With great thanks to God, the Archbishop of Canterbury — Sarah Mullally — has honoured 27 people at the Lambeth Awards, including Bishop Daniel Abot! Daniel was awarded the Cross of St Augustine for 'for leading groundbreaking peace work in South Sudan'. Daniel serves as the Resource Church Specialist for Ethnic Congregations in Anglican Church Southern Queensland. We also count it as great joy that Daniel and Rachel are members of St Bart's — a constant encouragement and inspiration to us! Please join with me in giving great thanks to God for Daniel and Rachel, pray for the continued work of peacemaking in South Sudan, and also that the Lord would continue to raise up faithful Gospel workers particularly for the Dinka speaking community. If you would like to watch a little snippet about Daniel and his source of joy, you can do so here.

The award citation:

For leading groundbreaking peace work in South Sudan and for his continuing ministry to South Sudanese and Sudanese diaspora communities in Australia and internationally Daniel was born in (now) South Sudan. During the civil war, 12-year-old Daniel fled 1,000 miles on foot to Ethiopia and then to Kenya. He spent 15 years in refugee camps, meeting his wife, Rachel, in Kenya where he was priested. After moving to Australia with Rachel and their children in 2003, Daniel worked for Anglicare, assisting newly arrived refugees, and served as an honorary priest.

In 2014 the Diocese of Duk was established to help bring peace to the region. Daniel was appointed the first Bishop of Duk while working for the Queensland Government. While Rachel stayed in Australia with their seven children, Daniel served as the Bishop of Duk for eight years in an unpaid capacity — often sleeping in the bush — while serving over 60,000 internally displaced people and refugees. While undertaking peace-making work alongside the United Nations, Daniel rescued infants following massacres; protected children from being trafficked and from child marriages; helped with planning guesthouses to generate revenue; led clergy development; facilitated health and nutrition initiatives; and, risked his life to accompany aid trucks to conflict zones.

Daniel now serves as the Ethnic Congregations Specialist in the Anglican Church Southern Queensland, ministering to culturally diverse communities. He also serves the wider South Sudanese and Sudanese diaspora internationally as a mediator and pastoral leader, visiting South Sudan during times of renewed violence and famine to assist with peace-making and relief efforts. Daniel is beloved for his prayerfulness, gentleness, servant leadership, integrity and courage as he outstandingly embodies the Marks of Mission.