fund Support a School project is so important–and so appreciated.

In the small town of Narus, we assist two schools–one for boys and one for girls. Blessed Bakhita Girls' School is home to over 500 young women, and is the only school of its kind in southern Sudan. The girls are from 24 different tribes, and some walked 600 miles to attend here. Sacred Heart School for boys is home to over 450 young men, many of them having been separated from their families by the war.

Both schools face challenges. The biggest one is that the schools are sometimes bombed by government planes (see Facts in a Box ). They are also short on school supplies, and things like soap for bathing or washing their clothes. But this doesn't stop the girls and boys from coming.

Here's what you can do:

Pray for the girls and boys and their schools Send an occasional letter to the schools Raise money for the schools: Every $125 raised is about what it costs for each year's fees for a student Every $12 buys a case of soap Every $20 buys writing materials for a whole class full of young scholars Or raise $200 and you'll support a teacher for a month

That's what you can give. Here's what you'll receive:

Materials for beginning your project, including a video about Blessed Bakhita Occasional letters from one or more of the children The good feeling of having supported these young people in their quest for a future with hope

Facts in a box Sudan is locked in a brutal civil war. The country has been at war for 40 of the past 45 years—nearly the whole period since its independence. The war pits the northern government, which is mainly Arab and Muslim, against the southern part of the country, which is black African and of many religions, including Christian. Over 2 million people have died in the war, and another 3-4 million have been driven from their homes. The Church of the Brethren has been involved in reaching out to the people of Sudan for nearly 20 years.

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Yes! We want to support the children of southern Sudan! Send us the video and guidelines for the project.

Name of group/congregation: ________________________________________________

Contact person: __________________________________________________________

Phone: _______________________________ E-mail: ___________________________

Address: _______________________________________________________________