South Sudan

 

Hello there!!  We're just back from a week in Juba, visiting the dedicated team and seeing international and national staff at their vital work in such a devastated nation!  We hadn't realised we already knew many of the lovely international staff.....

 

 

 

After their early start and before tea/coffee break each weekday morning staff meet to encourage one another from the Bible, share stories of answered prayers and to ask God for His input and guidance into their daily, personal and working lives and those whom they serve

The nation of South Sudan gained independence from the north in July 2011 but since then has known much turmoil and unrest; only last December further fighting broke out, MAF evacuating many.  Most of the  MAF national staff face their own memories of tragedies with stories beyond comprehension, yet they faithfully carry out their jobs, serving God with commitment, whole yet often broken-hearted..... with over a million internally displaced people there is a long way to go before this beautifully rich and fertile nation can be considered stable and established.  Here's an aerial view of one refugee camp, just outside the capital, statistics show 3 children a day die of acute malnutrition; disease is rife, men risk being shot, women are fearful to leave to collect firewood, medics treating multiple cases of rape and traumas

 

Over 150 NGOrganisations work tirelessly in the capital of Juba - it's the fasting growing city in the world apparently, even though 40,000+ folk fled this past December alone, adding to the 150,000 who previously ran, fearing for their lives and now living as refugees.  Daily MAF receives several more requests than it can possible handle, pleas for assistance..... it flies in medical supplies/personnel and emergency relief to the thousands of homeless folk, serving many mission partners/agencies/churches, bringing food, Bibles.....often needing to clear "runways" first

 

 

 

 

 

Peace is the cry on many peoples' lips, anti-government rebel forces and inter-tribal conflict continues to rumble around a country with civil war but in Juba much effort is placed upon the pursuit of peace...MAF flies Government officials as well as Church leadership, committed to finding a way forward for the nation and her precious people

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Juba's Programme Managers' wife Corina (could be confusing!) shares principles of forgiveness and reconciliation amongst the MAF national staff and also local churches... we visited one "church" and the surrounding area, near where the recent conflict began - some pictures of the neighbours/hood

 

 

As you can imagine we have oodles more photos.... next week we'll share a little more on our trip if you're interested but for now we send you our love and greetings from a slightly cooler Dodoma, where we're enjoying daytime temperatures in the 30's rather than 40's!!  Happy weekendi!  God bless you.  Do pray for peace in south Sudan.. and Jerusalem!

 Jez and Carina xx