The Rev. Teresa Aduk Jerboam

The Rev. Teresa Aduk Jerboam

St. Matthew\’s Cathedral, Renk
Teacher and Chaplain, Renk Basic School, Diocese of Renk

Teresa Aduk Jerboam was born in the village of Duk, north of the town of Bor, in South Sudan in 1968. She came to Renk in 1987, two years after getting married, when her husband, Joseph Nyading, was transferred here from Malakal, where they had been living. Joseph is now a brigadier general in the National Police serving in Malakal again, but because of his work and frequent transfers, Teresa has decided to stay in Renk Town on her own.

Teresa and Joseph have no children, a fact that bears heavily on her. In their Dinka culture, having children is very important. Not having them has ended many marriages, but Teresa and Joseph stay together.

Teresa, who serves at St. Matthew\’s Cathedral and is both an Arabic teacher and a chaplain at the Diocese\’s Renk Basic School, became a priest because she is a servant.

\”Of course, I became a priest for God. The life of Christ is a very good life,\” she says, \”and I want to bring other people to Christ. I love to help, to serve Jesus Christ because I am a servant.\”

She is happy to be a priest, she says, \”because when you believe in Jesus Christ, you find that the way to follow Christ is a good way.\”

She knows that much of her work as a priest is the same work done by lay leaders and evangelists.

\”But a priest is more,\” she says. \”There are priestly duties. You cannot go halfway on this.\”

Before ordination, Teresa, along with the other five women, attended workshops to be trained for priesthood. Some of the workshops were on preaching; some on how to build a small church; some on how to be a leader in church. Among the 30 or so priests in Renk Diocese, Teresa has the best presence in the liturgy, leading quietly but confidently, rarely stumbling over words or pages. She brings to her leadership of liturgy a sense of grace and calm. She would like more training, and hopes to get it through the Renk Bible College.