Adventist Meetings in Juba the First Event Booked at Remodeled Stadium

The scorching sun did not prevent hundreds of Seventh-day Adventist church members, guests, and Bible study interests from finding a place in the stands of the Juba Football Stadium in Juba, South Sudan, July 13. Planned from 7:00 to 11:00 a.m. to avoid the hottest part of the day, the Sabbath worship service included congregational singing, offerings, a musical concert of several church choirs, a discussion of the Sabbath School lesson, and the preaching of the Word of God.

The Juba Football Stadium was the venue selected for the first week of the Homecoming evangelistic meetings in Juba. The soccer stadium, which was built in the 1960s, recently underwent major remodeling after the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) decided to fund the project as part of its Forward initiative, which seeks to support and develop soccer in non-traditional places.

Less than a month before the beginning of the evangelistic meetings, the stadium was officially inaugurated with FIFA president Gianni Infantino attending. The idea was to use the stadium for official international soccer matches and major events. It was then a surprise when, thanks to the support of government officials of South Sudan, including the country’s president, Salva Kiir Mayardit, the Adventist Church was allowed to use it for the Homecoming series, according to regional church leaders. “In fact,” they said, “it was the first event ever booked in the new stadium.”

The July 13 service was translated into Arabic. While English is the lingua franca of most South Sudanese, many speak Arabic, including its Juba and Sudanese variants. Also, South Sudan has an estimated 60 aboriginal languages, including those representing major indigenous groups such as Dinka and Nuer.

A concert included songs by church choirs and ensemble groups. A children’s choir also welcomed members and guests to South Sudan and to the meetings. A male group sang about being as faithful to God as were Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the Bible story, while the choirs reminded those attending the service about the hope that believers have in Jesus and His soon second coming.

Wilson’s message once more appealed to the various groups among those seated in the stands. All those who were ready for their baptism a couple of hours later were invited for a special prayer. At the same time, Wilson made a special point of focusing on those who had not yet committed to Jesus. “If you feel God is calling you, please come so I can pray for you,” he told the crowd. “Tell the Lord you are ready to start studying His Word. Tell Him that you want to get ready to be part of His church. Give Him your life today.”

In the late evening, the Homecoming series moved to the Adventist compound, where several church institutions are located, including the regional church headquarters, ADRA, a radio station, and two schools. There, church members and leaders welcomed the almost 200 hundred individuals who had been baptized a few hours earlier and prayed for them to stay faithful and connected to Jesus. Once more, Wilson appealed to those who were still struggling with their decision to follow Jesus, with dozens responding to his call.