The Anglican priest is the only church pastor in the town, which recently absorbed thousands of internally displaced persons, fleeing war and famine in El-Fasher, the capital of North Darfur State, and the Zam Zam Camp on its outskirts. The 45-year-old priest arrived in the town from El-Fasher, together with a group of Christians—including children and women—after bomb, gun, and drone attacks forced the closure of his church. The group had stayed with Abudigin in the city, where he was the last priest standing when all other clerics had fled. Like sheep and their shepherd, the Christians had walked along with their priest, as they sought a safe refuge in Tawila. “We are living in peace, but it’s difficult to get food or a place to stay,” said the priest from Tawila. “I am the only priest here and I can feel the struggles of the people.” Abudigin is now caring for 117 families, each comprising 5-7 people, or approximately 500-700 people in Tawila. The priest’s actions underline the challenges to peace that clerics go through when their communities are caught in conflict. A critical refuge The families, drawn from different denominations, assemble for services on Sundays, under a large lalob tree–Arabic for “desert dates” or “soapberry”—in one of the camps. Here, the congregation prays for peace, as they encourage each other, amidst challenges with basic needs such as food, shelter, and medicines. The priest said meeting under the lalob tree carries a special meaning, as the tree symbolizes peace, hope, and resilience in Sudan and South Sudan. The trees are common venues for peace discussions among the Sudanese communities. “The people have suffered a lot. So, we need to end this war,” said Abudigin, while describing this as a daily prayer for the congregation and other Christians in Sudan. “The people need peace. They also need something to eat immediately.” He is, however, concerned that the brutal war is not getting enough international attention, despite the magnitude of the displacement, death, and destruction. Last year, his resolve to stay with his followers in El-Fasher was strained when a stray bullet killed Roman Catholic priest, Fr Luka Jomo, on 13 June 2025. Abudigin had taken the priest to the hospital after he was hit by a bullet during an attack by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces. But while he should have left then, Abudigin instead kept his church open and assembled all Christians in one church to protect them from the random shooting, drone strikes, and bombings. When an attack by the paramilitary killed two people within the church and injured several others, Abudigin also decided to leave, finally reaching Tawila. The town became a critical refuge for internally displaced persons fleeing El-Fasher, as the war intensified in the city, triggering famine and disease. The paramilitary had besieged El-Fasher for a brutal 18-month period starting in April 2024. The siege ended on 26 October 2025. At the moment, 700,000 to 1 million people have found shelter in camps around Tawila, making it one of the world’s largest settlements for internally displaced persons. The small town has remained peaceful in the three years of the Sudanese war. Now settled in town, Abudigin appeals: “Give the people food, help end the war. Everyone is tired of it.” WCC member churches in Sudan | 
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