Reverend John Chol Daau is an Anglican priest from the Diocese of Bor (Episcopal Church of South Sudan and Sudan). He is also the author of God’s Refugee: The Story of a Lost Boy Pastor. After organizing a “people’s seminary” to provide biblical and theological education to refugee priests and lay leaders displaced by conflict in UN camps where he lived for many years, he founded the Good Shepherd Academy in Juba to educate the next generation of South Sudanese Christian leaders beginning in primary school. 

By profession, Rev. Daau is a teacher, preacher and writer. He is also on faculty of Daystar University in Kenya at the Institute of Professional Leadership and Development (IPLD) as a visiting missionary lecturer. 

Ordained in 2004, John has also served at St. Paul’s Church Athi River (Machakos Diocese) in the Anglican Church of Kenya.

He is a graduate of Trinity Episcopal School for Ministry (Master of Arts in Religion, concentration in Systematic Theology, Church History and Mission) and Daystar University (Development and Communications). Rev. Daau interests include organizational leadership, Christian Education, and community development, advocacy and peacebuilding.

Rev. Daau desires to bring healing, forgiveness and reconciliation in South Sudan. Since 2011, he has been involved in the peace processes with the Presidential Committee for Peace, Reconciliation and Tolerance and the Committee for National Healing, Peace and Reconciliation under the leadership of Archbishop Daniel Deng Bul of Episcopal Church of Sudan. He helped facilitate the All-Jonglei Communities Peace Conference.

With a supportive team, Rev. Daau founded Good Shepherd Educational Foundation (a US 501(c) 3 nonprofit, (formerly known as Good Shepherd Leadership Training Center-US) which houses the Good Shepherd Academy for children ages 3-14 in Juba, and the Good Shepherd College and Seminary (in development now). He also founded The Christian Times, the first Christian newspaper in South Sudan. 

Rev. Daau belongs to the “lost boys” generation of Sudan who were forced to flee the country as a result of the civil war. He has lived for several years in various refugee camps in Kenya, Ethiopia and Uganda. But the Gospel of Christ and faith in Him has been Rev. Daau’s sustaining strength. Daau 40, surrendered his life to the Lord Jesus when he was nine-years-old. In his early years. His late uncle Rev. Elijah Deng Mabior played a crucial role of mentorship and forming him in the Christian faith.

Daau travels widely to share his story and vision for the future of South Sudan. His vision is to model Christian servant leadership, commitment to promotion of justice, peace and reconciliation in South Sudan and beyond. He believes that with many blessings comes great responsibility. John seeks to use his knowledge and skills to follow Jesus, promote transformation, and lead friends to Christ. Daau has organized and led teaching mission teams and trips to South Sudan, Kenya and Uganda since 2005 to help Sudanese refugee leaders acquire skills in leadership, pastoral training, counseling, reconciliation and theology. Daau is married to Sarah Alek and they both live in Nairobi with their sons Jacob, Abraham and Isaac.