Kurkeil Mubarak Khamis (1942-1996) was born at Orembi, Jallabo village,
near Haiban in what is today Sudan’s South Kordofan province. His father,
Chief Khamis Omendri of the Attoro tribe, was the first Christian in that
area of the Nuba Mountains. After graduating from Kawda Primary School in
1953, Kurkeil attended Katsha Intermediate School and the Dilling Teacher
Training Institute and, in 1961, entered the Church of Christ Bible School
at Shanaya. Over the next two years, touring on a horse which was a gift
from his father, Kurkeil established churches at Jallabo, Saddora, Shawry
and Debbi in the Attoro area as well as in other Nuba areas including those
of the Moro, Tirra and Kirra tribes. His leadership and athletic abilities
were further demonstrated by his becoming a “first class hero” of Nuba
wrestling.
Bishop Mubarak preaching
After joining the Episcopal Church of Sudan (ECS) in 1963, the future
bishop served as a pastor at Kosti and in other areas of northern Sudan. He
did not, however, become a deacon until 1974. On 9 August 1975 he was
ordained priest and in 1977 enrolled in a Bible teachers’ training course in
Omdurman. Within a short while he was back in the Nuba Mountains, serving
first at Katsha and later in Kadugli from 1982-3.
Kurkeil Mubarak Khamis was consecrated a Bishop of the Episcopal Church
of Sudan in 1984 and, after the death of Bishop Tiya Shokai in 1985, was
assigned responsibility for the Khartoum bishopric, a post he held until
1987.
Following resolution of a rift within the ECS, he was nominated by the
Council of Bishops to be Bishop of El Obeid, the position he held until his
death from liver cancer on 17 September 1996. He was survived by his widow
Zahara and their five sons and three daughters.
Among the numerous achievements -- in addition to evangelism, promotion of
education and church planting -- with which Bishop Mubarak is credited, are
Bible translation and distribution and persuading the Attoro people to
descend from the hills to settle in the fertile areas of Debbi and Kawda. He
also helped establish the first ECS office for development and planning
(SUDRA) and in early 1996 negotiated exchange of a plot of land in El Obeid
in compensation for church property which had been confiscated by local
authorities. In recognition of his courage and efficiency, he was awarded
the President of the Republic Medal.
Bishop Mubarak
Bishop Mubarak was widely regarded as a man of faith, wisdom, patience
and rare courage. He was known for his hospitality, his love for children,
his commitment to peace and his urgent desire for equality and justice for
all. After his death Lillian Craig Harris, the wife of the British
Ambassador to Sudan, decided to set up a scholarship fund for Nuba women in
Bishop Mubarak’s name and in so doing received the permission and
encouragement of the late bishop’s family.
Together for Sudan is grateful to the family of the late bishop for
information included in this biographical report.