Flame International Conference

This year’s Flame Conference for Kajo-Keji Diocese was unique from past events with the venue not being in Kajo-Keji. Instead, it was held in the flooded, muddy and filthy refugee camps of Kali/Morobi and Belameling. Imagine the reaction of the Flame team to the situation before them!

For the first time ever CRESS took the initiative to send its own team but also sponsor thirteen pastors who otherwise wouldn’t have been able to attend. One can imagine their joy and gratitude.

“In times of severe trial the Christian has nothing on earth that he can trust, and so he is compelled to throw oneself on God alone. When everything is failing, and no human deliverance is nowhere to be seen at hand, one must simply and entirely trust oneself to the providence and care of God (Isaiah 51:5)” As an individual, it was during the sessions on trauma and healing that I realized I was living with suppressed trauma. I had falsely believed I was “trauma free!”

Thanks Flame International for coming and be assured of CRESS-SS support whenever you need it for we are committed to work for our people. Fred Taban

With over one million South Sudanese refugees in Uganda and over 63% children under the age of eighteen, we are committed to building a culture of peace for the next generation where hope of a better South Sudan lies.

“This is not the first time I attended a Flame Conference but every time you attend it is new, challenging and refreshing.  When I was the mission coordinator of the Diocese of Kajo-Keji from 2010 to November 2015 I used Flame teaching materials and books and yielded amazing results with incredible testimonies of healing and deliverances. Thousands were converted and established in the church.” Joseph Aba

You may enjoy reading Fred and Joseph’s reports in full, which you will find below.

Full Report by Fred Taban (31st August 2017)
This year’s Flame Conference for Kajo-Keji Diocese was sort of unique from past conferences for the following reasons: a) Venue was not Kajo-Keji but the flooded, muddy and filthy refugee camps of Kali/Morobi and Belameling and imagine the reaction of the Flame team to the situation before them! b) For the first time ever CRESS took the initiative to sponsor about 20 delegates from Liwolo IDPs who otherwise wouldn’t have afforded to get to the conference. One can imagine the joy and gratitude of these persons. CRESS office staff attended as well, c) The teachings were just befitting to the prevailing circumstances! Traumatized participants learnt one important truth that: “In times of severe trial the Christian has nothing on earth that he can trust, and so he is compelled to throw oneself on God alone. When everything is failing, and no human deliverance is nowhere to be seen at hand, one must simply and entirely trust oneself to the providence and care of God (Isaiah 51:5)” As an individual it was during the sessions on trauma and healing that I realized I was living with suppressed trauma. I had falsely believed I was “trauma free!”

Thanks Flame International for coming and be assured of CRESS-SS support whenever you need it for we are committed to work for our people.

Full Report by Bishop Joseph  Aba  (31st August 2017)
Flame international conferences lead by Jan and Val are best described by team as spiritual hospital or spiritual surgery and life changing.  Also one of participant and indeed one of my staff member said, at the end of the conference, peace is total restored. You now live in peace in the middle of violence and war, yet peaceful. The inner peace one got from God through this ministry will not automatically end the current war and the suffering in refugees’ camp in Uganda or IDPS in south Sudan.  But the good news is that you will live in total peace within yourself and in harmony with others, holding no garages with any person.
This is not the first time I attended flame conferences but every time you attend everything is very new, challenging and refreshing. I have fallen in love with flame since September 2009 that actually midwife CRESSUK as charity that one serve hundreds of people in Kajo-keji. When I was the mission coordinator of the diocese of Kajo-keji from 2010 to November 2015 I used flame teaching materials and books and yield amazing results with incredible testimonies of healing and deliverances. Thousands were converted and established in the church.

This time around, it came when all of us have not only witnessed and heard massive exodus of our people into exile against their will but also merciless atrocities, looting and rape.  Our progress we made since 2005 from signing of comprehensive peace agreement (CPA) and independency in 2011 where dreams and hopes for better life were crushed and reduced into nothing. We as leaders were not exceptional. We were forced  together with our flock into exile and yet to be welcome with harsh condition in refugees camps and in new places. The spirit of hatred, bitterness, revenge, division and anger entered and controlled everyone. People are traumatic including their leaders.

Thank God for flames International for their quick response to save our lives from sinking and degenerating into true hell on earth of living the rest of our lives controlled by our past. Our past of bitterness, anger, hatred, nurturing revenge, tribalism among others for the atrocities and injustices committed to us or to our relatives, friends and tribe mate.   Public confession and forgiveness were done with weeping and brokenness. Healing, Peace and joy flow from the throne of mercy of our God, and father to set his children free.

With over one million south Sudanese refugees in Uganda and over 63 per cent are children under 18 years old, 35,000 IDPS in Liwolo, most of who are also children and youth.  We are committed to build the culture of peace to this new generation where all hopes of better south Sudan lies.

Finally but not the list, I am happy and thankful to CRESSUK for enable us to attend such a conference with my Archdeacons, and other few clergy, youth leaders and all CRESS senior staffs. Otherwise, distance, lack of transport and funds would have kept us in our cell of prison. Glory be  to God that we are free and free indeed. My team and all flame train people will continue to rekindle the fire and take to other refugee’s settlement such as Bidibidi, Imvepi, Rhino camp, and adjumani as God permits.  God bless flame and CRESS for their efforts in serving us.