A Message from the 2014 GBC-USA 5th Annual Conference
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- Category: Diaspora
- Published on Friday, 05 September 2014 19:53
- Written by The Executive Leadership of the Greater Bor Community in the United States
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The Greater Bor Community-USA Press Release on the 2014 5th Annual Conference
August 30-August 31, 2014
Press for immediate release
Themed As: We will overcome
Introduction
The GBC national office is taking this opportunity to thank the great people of GBC Dallas, Texas, for the great hosting and organizing of the conference last weekend. The GBC 2014 5th Annual conference was one of the well organized GBC conferences since its inception.
Saturday: Leadership Meeting
The program started on Saturday with the leadership meeting (county, payam, boma, state, spiritual leaderships and community elders). The agenda items included briefings from the national office, intensive discussion and dialogues on the current crisis in South Sudan, examination of the weaknesses and strengths regarding the state of affairs for the GBC.
The discussions were fruitful. They unearthed misunderstandings caused by the conflict and corrected them, refocused attentions on the unity of our people so that they can successfully face the odds. The discussions also dived into the understanding of the root causes of the conflict as it befell our people. The discussions also provided a way forward.
One of the resolutions of the leadership meeting was a proposal of a leadership summit that will bring all GBC-USA leaders and stakeholders (GBC national office, county, payam, boma, state, spiritual) leaders and community elders and some other influential individuals in the community to be determined and invited by the GBC national office. This meeting is being planned to take place before this year’s end. So, please, all leaders stay tuned.
Saturday: General Assembly Meeting
The general assembly meeting was filled with unwavering spirits of unity as it was opened with the lighting of 12 candles, indicative of the 12 codes of GBC since the British rule to commemorate the repeated loss of lives and properties by the GBC during this crisis.
The community leaders and other keynote speakers hit so hard on the need for this community to recognize that it cannot do anything when it is divided. The speakers reminded the community members to revisit their bonds and rise above all challenges that have attempted to break those bonds. The call for an end to negativities, whether written, verbalized or silently expressed. And the subsequent submission to what unites our people. The community meeting ended with happy/social hours. The mixture of party and traditional dance rocked the night from 11pm to 3am. At the end of Saturday, everyone was so tired and exhausted but all for a good cause.
Sunday: Church and Awang de Michigan
On Sunday, the church attendance in 312 people was the highest GBC conference has ever seen. The leadership of the churches led the most extraordinary prayer services, encompassing four areas of prayers, namely; peace process in Addis Ababa for South Sudan, comfort and strength due to suffering, strengthening of God’s word among its people and finally, prayers for the deceased persons.
On the same day, following the church services, the community met at a park for traditional dance. The spirit of people’s unity and the thirst for nurturing the broken relationships was much evidenced throughout the whole conference weekend.
GBC-USA message to our people worldwide and especially at home
The people of GBC-USA call on the GBC global leaders and particularly those at home (GBC leaders, commissioners, youth leaders, women leaders, spiritual leaders, elders and the entire membership of the GBC) to unite their ranks and uproot the differences that the conflict has caused among our people.
This community will overcome the tragedies that it has seen, must remain committed to what guarantees the future of it members and the harmonious living of South Sudan people regardless of their backgrounds. Peace is our priority. However, a comprehensive, accountable and holistic justice must be delivered against all who contributed to the suffering of our people.
To All South Sudanese Citizens
We call on you all to be responsible citizens who do not support the killings of your fellow citizens. Let’s join hands and equally call on the government, rebels and all the other parties to the peace talks in Addis Ababa to swiftly end the crisis and set our country back on the path to development. Peace is urgently needed now.
NB: The flag in the picture was donated to GBC by the young boy (Mading Ajok, based in Houston, Texas) holding it. In the spirit of Mading Ajok, this community is committed to the national vision of South Sudan.
Signed by:
GBC-USA President: Abraham Deng Lueth de Mayom
GBC-USA Vice President: James Maluak Malou de Deng
GBC-USA General Secretary: Meshack Mayom Bol de Achuk
