Both on our way to Nimule and on our way back we stopped in the beautiful village of Loa, whose majestic church built by Comboni Missionaries is reportedly the largest in South Sudan, larger even than the cathedrals of any of the seven dioceses in the south.
Loa saw a lot of fighting during the civil war, particularly near the bridge that crosses the Aswa River. The community found itself caught between the warring factions within Sudan, and the assaults of the Lord's Resistance Army from nearby Uganda. Fr. Julius Ido, the pastor, returned to the parish shortly after the war ended in 2005 and repaired and reroofed the stately rectory, only to have the LRA attack in 2006 inflicting fresh damage on the structure and burning two vehicles.
The church is solemn and beautiful - almost like a monastic basilica, a place that invites reflection and prayer. The multi-hued plastic chairs add an interesting splash of color to the otherwise subdued tones of the sanctuary.
The two large pieces of statuary share the same somber ambience of the building. The head of the Infant Jesus in the arms of Mary is missing, and the Crucifix has a pathos that is somehow heightened by the stains of water entering through the broken stained glass windows.
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